3 County Towns Audax 200km BRM PBP Qualifier

 Where do I start with this ride! Getting myself to the start was even a challenge.

After several months of waiting for spring and qualifying rides to begin, in the days leading up to the event the news and weather was awash with warnings of upcoming snow fall for the UK. After a mild and very dry February it was hard to believe that my local midlands area would be covered in the white stuff. As a kid like most I loved the snow but now as a cyclist I know that snow is the only weather that can in theory halt all cycling for days on end. The event which started in Crewe with controls at Stafford, Shrewsbury and Chester hence the name, was unique for me as I could have lunch at home in Shrewsbury. This also gave me a great knowledge of the local road conditions.

Thursday it snowed heavily in Shrewsbury, I ended up helping my daughter Isla with her paper round in a good 50mm of snow. I thought Saturday isn't looking likely to happen from a Safety point of view. That evening Brandon the organiser sent an event update saying the event is on but make your own decisions on safety etc. 

Friday morning a woke at 6am to yet more overnight snow and it continued throughout the morning. The temperature was also only hovering around freezing. At midday I was 90% sure I would be a DNS at the Audax. However the afternoon brought Sun and a rapid melting of Snow. I was 50/50 again. 

Saturday morning as forecast was very cold but DRY ! I loaded the car and set off for Crewe at about 06:30. On the journey I discovered my cars heater was not working so rather than a nice warm hour in the car it was a cold hour. At the start the hardy 20/30 riders who had braved the cold all chatted about what the weather may or may not have in store for us today. I met Paul Jennings of YouTube fame !! From what I could see from the Met office weather app It was a forecast to be cold but dry day with a tailwind from Shrewsbury to Chester, the only real concern being rain coming in around 4 to 5pm. Estimated I would be close to the finish by then.

At 08-30 we set off from Crewe for Stafford, after a few miles I was left at the front with just one rider Dave Brown. we rode the first 100km together and it was great, dry roads and we had lots in common including PBP but also crucially we were very evenly matched on the bikes. Dave is a goldilocks wheel man for me (not to slow not to fast) but at Shrewsbury we split as he headed for a supermarket lunch, I headed to my Dads house for sandwiches and coffee. At this point I couldn't help but notice the sky turning darker 🤔 

After lunch I headed away from Shrewsbury using EBrevet as validation (this helps massively when reducing faff) peddling away from home at this stage was very strange. It was now I started to realise the rain was going to arrive early! It got more and more heavy during the next couple of Hours towards Chester. It became truly miserable, not only wet but very cold. The roads still covered in debris from winter meant the disc brakes on my winter bike were soon making some lovely noises 😡

At Chester the route followed the river Dee though the tourist area past Grosvenor park, this is a lovely area on a nice day. Today it was miserable. At least I was now on the last leg back to Crewe. However with this change in course brought headwind that made the rain feel colder and heavier. Grit your teeth and dig in time! I don't remember much from the last couple hours apart from numb fingers and toes.

Eventually I got to the finish in Crewe market hall. 2nd rider back after Dave Brown, I just wanted to get validated and into dry clothes and back in the car.

In summary:

Good route, although a little strange for me to be doing an Audax on home roads. 

Good organisation 👍👍

Probably the hardest 200 I have done because of the weather, the last 100km probably the hardest most miserable I have experienced.

Still writing this a few weeks later I'm glad I did it ! That's the beauty of cycling even on the worst days you feel good after the evet. Type 2 fun.

Onwards to the 300km

 

2023 Entry & Qualification !

On the 28th of January at 11:00 GMT I could finally enter Paris Brest Paris. Two week after those with 1000km BRM pre qualifier, it was the chance of us with 600s to our name to snap up the remaining prime starting times.

Long story short, after a very stressful 30 minutes on the computer, with a the PBP site crashing twice I was IN !

50 euros paid and validated. My start time was set 18:30 in wave K on the 20/08/2023.

Starting at this time of the day is not really what I'm used to but it seemed the best option.

My plan at the moment is pretty lose, but I hope to ride through the first night and get 40 winks sleep at one of the controls. Then continue to Loudeac control and have a proper rest there after 400km. After that point I will rest as and when required at further control points.

The next step is to complete qualification. Results from a 2023 Super Randonneur are required from BRM events. As its PBP year there are loads of great options for each distance. The events I have selected are:

Three County Towns 200km Event Details| Audax UK - The Long Distance Cyclists' Association

To The Chapel Event Details| Audax UK - The Long Distance Cyclists' Association

Llanfairpwllgwyngyll gogerychwyrndrobwll llantysiliogogogoch 400 Event Details| Audax UK - The Long Distance Cyclists' Association

Slaithwaite Event Details| Audax UK - The Long Distance Cyclists' Association

I have also got a few events ear marked as reserves just in case I miss one of the above for any reason.

