Yesterday Owain and I slayed the (medium sized) Dragon!
Our official finish time was 9:08:19 in The Dragon Ride 2015 Medio Fondo Route.
At the start (approx 09:23) all smiles and feeling a bit sick with nerves!
It's easier just to let Strava do some of the talking so here is the summary:
And here are the hills:
And the speed:
If you plan on getting to the end of this post, please get comfortable, this is one of my longer posts...
It was a tough ride. The single most hardest physical challenge I have ever accomplished and I am really proud that we did it. It was a fantastic experience and I'm pleased to have shared it with Owain, it would have been a different story doing it on my own and had the weather not been fine and sunny. It was so lovely and encouraging having Ley and Mic meet us at the feed stops and being there for us (thanks guys!).
I personally found it very useful to have written and then be able to refer to my last blog post during the ride in particular the distance and mountain milestones. I find knowing what has been, what is and what is coming motivation for me. The same can't be said for Owain, so I am not to share this in future unless asked.
I must admit though I didn't really have any idea what was in store regardless of how much I analysed the route and elevation profile until we did start climbing that first mountain which was a learning experience not just about cycling in Wales (it's not flat by the way) but also the effort and fitness required to make it up this kind of accent - I just haven't experienced it before. Just as well though as I might have been a lot more nervous and had more doubt about my ability too should this have been the case. We had fresh legs for this first one and it was a great feeling to get over the hardest of the mountain climbs early on.
I had nothing to compare this kind of climbing to based on my experience so far - I had done a bit over the downs, Devils Dyke, Bedham near Petworth and Box Hill. This first hill was literally doing Box Hill 5.2 times over and at a slightly higher gradient.
Box hill is 4.3km, 204m at 4% and this first hill was approx 22.5km and 522m high. The first half was steady at about 2-3% and then the second half was varying between 6-10%. The views at the top were amazing and then came the descent.
Going down was amazing! So fast, so fun for so long on great roads! Going along at over 30mph for 20+minutes was so exhilarating, though had to stay alert and concentrate as there were lots of riders around and tight corners.
The other hills came and were over come. The second was 2xBox Hills the third longer and about 3-4xBox Hills, most of the others blurred into the rest.
There was one climb that particularly defeated me and I walked a lot of it. The Devils Elbow. Max gradient was 20%, average 10% and distance 1.5km/0.93m after a lot of climbing already and while I kept going for a bit initially I was averaging 5mph and using a lot of energy to do so. It hurt a lot, I don't get out the saddle much and when I do I get wobbly quickly so after a short spell out the saddle I decided to walk as I knew I could walk it nearly as fast and wanted to conserve energy. I underestimated this climb massively and hardly referenced it in my last post. I didn't research it or know it was going to be like this but I had allowed myself to walk yesterday if I needed too. I was walking it almost as fast as O continued to cycle it. He is good out the saddle and can continue out of it longer than I can, usually I can pass him while still seated mind not on this one. Regardless that was the first time I have walked since my first ride out with O over a year ago on our local Bonfire Hill (which is now llike a speed bump in the whole scheme of things). I quite like hills, I am quite good at them and I like the achievement of getting to the top. I stay in the saddle, I can keep spinning in my smallest gear, it uses less energy than standing because I don't have to support my body weight and means I can maintain an even force for the full pedal rotation. It is more efficient, maintaining better momentum. There are of course advantages to getting out of the saddle but it just doesn't work for me. O did surrender to a walk too eventually, I think after realising I was walking as fast as he was cycling. I was power walking it up, I did get photographed twice too but I'm not bothered. I'm more annoyed that my new cleats that I put on a couple of weeks ago are now already battered. Credit to O for cycling as much of it as he did. I still made it up there quicker by 18seconds I think but he worked harder for his effort. That was the only walking undertaken by either of us yesterday I am pleased to say.
The feed stops were good milestones and was good to meet Ley and Mic, restock and eat proper food.
We pushed on. More mountains, more descents, more beautiful views, more pain. The last hill was one of the worst and it wasn't technically the hardest of the day height/gradient/distance wise compared to what we had done, but it was at 83miles in and we didn't have much left and things hurt. A lot. I think the skin came off a blister/chaffing sore that had worsened at the top of my leg, basically my bum. I was hurting so much, my knees were sore; my quads empty. I can't deny that I was pretty much sobbing before I got to the top to wait for O, he wasn't far behind. A hug and whatever he said made me feel better and I was back in the saddle now emotional because I could count down the last 10miles of descent to the finish. I tried to stay behind O as I kept getting ahead. He was done and I think he just wanted to roll in or he just wanted to not be in ear shot of me anymore and it was easier to keep back than go ahead maybe!
The kit we treated ourselves to was really cool, and the bib shorts comfy, even if a pain to get off to go to the loo!
I drank regularly (had about 5 x 800ml bottles) and we checked up on each other too. I ate enough I think, though sick of gels after 4 or 5 so stuck to other stuff. Had a ZipVit bar, dried apricots, couple of bananas, Soreen bar, salmon couscous salad thing, a few bites of a sausage roll, salted new potatoes, a couple of Jaffa cakes, few bites of a veg pasty (which I regretted for about an hour after the second feed stop) and a SIS bar shared with Owain. I used isotonic tablets in all my water, didn't use the energy drink at all. Feel more in control using gels and food for energy.
The last leg to the finish was tough, particularly for O I think, he said at one point his legs can't pedal anymore. We also had Grand Fondo and Devil riders speeding past us. I was counting down the miles on my Garmin, one of my last mile stones which I (shouldn't have) shared with O was one more parkrun left.
We finished together and got exactly the same finish time. The medal is awesome And for sure I can say I have worked hard for it, more than any and I am quite chuffed. We got pasta and noodles and headed back to the hotel for more food via room service.
Provisional results.
I wouldn't have been able to do it without the training I/we did do but it's always easier to look back and say more could have been done.
The way home this morning we were were looking at what other rides we can do over the summer as our next ride together isn't until October, though I hope to do the Biking Belles Grand Prix at Goodwood with Ley and the girls in August (no boys allowed).
I'm writing this the Monday after and I'm stiff and sore as expected but not much different to the feeling after a half marathon but with extra sore bits that will mean I won't be sitting on the bike for maybe a week and my knees, neck and back are a bit sore.
I will be okay I think for an easy run and/or swim Wednesday. I hope to get my running miles up and do a 13mile run next weekend as the next two big events are The Dorset Invadar Half in July and Race the Train (back to Wales) in August. There is a 10k summer solstice race Friday night Jules and I might do in one of my favourite places, Moors Valley Country Park in the New Forest and we are going to Alice Holt parkrun Saturday so will see how the week goes and how I feel. Most important thing now is to repair after this ride and come back stronger because of it. I'm already looking forward to the next event and still enjoying it! :-)
