Polka Dot Challenge

[David Lombari]

Peak Performance ? The Polka Dot Challenge

We arrived at event HQ with the hope of a tough but achievable ride in good weather and thankfully both came off. Unfortunately so did I!

Myself, Tamar, Sue and Justin (Tamar?s friends) and Alan and Brian set off together at 8.38am and soon got into a good rhythm.

Amazingly the organisers had gone the extra mile to mimic a real Gran Fondo as we swept past the Bianchi factory (actually a furniture retailer, but hey, the thought was there). A left turn after only a few miles took us up the first and longest climb of the day, Cat and Fiddle. In truth it wasn?t particularly difficult, 7 miles long and shallow, more reminiscent of a continental than British climb.

We continued on over a couple more lumps until arriving at the first control/food stop. I arrived with Justin and Brian was already there. Alan. Tamar and Sue arrived shortly after. Although we were 35 miles into the ride, the climbs hadn?t been particularly taxing and everyone still looked fairly fresh. The weather was perfect for cycling, warm but not humid and a high, thin cloud cover blocking out the strong sunlight.

Having drawn ourselves away from the excellent flapjacks, we soon got into the tempo again. Right from the start I had stayed close to Brian, subconsciously I might add, and we soon latched onto another good group to climb Snake Pass with. It was here that the main problem with the ride started to lure it?s ugly head?..TRAFFIC! With views of the beautiful Peak National Park all around, what a shame it was that at times it felt like coming back through Croydon on a Saturday afternoon. Descending Snake Pass should have been a fast and enjoyable experience but turned into an exercise in patience and concentration.

By the time we hit Castleton the speed had picked up again but a suddenly-braking car ahead of us, for no reason that I could see, caused the group to grab handfuls of brake lever. Unfortunately I touched the rear wheel of the guy in front and went headfirst onto the pavement, together with another bloke behind me. Having checked me, my bike and the other faller were ok, we continued to wind our way towards the hardest climb of the day, Winnets Pass. A sign just before we got to the climb informed us that the gorge?s nickname is ?The Devil?s Arse? and it?s quite a suitable nickname as the imposing ?buttocks? close in from both sides. Although it was a hard climb, 1½ miles at 23% max, I didn?t feel it was as tough as some nearer home, Whitedown for example, but with traffic slowing down and at times stopping in front of me, I was forced to wind my way around the cars and vans to avoid putting my foot down. Uncleating at this point would?ve meant walking up the rest of the climb.

Having got Winnats and Axe Edge out the way, and stopped for another control, Brian and me set off for the final major climb of the day, Gun Hill. This was probably the second hardest climb, especially coming after 83 miles, but, once over it the heads went down and it was full pelt for home although eventually I had to leave the fast group we were in as my right leg was feeling very tight after the fall.

I arrived back at base at 3.38pm, giving me a total time of 6½ hours. Brian was sitting having a coffee and Justin was laying on the grass in ?civis? reading a book. Brian beat me back by a few minutes, Justin maybe twenty! Alan, after back cramps had forced him into a pub, Tamar and Sue turned up shortly after.

We were all very satisfied with our performance (I think) and agreed that it had been a brilliant ride in a great area for cycling. The problems with traffic are understandable as lots of people want to see the views, etc, and the roads were very narrow at times but it?s still annoying. However, it was the only downside to a fine, well organised event.

Thanks to Sue, Justin and Alan for making the day even more enjoyable and special thanks to Tamar for the transport and accommodation and Brian for his pace-making and moral support.

Cheers, David.

The stats??

Distance: 103.21
Ride Time: 5.57.23
Average Speed: 17.32
Top Speed: 49.5 mph.

Heart rate:

Time: 5.36.02 (unfortunately I forgot to take it off ?Freeze? for a while)
Average HR: 151 bpm
Total Time above 150 bpm: 3.14.46

[Tamar Collis]

I'd just like to know which selfish, petrol-head f*cker thought it would be appropriate to organise an historic vehicle rally on the same day and route as a bike ride. And then to take so much damn pleasure from it! They could at least have hung their heads contritely as they crawled past belching fumes and revving their noisy engines. But instead they smiled gleefully whilst creating an interminable stream of noise, dirt and poisonous smog up the narrow airless 3 mile ascent of Snake Pass. One of them even stopped, smirked and then overtook a second time yet seemed perplexed when I snarled at him! And what jolly japes one particularly parentally-challenged individual must have had doing an impromptu 3-point turn on a descent causing me to instantly vaporise about 5mm from my brake blocks. Rant, rage etc.