Onwards to a long Summer of cycling!!😊

Randonneur Round the Year

After completing my 2022 SR I was looking for another challenge to maintain focus for the remainder of the year.

So having completed qualifying events in the previous 4 months I decided to have a bash at an RRtY award, to complete this award you must complete at least 1 Randonneur event (200km or more) each calendar month for 12 consecutive months. 

So with 8 months to go I thought this would be an ideal way to keep fit / motivated through autumn and winter.

July

Barmouth Boulevard.

This event immediately appealed, Its start is local in Corwen, the route looked great with mountains and a coastal section. So I signed up along with 3 fellow club mates. What a day it was clear blue skies, scorching weather with tarmac literally melting in the afternoon. This route is amazing, as good as it gets in the UK. Bwlch y Groes was probably the highlight, having completed most of the steep climbs around the UK I would say this climb from the Dinas Mawddwy side is as tough as they come, and completing it in 30℃ heat with 100 miles in your legs is quite a challenge!

The top of Bwlch y Groes. 30℃ ! A harder climb you will Struggle to find.

August

For the last Summer Audax I went DIY and organised a Ride from my home in Shrewsbury to conquer the mighty Stwlan Dam climb. This is a closed road climb like no other in the UK with multiple Alpine style hair-pin bends at the top. Again with club mates from Shrewsbury this was a great day out in late Summer bank holiday sunshine. But with a heavy heart I couldn't help but think that summer was on the wain. 😕 Also it once again highlighted how difficult I find Audax rides with friends. Even though riding in a group often makes you quicker on the roads when moving, café stops take ages, mechanical faults more frequent and when as in this case you have a mix of abilities keeping a group together on a hilly route is virtually impossible. I decided that day that in 2023 and beyond club rides would be social but Audax's I would complete by myself. This way I could make new friends on the road but not feel obliged to stay with them at all times.

Stwlan Dam looking down on the probably the most Beautiful climb in the UK

September

This weekend in early September brought about a unique opportunity, with the queens funeral falling on a Monday and an additional holiday was issued. To say I'm not a royalist is an understatement (#birthlottery) but I will happily accept additional holiday's and the prospect of quiet roads was too good to resist !! So I planned another DIY Audax and this time it would be a 2 day ride. 200kms on Sunday and another 100km back to my car on the Monday the route was planned around the goal of ticking off Simon Warren 200 greatest climbs of the UK. Over the 2 days I did 9 short sharp climbs and was able to complete the south west climbs from the books. FYI now done 139 out of the 200 climbs. 

October

Its really starting to feel like autumn on the morning of this ride. Another DIY this time out to Bala and the Horseshoe pass, I started in the dark for the first time and it was a good opportunity to test my new lights. After 80km on the shores of Bala lake I had the best Breakfast of the Audax year a proper full welsh breakfast! Starting at near freezing temps, rising up to about 18℃ in the afternoon kit choice was difficult to say the least 😆

Top of the Horseshoe Pass in Autumn sun.

November

An actual Audax with other people ! the Salinae and Cotswold 200. 12th of November and the last ride on my Summer bike. Warm conditions, almost but not quite summer kit. A great event and route that almost ended a Garmin related disaster. At the first control in Tewkesbury I misplaced my Garmin in The Royal Hop Pole pub. Luckily after a frantic search a member of staff found it, continued and completed the event.

December

Its getting difficult now to find a good day and match a route to stick to good roads and avoid high altitude. Again I did a DIY that started and finished at my house. The day kicked off early on a uninspiring route, it rained all day but at least it wasn't freezing cold. That's the great thing about cycling compared to other sports, no matter how bad the ride was you always feel a sense of achievement when you've finished.

January

The new year started with floods and weeks of rain, I was worried about fitting the ride in. 15th of Jan, I made my move ! Another flat local DIY, to avoid forecast rain in Wales I headed east. This decision was great to begin with as the wind blew me along. Normally though I always try to avoid headwind on tired legs. The last 70km was very hard but again happy I made the effort. 11 down 1 to go !

February 

After a couple of DIY months of I entered an official Audax ! Spring Tonic 200k from Tewkesbury, a Mark Rigby Audax starting and finishing at the Royal Hop Pole. We were great on the day with mild weather for the time of year and the roads were fairly dry, although not yet summer bike weather. The first 2 controls at Leominster and Hay on wye passed quickly and then the hills began. I always find the first hilly ride in spring a bit of a test and this was no different. I rode on and off with a strong rider called Carlton but after about 120km I found he was pushing a bit harder than I wanted and we split up, this is always a tough call for me to make as its against my competitive instincts. However I will never just sit on some ones wheel letting them work. It was a tough second 100 after riding to hard at the start. I must learn to keep a lid on it early doors. Great post ride grub and beer back to the Pub. Well done as always Mark Rigby. This event was also a BRM PBP qualifier.

Well that's it 12 in a row. Really glad I kept going through winter. I now have the Badge and am on the roll of Honour 😃