SURVIVING THE ETAPE
July 6th
What an amazing event. Quite unlike anything I've ever experienced, even La Ronde Picarde was small fry in comparison. For the full story of our trip to the Pyrenees for the Etape click here.
TRAINING BLOG
July 2nd
It's almost upon us! 4 days to go, and we have completed our preparation. After a last spin tonight to check the bike over (still squeaky I'm afraid, but otherwise running well), it's time for one last clean and then pack it into the bike box ready for our flight on Friday. Paul and I headed out into the beautiful Lake District on Sunday for one last long leg-breaker, managing over 90 pretty hilly miles (Paul actually did closer to 110). I think we are ready. I hope we are! I have been checking out the local weather in Lourdes, doesn't look brilliant for Sunday, but then if we can cope with what the Tourmalet threw at us a couple of weeks ago then we can deal with anything. Bring it on!!
Total mileage to date: 5850 km
Total climbing to date: 67500m
June 23rd
In two weeks it will all be over!! The countdown is now almost done. The final piece of the jigsaw has been put in place over the last week as I (along with 6 other Border City riders) took on the mighty Pyrenees, cycling coast-to-coast, from Atlantic to Mediterranean, in 6 days with Pyractif. As a final training exercise it was nigh on perfect, we managed 720 km and some 12000m of climbing, taking in such cols as the Marie Blanque, Aubisque, Tourmalet and Aspin, the Col de Port and Col de Jau. Weather ranged from thoroughly abysmal as we almost froze descending off the Tourmalet, to amazingly hot, as we wilted on the Col de Jau. The legs certainly feel very softened up at the moment. All that remains now is some light training rides of 20-30 miles over the next 10 days. And I have to sort the bike out, get rid of a couple of niggles such as a rubbing brake cable and squeaky bottom bracket. Then it's out with the passport and off we go, Pau here we come. Help!!
Total mileage to date: 5540 km
Total climbing to date: 64200m
June 12th
Just a couple of days to go before I head off to the Pyrenees for some final conditioning ahead of the Etape. Over the next week we will be riding from the Atlantic coast at Biarritz to the Med, some 450 miles over many of the Pyrenean cols. If I'm not ready for the Etape by the end of that then....
In the last fortnight Paul and I have revisited the Polka Dot Challenge sportive, taking in a number of the Pennine climbs, including the Cat & Fiddle. We had a good ride in VERY wet conditions, finishing in the top 10on the shorter course. A satisfying day out.
More recently I have been on Skye, mainly for the walking, but I couldn't resist taking my bike and got the opportunity to try out the quiet roads up there. Wow, what scenery. Inspirational or what?
That apart, it has been the usual fare of steady rides and the odd time trial. With less than 4 weeks to go till the Etape, I am feeling just about ready, and find myself re-watching the Etape DVD for some last minute tips and hints.
Total mileage to date: 4825 km
Total climbing to date: 53000m
May 26th
My son Paul is back from college, and we are now into the final weeks of prepapartion for the Etape. Today we had a friendly ascent over the moors road between Newcastleton and Langholm, which I snuck by a tyre width. He is showing some good form though, ready for the Polka Dot ride next week.
The sportive season is well and truly upon us now, the latest being the Gran Fondo Cymru, a grand tour round the best scenery Snowdonia has to offer, starting and finishing in Bala. This was a last minute decision to ride, given a free weekend. Unlike last year when the weather was truly abysmal, we had a real mixture this time, ranging from (almost) summer to gales and heavy rain. 146 VERY hilly kilometers, excellent training for the Etape, and a respectable time which got me a silver award. Thanks go to Chris, from Herne Hill, with whom I rode round, it made the day go quicker and easier. And all this is on the back of a very hard weekend last week in the North Pennines, some tough Pyrenean-style hill training in both good and bad weather.
Total mileage to date: 4450 km
Total climbing to date: 49500m
May 14th
Wow. We have actually had some real summer weather at last. What a difference it makes. I have also taken part in two sportives in the last 10 days, the Drumlanrig Challenge and then the Bealach Beag, which features the infamous Bealach na Ba climb (see the vid on My Tube). It must be one of the most amazing climbs in the UK, 6 miles from sea level to 2053 feet, with a long section of 1 in 5 to test the will power (almost found wanting) and the 38-27 gearing (sorry, a bit technical there!). And not content with riding it once, in the event itself, I went back and did it again in the afternoon. Am I mad? It does sound like it. The major problem was the cloud base which, at 500 feet, made the subsequent descents interesting to say the least. I was pleased too with my time, a shade under 3 hours, which put me in the top third of finishers.
