Unknown territory! 200 miles 😬

So up until the 23rd of April my longest bike ride was 135 miles in 2018, I had done a few rides of similar distances and am now fairly comfortable with 200km / 130 miles. However I need to go further, much further! So the next hurdle towards achieving a 2022 Super Randonneur is a 300km event. I chose to enter the Oasts and Coasts 300 down in Sunny Kent. My club mate Eddie was keen to give it a spin as well 👍.

Having booked a Premier inn near the start I realised with the ride to and from the hotel it would be a 200 mile ride #doublecentury 🙂.

So after a 04-30 alarm we rolled out of the hotel at 05-15. After a quick coffee and croissant at the start we headed south at 6am. The first 100km were easy and fun, all new roads for me lots other riders in various small groups the first 3 control points passed and onwards towards the coast at Rye. It was here I was reacquainted with my old Nemesis.... Head wind and wow what a head wind this section was the dreaded Romney march, pan flat and the local riders had warned us to beware 😳. The flat featureless land accentuated the wind, but we had 8 riders in our group so we started a chain gang to share the work. This 25 mile section was hard but would have been brutal solo. We reached Hythe at 160km for lunch. 

by the shingle beach we found a pub for lunch before heading once more into the wind. The next 40km through Dover and Deal was quite frankly horrible. Just me and Eddie rough roads lots of slow shared use cycle ways and hills with very strong headwinds. When we reached deal I was grumpy like a bear with a sore head. We still had another 100km to do we had gone from flying along to a snails pace. After a mars bar and Lucozade we pushed on now with another group of riders, we knew as we gradually rounded the coast the wind would eventually be across and then maybe just maybe help. 🤞🤞🤞🤞

After dinner at Herne Bay we eventually had a tail wind..... Ohhh I love a taily 🌪

We now flew along weary but eventually making good progress. The last pitstop a 24hr garage and with the light now fading Eddie was finding things tough 😕,  his back aching and his bike making some worrying noises 😢 we limped along lights now on full power in the dark. I however was having a second wind, so was keen to keep pushing this wasn't what Eddie wanted 😅 but reluctantly I kept myself in check. Then he punctured the tyre sealed but it would not hold more than a few psi. We limped to the finish Ed and his bike battered tired but we had done it ! Pizza waited for us as a reward for a hard long day in the saddle. 

201 miles,  10774ft of elevation. 

Door to Door it took 17 hours but i felt good and could have carried on if necessary.

Great confidence boost for bigger challenges ahead.

400km next up in May all for the MND Association. 

Before heading home the next day I even bagged 4 @100 climbs in the area in another 40km ride 😃

Another 200k just for Fun !! Delightful Dales 03/04/2022

I decided another 200k would be a good idea to help get my body used to long distances. The Delightful Dales seemed to fit the bill nicely it included a top 100 climb that I had yet to bag. Another challenge I set myself few years back was to ride all the 200 climbs from the first 2 Simon Warren 100 graetest climb books before turning 50. I have done 120 so far including todays 25% Park Rash 6 and a bit years to bag another 80 but I must admit its getting harder due to the distances involved to get to them !! Anyway back to the Audax, Delightful Dales is renowned as one of the hardest 200k calendar events so it seemed ideal prep for longer challenges in the next few months. I arrived at the start early having slept locally the night before in a Airbnb, after a nutritious breakfast... yep McDonald's Muffin Mc sausage 😜 I shivered and drank tea at the Pendle village hall waiting rather impatiently for the 8am start. Then off we went, I planned to sit in the wheels to Park Rash at about 50k but as normal my competitive instincts took over. Will I ever learn ?? Probably not so I ended up chasing down quick riders and was eventually the second rider to hit the savage Park Rash. So how to ride 25% gradients when you have another 150km to go ?? slowly !! The weather was lovely cold but bright and we seemed to be flying along.

 

Having reached the top I was greeted to beautiful views, cows and Snow !! more snow than I had seen all winter in Shropshire. Yorkshire in spring !! Next stop Leyburn at 80k and it had been a breeze so far after a coffee and pasty pavement picnic from the local Coop I was off again, aiming to not spend too much time stationary I turned east for the 50k section to Kirkby Stephen. Ok so remember me saying it had been easy thus far ?? Well it was payback time the next 50k seemed to take forever, the clouds rolled in and the block headwind combined with long long draggy climbs made progress very slow. I was 4th rider on the road at this point. If only I could catch someone we could share the work, I could see 2 riders in the distance as we climbed towards Catterick Garrison firing range. I set about trying to reel them in but also not expend to much energy. I eventually caught the first rider but he was a lot slower than me so I pressed on eventually catching Russell Carson who I had rode with earlier and chatted to in the carpark at the start. We worked well together for a few Ks before he dropped back and once again I was alone. climbing up towards Kirkby Stephen. 

