Fred whitton

[sid_day]

Yeah Rory's time seems nuts.
Didn't he come 3rd last year?

[Hal]

What a great Ride. I will give my brief report. My thinking was that I would be happy to complete the route and less that 10 hours would be great.

On the day I was expecting some cold and wet weather so had shoe covers and long sleeve jersey waterpoofs etc, but it turned out that it was pretty dry and calm.

Started out just after 6:00 with Apples and two of his friends (Pete and Mike) from Southborough and the pace was quick but managable but I did feel that I was burning a few more matches than I would have chosen at this time of the day. A good pace to Buttermere arriving at about 9:30. On up Newlands and Winlatter by which time we had dropped by Mike but been dropped by Pete.

We rode together to the last food stop and I managed to pull together some energy. Leaveing before 12:00 we lead out a group of 5 to the foot of Hardknott.

WWOWOO very steep near the top I was really struggling to maintain 3mph but determined not to walk. I headed on the the finish alone after the group had broken up on the climb and let the adrenaline kick in for the final 10 miles to the finish TT style. Finshed at 1:45. in 7:43 with the biggest grin I have ever had. Such a good ride.

I really felt that everything came together for this ride, training, eating, drinking, pacing etc. Sweet.

H

[higg]

not many photos of the race itself, I had other things to think about.


[img]http://img3011.photobox.co.uk/43728967f4d638df05ce37e0ec5d217a36d3f10aada056bb3899d4dcbf540ef287b33d35.jpg[/img]

sunshine on the way to registration


[img]http://img3011.photobox.co.uk/783518407108116fe241220629fd1e132ccea9105a63a22ca99ccc46b00682bf0a4122bb.jpg[/img]

you can't go to the lake district without seeing some sheep



[img]http://img3011.photobox.co.uk/02121618c452714c6ead62f5e953f6d7249376cfcc1602fecee8b49cb14fb0baa1beadc7.jpg[/img]

descent from kirkstone, too early in the morning



[img]http://img3011.photobox.co.uk/346202549d0a53b3ee320ef6c911b7e164390712b09900e5d7a5cb739aa5191f5a7f954e.jpg[/img]

finishers (note Huw, it still hasn't started raining)



[img]http://img3011.photobox.co.uk/05335510b67e48a00e30d61fd535d67f93b9061fe3c2195a0715ea30e563d0e1941f5070.jpg[/img]

still smiling at the finish

[higg]

[quote]Yeah Rory's time seems nuts.
Didn't he come 3rd last year?

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

I thought Sportives were just that Seems more like a race to me

Tim's ride was awesome - how you managed those climbs on a 39....

And I thought some of my rides were quick