Our advance party, fellow L2P rider Mike Heath, spotted the evening's eatery on a short spin, The Legh Arms and a great spot it was. I had a lovely pre sportive meal of Rabbit Suet (don't tell the wife or Frosty and Blossom our rabbits!), potatoes and ale battered onion rings, washed down with just one beer after the No Excuses cramp debacle. Leisurely strolling home laughing at the drunk cyclist weaving his way home and retiring to bed after seeing the Humperdink finish penultimate last in the farcical dishing of points on Eurovision, ready for the 7am alarm.
Morning came with the sun rising high in the blue sky for what was forecast to be a scorcher. Washed, fed, watered and lotioned, we packed the cars and set off on the 12 mile journey to Chapel-en-le-frith. We decided to park at the Frodo factory and leisurely cycle up to the Leisure centre as we had plenty of time before the start. Chris was meeting some work colleagues to ride the 47 mile short route, whereas the Mikes and myself were doing the 65 mile medium route.
I had quite a lot of nervous apprehension waiting for the start. This came from feeling I was woefully undertrained, plus the monster of Winnats Pass at 40 odd miles playing on my mind. A mixture of the wettest April on record, work and family commitments meant that I hadn't spent nearly as much time on my bike as I would have liked. In fact, Felicity (my bike) and myself had only been out that week on a 15 mile training ride on the Monday and a commute to work and back on the Wednesday. I did not feel fully prepared for what Kilo to Go say is "a seriously challenging bike ride in some of Britain's most beautiful moorland countryside." Also add in the fact I was going to wear new shoes that I'd only done 45 miles in and at most 15 miles in one ride!
The Mikes and myself rolled out together from under the start at 9:11am, but roughly 10 minutes later would be the last I would see of them for over 5 hours. I knew there was a 3 mile climb of over 700ft just 3 miles in to the ride and as I crossed over the junction at the foot of the climb at Whaley Bridge and started passing numerous other riders, the Mikes disappeared behind me. As a skinny streak of the preverbial, I held quite an advantage on the Mike's, that and the fact I have a girly bike. That first climb seemed to go on forever and is classed as a category 3 climb, yet I prefered it to the steep and narrow descent of Pyms Chair that was the result of the climb. I really cannot descend on roads I don't know, I just can't let go at fear of something going wrong.
A couple of minor bumps towards Macclesfield and it was on to the Cat and Fiddle, the start signalled by a sign stating whether the pass is open during the winter. Now this climb did go on, a 2nd category climb of nearly 7 miles. Passing riders on the way up I came level with a fellow Felt rider. We got chatting and climbed most of the way up side by side. Kieren had ridden the Cat and Fiddle before and pointed out the Cat and Fiddle Pub marking the summit away in the distance. Despite the length of the climb, you could just stick in the same gear and tempo the ride up, there were also a few shallow gradients that enabled you to roll along smoothly.
Cat and Fiddle summited with an average showing 13.5mph, we were into a strong easterly wind. Kieren and I did try and take turns but an arse of a rider in a Sigma kit saw us doing this and stole my wheel once my turn was over. The descent was on smooth tarmac and not very technical so I could open up a little but it was over far too quickly and the climbing started again as we turned right at the T junction. It was now all about the 1 mile killer 42 miles in, Winnats Pass.
Many ups and downs and a feed stop at 33 miles where I had half a banana, a gel and refilled both bottles courtesy of High 5 and there we were at Castleton. I missed the sign saying, "Welcome to Peak Cavern. The Devil's Arse," as I turned off the main road and onto the category 3 climb of Winnats Pass.
I knew this was going to be a killer, especially having seen numerous photos and the gradient profile with one section above 20%!
Trundling along to the main start of the climb, a fellow rider remarked, "Even the very fit have to walk this." If I wasn't fearing it before I was now. With Chris's words of advice, "Make sure you're in bottom gear by the cattle grid," I dropped to the lowest gear just before rolling over the grid. The gradient suddenly started to ramp. I slowly caught and passed riders weaving in front having to pass inside a few cars and their burning clutches as I did. The sun had brought out many families and one such mother and two young daughter's had a big impact on my climb. Struggling to keep momentum and ready to admit defeat, they clapped and shouted, "You're nearly there." Sure enough round the next bend I could see the cattle grid marking the end, I couldn't give up now! As I rolled over the cattle grid, there was an immense feeling of satisfaction, I had tamed Winnats Pass, albeit slowly! (alhthough looking on Strava, 69/346 riders on the site who had tackled it).
I thought it would now be plain sailing, my legs thought otherwise! Only a few miles after climbing Winnats I could start to feel some cramp. Numerous swallows on drink, chewing some Gu Chomps, Settlers Tums and some High 5 energygel+ seemed to stave off the onset of any major cramp, although I did think a full leg lock up was on the cards at some point!
Through some back roads we made our way to Buxton. Kieran was a few bike lengths away now but always in sight and with some kind shouted words of encouragement kept me going. We passed a Kilo to Go van dishing out water on Long Hill and then onto a lovely fast and smooth descent, clocking up some great speed on the long stretches of straight descent. Rather than a direct route back to Chapel-en-le-frith, there was a real sting in the tale. A right turn onto Old Road, a single farm track presented us with another long climb with several steep sections. It was a real killer to which several riders I passed were muttering swear words in the direction of the Directors of Kilo to Go. Summit crested and it was a downhill roll to the finish. I rolled over the line with the Garmin showing 4hrs 33mins 05secs. The official time handed to me was 4hrs 46mins 41secs (http://www.racetimingsystems.com/public/results.aspx?raceid=2278), 13 minutes outside the elusive gold time, so a third sportive silver. Deciphering the timings it looked like I finished 47/379 riders. I'm still buzzing off this ride and my personal achievements. Can't wait til 3 week's time and another milestone in my riding, with 154 flat out miles of the Fens.