I knew from the Etape Du Dales route in 2018 that a long decent was my reward. Finally I dropped down Lamps Moss and into Kirby Stephen Costa for lunch. 2nd rider again I had lunch with the young chap who had kept ahead of me all day so far, his name eludes me but after a chat and re-fuel we continued towards home and the dreaded Coal Road (Garsdale Head) surely now a tail wind would help us ?? Nope cross head wind and my bike has developed a rattle.😡 I hate a noisy bike especially when riding solo, I was now out front but had to stop and tighten the bottle cage that was causing the noise in this time a few riders passed so now at least I would have a bit of company for the Coal Road. I have rode the coal road before with 100k in my legs today I had130k in my legs and it looked and felt like a wall but we got up it and at the top it felt like a victory. That's all the climbing done I declared !! The rider next to me shook his head and said Cowgill is next !! Well I couldn't hold his wheel on Cowgill I was flagging, wind and cold were getting to me I stopped regrouped had a pee took a gel and decided to harden the F*** up . #rule 5!! Eventually at the Ribblehead viaduct we turned left got a bit of relief from the wind, crosswind home now but I was low on food and water. I remembered Settle was on the route and would surly be a good place for scoff. I got a quick mars bar and Lucozade and headed off again the last few miles on a busy A road really stung my legs were cramping then out of nowhere 3 riders came flying past I got on the back and when flew the last 5k back to base. first group back what a ride.  It turns out I overtook the 3 riders in settle they had fish and chips !!

I know its not a race but it was good to get around quickly, next time I will smell the roses more, and have fish and chips !!

300k ride on the 23rd April #strapin

The First Step to my 2022 Super Randonneur!

 March the 5th 2022.

Myself and 6 friends from my cycling club - Paramount CRT headed south to Tewkesbury for Mr Pickwick's March Madness 200km Audax. This was a first Audax of the year for myself and I had been itching to get started for the last month, after the awful wet weather of February it was a relief to see the promising weather forecast on TV in the days leading up to the event. The only problem now was the fact I am still recovering from Covid and feel like 💩. We stayed in Tewkesbury the night before and did some carb loading in the local Italian restaurant and managed to avoid too much beer. 

On the morning of the event we arrived at the starting point which happened to be The Royal Hop Pole public house, after a nutritional breakfast 😉 we were off ! First stop Bromyard after a quick pavement picnic at the petrol station (yes Audaxing is very glamourous) the bulk of the riders who started in large groups were now splitting up into small groups or solo riders. We generally were left as a group of 7 after the first 50km. I noticed on the day that as a group of 7 we were some of the fastest riders but we took longer faffing and eating periodically during the day and as a result slower solo riders kept overtaking us. A cycling version of the tortoise and hare 😐.

Next stop was an old mine in the forest of dean, this site is now used as a café 100km in the bag and wow did we wolf down some food to compensate. 🍗🍖🍕🍔  

Out of the forest and on towards the Severn bridge, I had been looking forward to the river crossing. Its a big bridge on a bike what's not to like 😂. After a few team photo's and a pummelling from the northerly wind we turned back into the that very same northerly ! We had been spoilt for a large part of the first 130km we now had 70km left into the the teeth of the wind (oh joy). The 7 of us worked together all taking a turn in the wind at the front and soon enough we were at the last checkpoint after 160km. Another café another table full of cakes 😋. After refuelling we headed out again and on to the gravel sector ( yes Audax is hip and cool). I love a bit of gravel but on 25mm tyres and with the sun rapidly setting I was a bit nervous of a potential puncture. 6 of us got through the 5k section unscathed  unfortunately Eddie " tarmac only "  Emblen had a tumble. He missed the canal and just got a bit muddy, Ed dusted himself down and we pressed on through Gloucester and back to the Arrivee in Tewkesbury. 

A great day out in chilly spring sunshine with good friends. I feel good after 200km but the thought of 300 400 600 1200 is a little daunting to say the least. Oh well in the words of Captain Webb "nothing great is easy". In April I have a mega hilly 200k and my first 300k to look forward to. Onwards and upwards.

