Tour of Wessex report

[Stu Merckx Man]

That was a hard couple of days.

I can't really add much to the reports as everything is covered, but my favourite day was day 1.

It has to go down as one of the all time favourites for me.

I was as surprised as everyone else I think, to find myself keeping up on the big hills near the beginning, but for some reason I didnt find them too much of a challenge.

at about 60 miles it all split apart and I found myself in a small group of riders including matt. we all worked hard to chase down the group we thought has paul and sylv, although it was only paul in the end.

It took about 20 miles but eventually we caught up with paul and the other bloke he was with, and quickly re organised ourselves into 1 minute turns on the front.

Soon after missing the last food stop I was in trouble, I had drunk all my 2 water bottles quite a while before and I was feeling very dehydrated. I didn't need to worry though as paul said we only had 10 miles to go... but that turned out to be less than half of what we still had to do.

the last 15 miles I couldn't do any more work on the front, as i was exhausted and felt like i had flu or something. The only thing that kept me going was Paul at the top of box hill , on my second ever ride for about 2 years saying: "There is no way you will be able to keep up, it will be pure relentless endurance' . I was turning myself inside out just to hang on the back of the group.

well he was right, by the time we hit the final hill 1/2 a mile from the finish I was in a bit of state... I don't even remember the hill or the group pulling away from me, but i do have vague memories of trying to get back to them, but loosing 12 seconds by the finish.

It was an awesome ride though, a real epic.

I was so wrecked at the finish that all i could do was lie curled up in my sleeping bag for the next half hour shivering and cramping up, trying to eat a drink, it really felt like i had Flu. I had to really force myself to the showers with matt and paul, but i felt better after.

Paul and Matt were super strong, but Sylv was just incredible.




DAY2
I could feel my lack of training taking an effect, as I didnt feel well recovered. I wasn't strong enough to stay in the front group with paul, matt, sylv, and ben this time. spent a bit of time with richard, then on my own for ages, then back with richard peachy and jon .

We had a big group going at the 66 mile food stop , maybe 20 , with some strong riders, then we got joined by some strong looking London Dynamo riders. Everyone tagged on the back of them. We got to a big hill and everyone dropped off, but some how a managed to stay with them. So i rode the rest of the day with them and eventually swept up george just before the finish.

was pretty tired at the end of it, and my knee was hurting which is one of the pathetic excuses i came up with for not riding monday.

[Stu Merckx Man]

Oh yeah, and sylv, you were incredible, well done!

[Sylv]

Hey well done to you too Stu, not many training miles in your legs before hand and it was impressive that you managed to get up those hills (well except the final one) with all those midnight (and 4am) snacks you had in the tent!

[quote="Stu Merckx Man"] I had to really force myself to the showers with matt and paul, but i felt better after.

[Ian A4size]

A comment worthy of Finbar himself

300w didn't get me anywhere near a 21

[Andrew G]

A quick rub down in the showers with a loofah and Stu was revived .

[Iliya]

Well done guys for doing the ride/s and thank you for sharing it on the forum!!! It made an interesting and inspirational reading.

[Toks]

Wow epic stuff boys, its great to hear that Stu has lost none of that natural talent. I hope those knee injuries heal quickly. Sylv, you've absoloutely gotta win a road race this season, hurry up coz we the people are waiting

[Sylv]

Ok Toks : )

Epilogue: well looking back at it that was indeed I think the hardest thing I have done, and the biggest mileage in the space of three days. It was not only the distance but the pace that made it so tough, but I guess I brought that onto myself. In retrospect if I hadn’t gone on solo breaks on the first two days I would probably not have suffered so much on the final day, but it was fun – especially treating day 2 like a proper race, with Marcus. I really wasn’t so keen on riding day 3 in the rain especially as no-one else than Ben was, and if I ever get asked what my “worst day on a bike” might have been I would probably pick this one, but it had to be done and as soon as I crossed the line I was so glad that I had done it, and completed the Sportive. 600 rode on day 1, 500 day 2 and less than 300 day 3, with 200 riding all three days.

The gold standards set for the finishing times were impossibly hard to achieve, especially since the distances were usually greater than those quoted. Paul got gold by virtue of being an oldie (and a very fit one) and Stu at 20 would have had to ride even faster than us to do the same. Somehow I was registered as a female (and I wasn’t even wearing my Mulebar skinsuit) so appeared to have gotten golds! But actually missed out on the overall by 11 minutes at 16h56. In fact none of the first two riders got it either, first place Sean Frost at 16h44 being in the 15-29 group. Werner finished 5th as his first day was slower, my guess is that he spent it at the front the whole time.

It was great riding (some of the time) with fellow ACCers and then telling the tales of the day at the campsite or restaurant. Shame the weather was so bad as it would have been so much more enjoyable in summery weather. After a day of full rest, on the bike I had that nice feeling when your legs are still tired, but you can actually feel that they are stronger. I buggered that by going for a hard run yesterday though, first one in ages, and today legs are rubbish!

Thanks to Darren for the lift, Richard for the bed in the caravan, Ben for the lift back, and George for the drinks bottles on Monday - that tasted great. Hope Darren was not put off by the experience, though I think he's ok as planning to ride the ACC Sportive. And again special mention to Beckie for completing the two days (on her heavy bike ; ) ).

And to Neil for the photos! More : http://www.flickr.com/photos/95854743@N ... 87/detail/

[Brian Nolan]

wow - excellent ride Sylv and a great write up of it - kept me engrossed for the last 15minutes here at w*rk
chapeau indeed !

[quote="Sylv"][quote="Robh"]Back to the subject

[Hal]

Well done guys this is always a good value event.

I did it in 2008 and 2009 and got 3rd overall in both years, you have just go to keep going rain or shine.

Lucky I didn't read the forum beforehand or the twins may have had a quite weekend.

H