Aside from the fact I could taste nothing but engine oil and my head throbbed from the relentless roar of a hundred inefficient, elderly car engines it was a grand day out.

Plus side: perfect weather, brilliant pacing from Sue, gorgeous scenery, breathtaking descents, friendly, supportive fellow riders, and fantastically well organised feed/card-stamping stations.

Minus side: aforementioned traffic, Winnats and the irritating bloke in the RNIB t-shirt on the very squeaky bike who wittered on to me and Sue and did not take our monsyllabic hints that we didn't care about his sandwiches or his forthcoming etape attempt. Thankfully we managed to drop him and he arrived back considerably later than us. Ha.

Thanks v much to David for doing all the driving on the way back. I was shattered!

[Alan M]

I very much enjoyed the ride and the chats, particularly with Brian who was good company for 2 evenings in the pub opposite our B&B.

For me it was a ride of 3 halves - as Dave said the first part, over cat and fiddle was great and although, as a group we split up, there wasn't much between us. the sweep down the other side was majestic except for some muppet drivers. After that I rode steadily until Winnats but managed to climb it without stopping - but it was a real test and coming at the 63 mile point, I think its the hardest hill I have done. I now realise that it took more out of me than I expected. As we peaked we got a good cheer from a crowd of well-wishers and someone next to me said that's 6 hills done only 2 to go and I was feeling quite pleased with myself.

Then an excruciating pain struck my inner thigh muscles - severe cramp such that I just had to get off the bike - I realised then that I was probably under-hydrated and my bottle was empty. I limped on for about 3 of miles getting off the bike 3 times to walk and recover a bit and at one point riding using just one leg. I eventually found a pub and got a pint of coke (not lager) and a packet of crisps for the salt content and downed both and then set off again. Slowly it improved and only hurt on the hills!. When I got to the feed station approx. 72 miles, I downed another litre of water and took another one in my bottle and with only one hill to go I didn't find it too bad but I was too slow to catch on to passing groups as any pressure revived the cramp.

Eventually we got off the hills for about 18 miles of flatish ride back to base - and I got back into a rhythm and was joined by a group of 4 who were flagging a bit but I was recovering and I pulled them for about two-thirds of the time and we had a really strong finish. They we really pleased with this surprisingly thankful because I think the increased pace actually lifted all our spirits. My time was 6.59 and I had 6.29 on my computer and had a top speed of 49 mph which I believe is the fastest that I have ever been.

After the ride we had an excellent group debrief and admired David's injuries and everyone's success.

The dragon ride letter was in the post when I got home and I had forgotten I had entered it - Mmmm......

[Maria David]

Well done on your adventures at the Peak District guys.
You were a bit unlucky with the cars on the day. It's not usually that busy up there. Hope you've recovered from your bruises David.

[Toks]

Yes Chapeaus to all concerned. Well done Tamar, my girlfriend occassionally asks how you're getting on?. She hasn't quite forgiven me for taking her to the ACC awards dinner last year. She said that it was the most boring event she'd ever been to. The only highlight for her was watching you collect a few trophies.

Anyway you remain her inspiration because shortly after that she learnt how to ride a bike. Yes it all happened in a cold, two hour, foul mouthed afternoon in a Richmond Park. "I shouldn't be doing this, I'm 45 she kept shouting" He he I've never laughed so much in all the time we've been together

[Tamar Collis]

That is v kind of your gf Toks. Tell her I'm more impressed with her efforts though. Learning to ride a bike as an adult is very impressive.

Mind you, now she's got the hang of it age shouldn't matter. When my mum announced she was going to cycle several hundred miles along the Nile (aged 57) her (younger) sisters chorused...'You can't do that, you'll have a heart attack'...she not only went on to prove them all wrong but the following year rode 400 miles up some seriously big mountains with me in China.

[Alan M]

Also tell her that the event wasn't a real cliff hanger for me either, although I agree Tamar was a highlight. As one whose wife has never learnt to ride a bike maybe she could offer to start a support group - "cyclists' wives and girlfiends" - the mind boggles!

[Toks]

[quote]'You can't do that, you'll have a heart attack'...she not only went on to prove them all wrong but the following year rode 400 miles up some seriously big mountains with me in China.

[Tamar Collis]

I know. I keep hoping she'll be down one w/e when there's a J4F group on but we've just not sorted it yet.