Total mileage to date: 3900 km
Total climbing to date: 41300m
April 25th
July is approaching fast, but the weather is improving a bit and my mileage is increasing too. Early time trials have been promising, and the weekend rides are getting longer. And my carbon footprint has gone up a notch as I ride into work, which means time in the saddle every day now. A new training route recently discovered is the hilly Monument moors road between Langholm and Newcastleton, true Border country. Wild and desolate, yes, but glorious to ride, especially on a late spring evening as the pictures show. 9 miles of biking heaven (and hell - some 500m of ascent after all).
Total mileage to date: 3000 km
Total climbing to date: 31500m
April 13th
Spring is in the air - and the Lake District fells are covered in snow. Does this put me off? Of course not. The scenery is inspiring, and I am continuing with some punishing hill circuits in the Caldbeck fells. Now the clocks have changed we are enjoying some wonderful spring evenings after work, a chance to get out for 20-30 miles on a regular basis, as well as longer rides at the weekend - today we managed 60 odd miles down into the fabulous Ullswater area. And on top of that the time trial season has now started in earnest, an opportunity to build on the base miles with some more intense efforts.
Total mileage to date: 2600 km
Total climbing to date: 27000m
March 30th
The first Sportive of the season is under our belt, the Cheshire Cat, a UCI event based in Knutsford near Manchester. Fantastic weather and a lovely course made it a day to enjoy. Border City Wheelers had a strong presence, Paul and I rode together and managed a (hopefully) creditable 3hr 25 for the short course. We then headed off to ride the Cat & Fiddle (again), this time in fine spring sunshine. The idea was to simulate a long day in the Pyrenees, though it takes a lot of imagination to think of the Cat & Fiddle as the Tourmalet!
Total mileage to date: 2100 km
Total climbing to date: 23500m
March 23rd
Base miles is still the order of the day, as I look to build up stamina and strength. I am also mindful of the need to suffer, as I am sure I will be doing plenty of that come July 6th. The recent weather has been a mix of spring sunshine and winter snow, with gale force winds thrown in for good measure. Suffering is easy in such conditions!
Paul has come home for a few days which gives us the chance to do some training together ahead of next weeks first sportive of the season, the Cheshire Cat, a gentle warm-up ahead of some more serious rides in May
Total mileage to date: 1850 km
Total climbing to date: 21000m
Feb 29th
Just 4 months to go, and the Etape looks pretty daunting. The last couple of weeks have seen forays on both the Cat & Fiddle in Cheshire (1740ft), and the even higher Hartside in the Cumbrian Pennines (1903ft). The late winter weather has been far from kind with wind and rain doing its utmost to make the experience unpleasant. I am hoping that, come July, the sun will be shining and we will be able to dispense with the winter leggings and top. Then again...
Perhaps the most sobering thought, as I huffed and puffed my way up Hartside, is that riding the Tourmalet is like doing Hartside twice and then some.
Total mileage to date: 1250 km
Total climbing to date: 14900m
Feb 19th
Hopefully my experience of riding in both the Alps and the Pyrenees will help me in this. The Tourmalet is a known quantity, and given the severity of these big mountain climbs that will be important. I feel it is vital to prepare properly so I can enjoy the day. To this end I have already got a program of events I will ride ahead of the Etape. These include a number of UK sportives, and then, in June, a full traverse of the Pyrenees over 6 days which should be stunning, and probably knackering!
Sportives lined up so far are
Mar 30: Cheshire Cat
May 3: Drumlanrig Challenge
May 10: Bealach Beag
June 1: Polka Dot Challenge
Early February
I have already spent some time riding climbs like the Cat and Fiddle in Cheshire, a wonderful climb, and some of our steeper Lake District climbs such as Whinlatter. Sadly, none of these compare with the likes of the Tourmalet or the Hautacam, either in terms of length or suffering, but they do provide some much needed early season legwork.
Total mileage to date: 1050 km
Total climbing to date: 12500m