Leics Sportive

We all know that whether its running or cycling, sometimes you have a flier, sometimes you would have been better staying in bed.

 

My experience at the Leics Super Tour 115m Sportive on 16 June fell into the latter.

 

Felt tired the day before, not unusual before a longer event and I had done the training so should be okay. Arrived good and early, met Steve (Cropper) and we set off together at 8.15 in a field of just over 100. Far more where doing the 55 which started later, and some adventurous athletes where adding a 5k run to their 115 mile ride – er why?

 

Steve was clearly feeling good, chatting away on the first 10 miles. This was the first time we had ridden together and as far as Steve is concerned, its probably the last! I was struggling on the hills up through Charnwood Forest on a windy cold day and not wanting to spoil his event, I encouraged Steve to press on without me, which he did, taking the pressure off both of us.

 

That was until he made a navigational error and appeared again alongside me at around 15 miles, then off he went again. But wait, at 30 miles he catches me again having stopped at the first feed station at 26 miles. Sorry Steve, I had said I was stopping too, but decided to trudge on.

 

After that I got lost, twice, although only adding a mile. Chain came off at 35 and I had a puncture at 85. It was raining at this stage and the only time I saw any other cyclists between feed stations at 62 and 95 was as I sheltered in a barn to inflate my tyre with my new toy. I considered limping into the next stop at 95 with my tyre gradually deflating ( I know the feeling) and retiring there and eating cake for the rest of the day. No such luck. The cheery event mechanic insisted he would fix it in record time, while I had a tea. He whisked my Kona away into his van and emerged grinning 5 mins later having fitted a new tube. No excuse then.

 

There weren’t many parts of the day I did enjoy, but the last 20 home back – wind was easier. The final insult to a grumpy, tired, cold competitor is the lack of signage as you approach the finish and having whizzed past the gate, I gave some helpful feedback as I finally checked in just under 9 hrs. Awful result, but it was miles in the legs I guess, and there a few behind me and not everyone finished.

 

Well done Steve – great ride in 7.5 hours, I’ll try to be less than an hour and a half behind you next time!

 

It was a great route through quiet, hilly countryside and I get the feeling I’ll have to go back next year to put this one behind me.

 

Nice picture, clearly I’m lost or last

 

 

 

 

Bob

 

I know theres a view somewhere behind all this clag....

Sorry it’s been so long since my last confession.....

 

I had been looking forward to the Jubilee as I had planned an extended running trip up to the lakes to do a couple of races and recce the extended BGR route.  As it turned out, after some car trouble my plans to go up to the Lakes over the Jubilee period were thrown into turmoil so in the end I borrowed a car and went up for the day on 3rd June and entered the Helvellyn and the Dodds fell race.  This is a new course and only the second year they have run over this route which is basically an out and back along the BGR route from Threlkeld Cricket Club.  So it’s up Clough Head, along all the Dodds, etc, Lower Man, spin around the Helvellyn trig point before returning the same way enjoying some fine views.  Well that was the plan....... halfway along to Great Dodd we disappeared into the cloud and that was it for the next 3 hours, and boy was it windy, particularly up Lower man where even Pythagoras would have been impressed by the angles to the ground we were making!  All it all, it wasn’t the most pleasant day out but this was more than made up by the magnificent spread laid on by Keswick AC, maybe even better than Caythorpe, so I’m definitely going back for more sandwiches next year.  Finished in 20^th out of about 72(?) in 3.08.06. 

 

Back in the flatlands, Captain Bob suggested a mid week 10k race out at Ropsley, only to ring me back later to explain it was a fun run not a race so we decided to search for alternative activities.  I ended up doing an 8.88 mile race in the Wolds at Croxby organised by Cleethorpes AC, nice little road race on a challenging and hilly (for Lincolnshire) course.  It was a two lap race of a 4.44 mile circuit and my splits were very consistent with 30.29 for lap 1 and 30.00 for lap 2.  Ignoring the winner, who flew around the course in just over 52 minutes, I was only 3 minutes off second place, finishing 8^th out of 42, so as this is a series, if I’m up mid week when its repeated, I will have to try harder!

