Author Topic: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)  (Read 20050 times)

Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #50 on: 11 May, 2013, 11:21:35 am »
I've just returned from Manningtree Station where I breakfasted with the intrepid audaxers (the Station Café's "Half Breakfast" is excellent value) and admired some bikes before they headed off.



It was good to see SteveVW who I know from CycleChat but haven't seen for a while. He sold me my first Garmin!
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


bloomers100

  • ACME's Head of Sexual Health and Family Planning
Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #51 on: 11 May, 2013, 09:52:53 pm »
Thinking of the Essex boys whilst I decide whether to go to bed yet. Take care out there me old darlings.

Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #52 on: 11 May, 2013, 09:53:43 pm »
Yeah, it's raining buckets here!
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


αdαmsκι

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  • Look haggard. It sells.
Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #53 on: 11 May, 2013, 11:38:41 pm »
Done about 350 km so far and now in Cambridge 14ways Travelodge. Rode with Jo until 3 miles before Wells Next the Sea, when he got a puncture. I was soaking wet from the rain squall we'd just ridden through, so pushed onto Wells. I was there for at least half hour, but Jo never reappeared. Odd.

Now time for tea, shower and sleep.
What on earth am I doing here on this beautiful day?! This is the only life I've got!!

https://tyredandhungry.wordpress.com/

red marley

Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #54 on: 12 May, 2013, 10:32:26 am »
After my first puncture, I had a second one about a mile later. Lots of flinty grit washed onto the road. Must have arrived at the chippy about 45 minutes after you. Had a blast down the A roads to Barton where I got to my Travelodge room by 10pm. Great ride this morning too although quite tough into the headwind to make it to Safron Walden in time.

Lars

  • n.b. have shaved off beard since photo taken
Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #55 on: 12 May, 2013, 04:38:41 pm »
First 400 where I had a sleep break! That panned out very well! Plan was to move on at a steady pace and have generous but not excessive breaks. Then at the 300k control have the option to either crack on the final 115k through the night to Manningtree. Or detour home to Cambridge, adding 25k to the ride but getting a nice sleep break and going for not full but good value for the entry fee. Problem being that first train back from the finish was 23.5 hours after the start. And with the thought of having to stand around outdoors shivering for 2-3 hours not so appealing. Plus I simply don't enjoy riding through a whole night in cool temps with no proper indoor cosy village hall or similar control. Easter Arrow still too fresh in the mind... And also there didn't seem to be much of indoor waiting opportunities around Manningtree if one would get there early. That's the nature of those x-rated long rides...

Reached the 300k garage control at around 11pm. Quite cold and tired. So decided to go home via Fordham. Was in bed at 1.45am. Up again at 5.30am. Quite surreal, sunny fine morning. And with the sleep break resetting body and mind was almost like starting a new ride afresh! The section between Saffron Walden and Manningtree was great - sun, tailwind and that great feeling knowing you're going to finish a long ride with plenty of time in hand. Only rider from the event I encountered was Adamski who also after a sleep break came swooshing past me at Sible Hedingham. Eh, no way I was even going to attempt to latch onto his pace... :-)

After some navigation issues in the latter laney stages rolled into the Lawford garage to get the final receipt. With the detour and 5.5 hour break ended up at 440k in 26 hours. Can't complain about that!  :)

Fine route with pretty rural fields and picturesque villages. Interesting observation - with this ride and the the Witham 150 ECEd to a 300 a couple of weeks back the routes have taken me through those South Essex places:

- Cock Green
- Gay Bowers Road
- Asslingtom
- Burnt Dick Hill
- Cock Hill

Hmmm  :o

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #56 on: 12 May, 2013, 07:49:20 pm »
Well done to everyone that took part  :thumbsup:

Did anyone actually manage to eat some asparagus or strawberries?

Oaky

  • ACME Fire Safety Officer
  • Audax Club Mid-Essex
    • MEMWNS Map
Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #57 on: 12 May, 2013, 08:56:28 pm »
Very much a ride of two halves (absolutely deliberately ;))

Tomsk, huggy and I had discussed the ride at our Wednesday mid-Essex pub meeting.  We decided to aim for a 24 hour schedule, and go all-out to build up a buffer before arriving at a pub on the A1065, in order to stop for a pint or two.  (I did something similar on my own in 2011, and thoroughly enjoyed the ride).

It has to be said that huggy was slightly less convinced by the plan than Tomsk and I   ;D - I think he'd originally been planning a more "full-value" ride.  Nevertheless, the mid-Essex pub-mission-peloton worked well and stayed together most of the way to Halesworth, then regrouped after lunch, to head up to Reedham, where Tomsk and I arrived just in time to see the ferry depart with a group of randonneurs.  As we were finally setting off on our crossing, huggy arrived to experience the same whilst we waved cheerily from the boat. ;)

[The Bridge Cafe at Halesworth seemed to be having some issues, with orders taking a much longer time than normal to come out (FidgetBuzz got fed up of waiting for his and left before it appeared).]

