First Audax of the year under my belt.

I'd been hoping to get a flatish Audax in first but the one I wanted was
oversubscribed leaving me with the mini NorthWest Passage 120km organised by
the West Pennine RC for my first one of the year.. The faster and fitter
riders had set off at 08:00 for the 200km NW Passage leaving me with a bunch
of greyhounds with lesser endurance. The omens were not good. I was
dropped within seconds - they were taking no prisoners and true to past form
I found myself riding alone for the first 35 miles until I caught up with a
rider who's had two punctures. At the last check point I was joined by the
chap plagued by the puncture fairy and another rider. We rode together for
most of the remaining 30+ miles.
The ride itself took me into unchartered riding territory - Todmorden,
Nelson, Trough of Bowland and back to Rochdale. Great scenery in places but
the climbs were unrelenting, not too severe just long and draining. The last
10 miles of the ride saw the fastest 200km riders catch me and within the
last three miles a chap on a fixie swept past and disappeared.
I was the last one back from the mini NW but still had hours in hand. Loved
the free pie and peas dished out at the pub used as the control centre.
I'll have to be a lot fitter to contemplate the NW200. I managed an average
of 11mph (17.5km/hr) if just saddle time was measured Taking the cake stop
and few pauses on the longer hills into account I'd not make the cut for the
15km/hr minimum pace of a normal Audax but I'm satisfied with my first major
ride of the year.
Now to lose some lard for next years NW200 ;-)

Vernon
back in Leeds

vernon wrote:
I'd been hoping to get a flatish Audax in first but the one I wanted was
oversubscribed leaving me with the mini NorthWest Passage 120km organised by
the West Pennine RC for my first one of the year.. The faster and fitter
riders had set off at 08:00 for the 200km NW Passage leaving me with a bunch
of greyhounds with lesser endurance. The omens were not good. I was
dropped within seconds - they were taking no prisoners and true to past form
I found myself riding alone for the first 35 miles until I caught up with a
rider who's had two punctures. At the last check point I was joined by the
chap plagued by the puncture fairy and another rider. We rode together for
most of the remaining 30+ miles.
The ride itself took me into unchartered riding territory - Todmorden,
Nelson, Trough of Bowland and back to Rochdale. Great scenery in places but
the climbs were unrelenting, not too severe just long and draining. The last
10 miles of the ride saw the fastest 200km riders catch me and within the
last three miles a chap on a fixie swept past and disappeared.
I was the last one back from the mini NW but still had hours in hand. Loved
the free pie and peas dished out at the pub used as the control centre.
I'll have to be a lot fitter to contemplate the NW200. I managed an average
of 11mph (17.5km/hr) if just saddle time was measured Taking the cake stop
and few pauses on the longer hills into account I'd not make the cut for the
15km/hr minimum pace of a normal Audax but I'm satisfied with my first major
ride of the year.
Now to lose some lard for next years NW200 ;-)

Vernon
back in Leeds




Well done Vernon. I did the 200km NW Passage, finished in 10.25 hours.
The hilly bits were great but I didn't care much for the long main road
drags, The Trough of Bowland would have been preferred to riding up the
A65 and down the A6. Great weather, mediocre route sheet, the pie was
welcomed. Don't know if I'll do this one again.

"MSeries" wrote in message
...

Well done Vernon. I did the 200km NW Passage, finished in 10.25 hours.
The hilly bits were great but I didn't care much for the long main road
drags, The Trough of Bowland would have been preferred to riding up the
A65 and down the A6. Great weather, mediocre route sheet, the pie was
welcomed. Don't know if I'll do this one again.

The hilly bits were great in that they offered great views from the summits
:-)

The route sheet was OK-ish though I was very grateful for the rider with
local knowledge who was a fellow 'tail end charlie' as I'm convinced I'd
have taken several wrong turnings if left to my own devices. The organisers
were a friendly bunch and I was made to feel very welcome. I do seem to be
getting on with hills a lot better than last year. I'm marginally faster
and I'm really glad that I did a Holme Moss/ Woodhead pass the other
weekend. The climbs' lengths rather than hieghts were good preparation for
the long drags on the mini NW Passage. In hilly terain it's my head rather
than my legs that give up.

Nice one, I had a bash at the 200 along with MSeries and Leo but my legs
just wouldn't do it for some reason, I ended up getting back after a
long 11hrs 45min which is my longest 200 yet. It was really odd, I felt
OK but just couldn't get going porperly - I even stopped at one point to
see if the wheel bearings/BB were OK as it seemed impossibly hard to
pedal. Never had that before... long climbs were OK, if dog slow but I
got round and on the whole enjoyed it. The Lune valley was great, the
A65 was awful, plus being back so late meant I had the pleasure of
various yobs in cars or on foot (and well ****ed) for the last few
miles. Charming...