 

Having retrieved my car after almost a week in the garage, I spent last weekend in the lakes and again was ‘blessed’ with another day of inspecting the inside of clouds for the whole of Saturday.  In my quest to ‘get some hills in’ I volunteered via the FRA forum to pace leg 4 of the BGR.  Parking up at Honister I made my way across to Wasdale via Moses Trod which was really tough, with no visibility and continuous squalls all the way over.  Meeting my fellow pacers we waited for Roger to arrive and he did so looking tired and almost 40 minutes down on a 23.52 schedule – not good.  The weather continued to be poor but with less rain for the next 5 hours and we got him across to Honister with less than 3 hours to go.  Dale, the navigator was brilliant and hardly put a foot wrong, which given the weather was impressive.  Roger pulled out all the stops and made it to the Moot Hall with 4 minutes to spare, which I have to say is a fantastic achievement on a such a poor day.  I’m sure he would of been 90 minutes quicker on a dry day, that said, he wouldn’t have all the great stories to tell, such as the one where he left his pacers behind at the River Caldew, as they couldn’t get across due to the volume of water.  He only persevered getting across himself as he didn’t have time for the detour!  Sunday, I went around Leg 1 pulling in the extra tops of Lonscale Fell and Skiddaw Little Man.  I have to say, I haven’t been across to Great Calva for 25 years and there is now a large eroded path all the way from Skiddaw – very surprised to see this and quite mixed emotions as it’s only BGR people that have caused this erosion.  At last though, I got to see a view, although reaching the top of Blencathra the heavens opened and Halls Fell Ridge was a very slippery descent into Threlkeld.

 

Until next time, happy bounding!

 

 

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Ivanhoe Runners

Back in 1985 when the original Bounders were in their prime, I was helping to found Ivanhoe Runners in Ashby de la Zouch and having recently got back into their club races, felt compelled to do the Corn Dolly 7 on Sunday at Hickling nr Melton Mowbray.

The name of the event led me to expect to be asked to wear bells on my ankles and wave my hanky as I ran, and to find an entry form for the Wicker Man 6 in the goodie bag. But apart from some strange categories in the dog show (Dog that looks most like your tractor) it all seemed fairly civilised.

Problem was it interfered with my bike training, and with just over 2 weeks to go to my London  - Paris trip (for those of you who would like to make a donation to cancer research, please see http://www.justgiving.com/bobwhitecycleride ) miles are important at this stage, so I cycled there. Nice steady ride through Staunton, Bottesford, Harby – 33 miles of warm up.

More than 20 Ivanhoe runners there in a low key event, but good fast, flat course. The Race Director was clearly under the influence of something stronger than the ribena in my drinks bottle when he put the mile markers out, as according to those who ran with the appropriate technology attached, the marker for 2 miles was actually at 2.3 and 3 was at 2.8, which explains several claims for 1 mile pb's on the day.

Not to worry, it was 7.2 miles in total and was I pleased with my 56.04 and the vast amount of tea and cake that followed. Great photos on my facebook page,http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/bob.white.944

you can only see them if you are my 'friend' – I don't have many! L

A steady sun – tanning ride home and now off to the pub. This is what weekends are for.

By Bob White

Woodhall Spa Sprint triathlon

The Woodhall Spa Sprint Tri was held on the Queens Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Along with many other organised events on the Sunday, sunshine was expected. As always, the British weather let us down, so it wasn't just wet, it was cold, 9 Degrees Celsius, after a week of heatwave temperatures, so what do you do as a True Grit Triathlete, not turn up? turn up and decide it's too cold, wet, difficult. No. You grit your teeth, roll up your preverbal sleeves, and embrace it….Sod it, its cold, it's wet, but your arms still work, your wheels still go round, and your legs still do that back and forward motion. Well, Woodhall pool is unique, although it's outside, it's warm and lovely, and when you get in, it gives you a sense of security that you immediately embrace. You've prepared for your swim so it's great, my experience was that I immediately enjoyed it, and set off in great gusto, 12 laps in 25 Degrees, awesome….

Okay, that was the best bit, getting out wasn't that bad, running to the bike wasn't that bad, as you start putting on your bike shoes, you become aware of the driving rain, then the cold hits you. Rainproof Jacket on, gloves on, Helmet on, Glasses on, off you go…Glasses off, can't see a bloody thing, Clip in, get comfortable, ok, not too bad, get into your stride and then start drinking. 

Well it is wet and cold, but come on, just get your head down and grind it out, 15 miles of burning your thighs and it's all over. You soon got used to the head wind, you've done it in training, keep going, think nice things but concentrate, watch out for pot-holes, and keep your rpm going. Eventually, it gets cold, hands get numb, as well as feet, but on the way back the wind turns, it's behind you and slightly downhill, time to burn…..

Transition 2, hands are so bloody cold, can't get my helmet off. Was thinking of running in the damn thing and looking a right T**t, but suddenly, my brain seems to coordinate, and my fingers deftly remove it. Phew. 

Ok, now the running thing. Actually getting going is, erm, hard, legs are cold and numb, so just keep going, they will loosen up eventually, well they didn't, not until I finished and get back to the car to change.

On the whole, it was a harsh days racing, looking back it was a great day.

As they keep saying….

"Pain is temporary, failure is forever"

Mark