"If you know you will succeed it's too easy" 

Super Randonneur 2022

Super Randonneur 2022

So having committed to the goal of PBP 2023 and started the fund raising effort I needed to decide which events will form my SR for 2022. This is the first stage of qualification for PBP with the longest official event of 2022 determining when I will be able to register. 

 

Award Recipients

The Super Randonneur award was established by ACP in 1977 and is the ‘gold standard’ award.
It consists of the BR(M) series: 200 km, 300 km, 400 km, 600 km, all completed in the same Randonneur year.
A longer distance can be substituted for a shorter. Like Randonneur, the title Super Randonneur is a once and for
always award.

Randonneur Awards | Audax UK - The Long Distance Cyclists' Association

My good friend Matt Griffiths and Team mate at Paramount CRT has agreed to have a crack at the SR with me in 2022 so I will have some company on the roads which will be great. Just need to avoid to much 🍺🍻 whilst training together 😂.

We have entered the following events:

Mr. Pickwick's March Madness Event Details | Audax UK - The Long Distance Cyclists' Association

Oasts and Coasts 300Km Event Details | Audax UK - The Long Distance Cyclists' Association

Not Quite The Spurn Head 400 Event Details | Audax UK - The Long Distance Cyclists' Association

The 3 Coasts 600 Event Details | Audax UK - The Long Distance Cyclists' Association

The plan is I will ride these events along with other endurance training before a family holiday in August and Then racing the hill climb season in the autumn (if I have the energy).

Roll on Spring!

The Challenge for MND

Hi I am Mark and if I'm not riding my bike then I will probably be thinking about the next ride or repairing a bike or looking at upgrades for my bike. 😂.

So what's this blog all about ? Well first of all I have never done anything like this before so please if you are reading bare with me. I'm an engineer and have always been happier with a spanner in my hand than a fountain pen! In early 2020 my world was turned upside down, my Mum was struck down by a mysterious illness, due to the country being in the midst of the first Covid lock down diagnosis proved very difficult. Months passed with her health deteriorating rapidly, finally in July we got the terrible news that she had MND (Motor Neurone Disease) and although she could receive drugs to ease her pain and hopefully slow the rate of decline, ultimately there is no cure for MND. My Mum passed away on the 23rd of October 2020 after a terrible year. She and had enjoyed good health for all her life apart from the last year, MND takes no prisoner's.

After the initial grief I decided that one day I would do something to help the MND association and hopefully in some small way help find a cure to this horrible disease.

So like I said I love cycling so a few miles around Shropshire on a sunny day isn't going to cut the mustard! It needs to be more. Then when reading a magazine (yes you guessed it a cycling based) in 2021 I came across an article about PBP (Paris - Brest - Paris) the oldest bicycle race in the world which was once contested by the worlds best professional cyclists is now held once every 4 years for amateurs. I could do this I thought!

So what's involved? Well its a 1200km ride from Paris to Brest (West coast of France) and back to Paris. So OK its a long way but also from minute one the clock is ticking 90 hours is the maximum time allowed to complete and the time keeps ticking when you eat / drink and sleep. So either ride fast and rest more or take it steady but limit sleep stops. Also its totally self sufficient no cosy hotel beds ! No mechanical support. Maybe an hours sleep in a field or village hall control point 😄.

So ok lets do this but how do I enter ? Believe it or not lots of people want to ride 1200km on a bike in northern France. To qualify you need to complete a SR (Super Randonneur) in 2023 and also pre qualification is available to those who complete long distances in 2022.

So here's the challenge: I will Ride a complete a Super Randonneur in 2022 This is a series of Audax cycling events consisting of 200km 300km 400km and 600km rides all against the clock. Completing this will entitle me to early registration for PBP 2023 then to complete the entry process I will need to complete another Super Randonneur in 2023 before the big one 1200km PBP ride in August 2023.

So Events totalling 4200 km's and with countless training kilometres to get into shape. All for MND and in honour of my MUM.

I will keep this blog going along the way to try and keep anyone who cares to read it amused and up to date. If you would like to sponsor me follow the link below for my just giving page:

Mark Hammond is fundraising for Motor Neurone Disease Association (justgiving.com)

Follow me on Strava: 

https://www.strava.com/athletes/markhammond 

Mark (@hamsterrides) • Instagram photos and videos

Thanks for having a read, I am looking forward to getting started with the first 200km ride this spring and wearing the Paramount CRT Jersey around a few new roads. Watch out for details of the events I enter and upcoming ride reports.

For a little more history of PBP find out more here:

Paris Brest Paris (PBP) | Audax UK - The Long Distance Cyclists' Association