Still, another one done. Must get some more hill work in though.

bfn,

Tony B

in message , Tony B
') wrote:

It was really odd, I felt
OK but just couldn't get going porperly - I even stopped at one point
to see if the wheel bearings/BB were OK as it seemed impossibly hard to
pedal. Never had that before... long climbs were OK, if dog slow but I
got round and on the whole enjoyed it.

Yup, I've got this problem at present. I'm OK, I can ride, but I'm really
not fast. I put it down to lack of chest exercise - I've just got out of
the habit of pumping enough oxygen to my muscles, so that while I can
bowl along at a reasonable pace on the flat I'm dreadfully slow on
hills.

Had a great ride this morning, out with the club on mountain bikes doing
mostly lanes and tracks, but at the end I just wasn't keeping up so I
made my excuses and took a short-cut home. Beautiful morning - bright
and clear with wonderful views, and masses of snowdrops everywhere.

--
(Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

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vernon wrote:

I'd been hoping to get a flatish Audax in first but the one I wanted was
oversubscribed leaving me with the mini NorthWest Passage 120km organised by
the West Pennine RC for my first one of the year.. The faster and fitter
riders had set off at 08:00 for the 200km NW Passage leaving me with a bunch
of greyhounds with lesser endurance. The omens were not good. I was
dropped within seconds - they were taking no prisoners and true to past form
I found myself riding alone for the first 35 miles until I caught up with a
rider who's had two punctures. At the last check point I was joined by the
chap plagued by the puncture fairy and another rider. We rode together for
most of the remaining 30+ miles.
The ride itself took me into unchartered riding territory - Todmorden,
Nelson, Trough of Bowland and back to Rochdale. Great scenery in places but
the climbs were unrelenting, not too severe just long and draining. The last
10 miles of the ride saw the fastest 200km riders catch me and within the
last three miles a chap on a fixie swept past and disappeared.
I was the last one back from the mini NW but still had hours in hand. Loved
the free pie and peas dished out at the pub used as the control centre.
I'll have to be a lot fitter to contemplate the NW200. I managed an average
of 11mph (17.5km/hr) if just saddle time was measured Taking the cake stop
and few pauses on the longer hills into account I'd not make the cut for the
15km/hr minimum pace of a normal Audax but I'm satisfied with my first major
ride of the year.
Now to lose some lard for next years NW200 ;-)

Well, it was my second ride *of the year* yesterday - weather, family
commitments and illness having prevented any other outings. As a result
I can make the following definitive statements:

1) Being aerobically fit does not make you a cyclist. You need the leg
muscles.

2) Running instead of cycling all winter allows said leg muscles to
atrophy. I currently have the cycling power output of a 60-a-day granny.

I fell a horrible month of turbo work coming on.

Simon Brooke wrote:

Yup, I've got this problem at present. I'm OK, I can ride, but I'm really
not fast. I put it down to lack of chest exercise - I've just got out of

We all feel this after even a month off, and you've had rather more.

The good news s that regaining fitness is rather easier than getting
it in the first place wq


--
Arthur Clune

Tony B wrote:
Nice one, I had a bash at the 200 along with MSeries and Leo but my legs
just wouldn't do it for some reason, I ended up getting back after a
long 11hrs 45min which is my longest 200 yet. It was really odd, I felt
OK but just couldn't get going porperly - I even stopped at one point to
see if the wheel bearings/BB were OK as it seemed impossibly hard to
pedal. Never had that before... long climbs were OK, if dog slow but I
got round and on the whole enjoyed it. The Lune valley was great, the
A65 was awful, plus being back so late meant I had the pleasure of
various yobs in cars or on foot (and well ****ed) for the last few
miles. Charming...

Still, another one done. Must get some more hill work in though.

bfn,

Tony B

there were yobs around at 17:45 - 18:15 too when we passed through Rochdale

1) Being aerobically fit does not make you a cyclist. You need the
leg muscles.

2) Running instead of cycling all winter allows said leg muscles to
atrophy. I currently have the cycling power output of a 60-a-day
granny.

I've got kind of the same thing in reverse. Legs aching to bits after
walk yesterday. Started aching just over half way in. Pathetic, and
slightly scary.

Mind, I had been thinking that I do less walking than most couch potatoes -
I tend to cycle instead of walk and the bike is in the hallway. The
potatoes have a trip to the garage.

On the bright side I can whack off an Imperial century without any twinges
or aches, just need to get the speed up - trundly isn't an understatement
:-(

Mark Thompson wrote:
1) Being aerobically fit does not make you a cyclist. You need the
leg muscles.

2) Running instead of cycling all winter allows said leg muscles to
atrophy. I currently have the cycling power output of a 60-a-day
granny.

I've got kind of the same thing in reverse. Legs aching to bits after
walk yesterday. Started aching just over half way in. Pathetic, and
slightly scary.

Same here. Creaking like crazy. Unfortunately I don't think I could
knock off a century just yet, especially not round here (be different
if it were flat).

...d