At Acle, huggy decided to stay on for a bit so Tomsk and I headed off in direction of Wells.  (Apart from a glitch when Tomsk pointed out I'd left my helmet behind and I had to dash back about a mile to pick it up).  I finally caught up with Tomsk at Aylsham, by which time I was fairly soaked through.  We arrived in Wells around 19:00, pretty much on our planned schedule.

Huggy arrived around 40 minutes later, and after discussing the options, Tomsk and I headed off towards our "Plan A" pub, huggy planning to head off later after eating and perhaps see us there.  We arrived at the Fox and Hounds (at 154 miles form Manningtree) after just over 12 hours elapsed for a pint or three of Adnams Ghost Ship and Spitfire.  After a short while we were joined by the tandem and, a little later, huggy arrived.  We left shortly before 11p.m.

From the pub-stop onwards, we throttled back considerably, in order not to arrive back too early (and, certainly in my case, because I couldn't maintain the pace much longer  ;D).

Tomsk and I spotted an inviting, and unoccupied bus shelter in Balsham, just before the infamous left turn, and pulled up there to have a snack, take on caffeine and hole up/snooze until it kicked in.  Just as we were about to retreat inside, huggy arrived, but he opted to carry on towards Saffron Walden.  We snoozed for a short while and then made out way towards Saffron Walden where we met huggy resting in a doorway.

We set off towards the Manningtree, and although huggy decided that he'd ride at his own pace, we did stay together for a while.  Eventually though he dropped back, and Tomsk and I carried on with the Manningtree station cafe in mind.

I could have done without the added drama, just 2 miles from the arrivée, of an explosive unplanned deflation of my front tyre while descending at at least 28mph (the speed on the last GPS data point before my hurried deceleration), but luckily I was travelling in a straight line at the time and managed to come to a halt without incident.  Apologies to the tandemistas who were not too far behind - I don't think whatever it was i shouted was particularly intelligible.  Luckily they could take evasive action when I hung on the rear anchor.

I arrived back at Manningtree about 25 minutes after Tomsk, having had to fit a tyre boot to contain a sidewall cut.

Well done to everyone that took part  :thumbsup:

Did anyone actually manage to eat some asparagus or strawberries?

We didn't eat any asparagus or strawberries (although I did have strawberries for my tea earlier today).  I did try to eat chips and curry sauce twice in separate towns only to find out that apparently East Anglia has sold out of the stuff.
You are in a maze of twisty flat droves, all alike.

85.4 miles from Marsh Gibbon

Audax Club Mid-Essex Fire Safety Officer
http://acme.bike

αdαmsκι

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Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #58 on: 12 May, 2013, 09:55:20 pm »
Like Oaky, I had a ride of two halves parts - to use the word halves is incorrect as the first section was much longer. I got to Manningtree at 08h55, giving me enough time to grab a card from Tom & fire up the Garmin. Leaving Manningtree I started overtaking people & on one uphill section I overtook someone on fixed. I kinda heard someone shout something, but it didn't really register. Only later did it twig that was probably Rob - if that's correct, sorry for ignoring you. My ride plan was simple - get to Wells Next the Sea asap, have some chips & then hammer down the mainroad to Barton Mills & onwards to the Travelodge near Abington. Jo had a similar plan & we ended up riding together.

The section up to Wells went really well as we bounced through all the controls and made the most of the winds. The ferry trip was fab; there were massive stately homes around and some great road. However, somewhere around Saxthorpe our luck with the rain ran out and we got a thorough soaking. The heavy stuff didn't last too long, but it was very cold & the roads were quickly flooded as the drains couldn't cope. Jo then got a puncture just before Wells, but said he was happy if I carried on the 5 km to Wells, which I did as I was already cold. As I previously said, I then didn't see Jo again.

The first proper sit down stop at Wells was welcome. I then carried on down the A1065, tho I only got 2 km out of Wells before having to stop to put on a baselayer as I was now cold. The A1065 had some beautiful sections, with bluebelled woods & a setting sun. RAF Lakenheath seems to go on forever, as always! I got to Barton Mills just as dusk became night & brought food for the night section to Abington & morning section to Saffron. Leaving Barton Mills my teeth were a-chattering, but adding my gilet on top of my waterproof helped. Travelodge by 23h15, followed by a shower, tea & bed. Whoop.

This morning I left Abington at 07h15, got to Saffron way out of time, as planned, and then had a great ride back to Mannington, with the wind helping a lot. Weeeeeeeeeeee. Pippa arrived on the train from London and we set off around 11h15 to ride back to London. After a tasty lunch in Stitsed (& spotting photos of fboab on the wall) we ditched that plan as the idea of another 60 km into a headwind, which was threatening rain, didn't appeal. Instead we got the train back from Witham. Still, around 490 km for the weekend :thumbsup:.
What on earth am I doing here on this beautiful day?! This is the only life I've got!!

https://tyredandhungry.wordpress.com/

Fidgetbuzz

  • L sp MOON. 1st R sp MARS . At X SO sp STARS
Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #59 on: 12 May, 2013, 10:24:01 pm »
Short of miles and with Wikyboy saying he wanted to learn to pace himself - we still could not ease back enough - reasonable up to Ixworth ( but still nearly 25kph av) and then fast across to Halesworth with a tail wind. Riding most of the time with katetheplumber. Bridge cafe was horror story - 25 minutes and they could not produce beans on toast - this tends to drive a punch and go character over the edge - so I just upped and left. Cold lashing rain  Coltishall to Aylsham - produced very cold and wet thighs and into the wind - Rog began to slow down - Kate dropped me - but then got lost and packed - I think she was underprepared for clothing when she got wet.
Wells was the chippy with quite a gathering - but by then Rog had shot his bolt - so it was slowly on - passing the pub with three or 4 bikes outside -at Mildenhall 5 minutes after arriving the cashier said "You all have to be out in 5 minutes" - which rather scotched my plan for a 60 minute lie down and recover. Also made a mistake here - did not fill both bottles so later on during the night was short of fluid. Slow steady progress - and interesting to note that Wilkyboy failed to pass me - so I think he must have missed his 8.00 train - Chapman is going to be tough for him next weekend. had to walk Cocks Hill - no power in thighs at all. Rolled in at 8.00am - which was OK -

but still the major debate - why do I need to do this to myself - what am I trying to prove to whom?
I was an accountant until I discovered Audax !!

Chris S

Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #60 on: 12 May, 2013, 11:05:56 pm »
Rog. 8am is well inside time. It's well inside the time you and I have ridden it!

But if you are not enjoying it - that's another thing entirely. You are trying to find something to prove. I think that's what makes you tick, and you've been foundering since Mille Alba - which almost certainly answered all the questions about what you had to prove; big distance, big hills, and big weather.

Now you have to decide whether you still enjoy long distance, without having to prove something? Maybe you're looking for a way to enjoy long distance cycling without having to prove you're doing something nobody has done before?

FWIW, I'll ride with you on any ride you care to name, and I'll ignore all that "you're too fast for me" bollocks...  :)

Fidgetbuzz

  • L sp MOON. 1st R sp MARS . At X SO sp STARS
Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #61 on: 12 May, 2013, 11:26:39 pm »
Yes Chris - dont forget we had slept at your place for several hours - this was a straight thru ride - no sleep
I was an accountant until I discovered Audax !!

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #62 on: 12 May, 2013, 11:29:32 pm »
I don't know whether to christen this ride "I hate wind" (!), or "too many stings in the tail, Tom", or "the plan that didn't quite".  But as it was my first 400, maybe it should just be called "into the unknown".

This ride bore all the hallmarks of a Tomsk ride (at least the calendar ones I've done, which isn't many) -- informal start from the station at Manningtree, x-rated so receipts required (little special TLC), seeing Tomsk at (nearly) every control (and he still finished ahead of us), night riding on the A1055 in bitter cold, garages that keep their doors closed in spite of hypothermic customers outside, lots of climbing in the final leg (it felt like there were too many of these this time -- too many stings to the tail), not all of the flora in the title evident on the ground.

We started at 9am (a pleasant change from the last time out) in sunshine!!  As we rode out I was quickly dropped towards the back of the group -- it isn't a race, people! -- where I met a DunRunner who I rode with last year (my first 150+ and still my fastest 190km by quite a way), and we chatted about avoiding carbs -- it felt a bit of a tandem moment (you know you are).  Bumped into Fidgetbuzz, who is solely responsible for all of this in my life  :thumbsup:  and he promptly upped the pace claiming that I should be riding quicker  :o  Rode with FB for quite a way, along with katetheplumber, Dave (who I've previously mentioned in my Old Squit and G&Y Fields write-ups), Tim, ketocarb guy and a handful of others.

 

On FB's suggestion we bounced through Ixworth (passing the Tomsk train) and pushed on to Halesworth (stopping briefly for a train in Mellis just as we were caught and passed back by the Tomsk train, who also had to stop).

 

The previously reported fiasco really did take place in the Bridge Cafe: cook managed to get into a one-in-one-out mood, so rather than putting on lots of toast for baked beans and doing a big batch, they waited until somebody else's salad was cooked before starting on the next: we arrived sometime after the Tomsk train and they still hadn't been served.  FB left without eating and mine arrived after a 40-minute wait.  To the proprietor's credit she apologised and did appear to take control of the kitchen with everything else coming through more-or-less at the same time.  40 minutes to be served with BBonT is a bit pants, though.

Following that we had a following wind -- a following wind to get to Halesworth and following wind on departure  :hand:  Getting my feeding strategy right is a major issue I feel, because it just got worse the further on we went. Mrs WB has me sleeping in the spare bedroom tonight  :facepalm:  Sorry.

At this point it was Dave, Tim and me and we put on a decent showing across the wind to Reedham, passing Big Saxon on the way, with the ferryman bringing the ferry back to shore to let us on, to the groans of our comrades already aboard  :P  We were joined by a mahoosive police patrol vehicle that nearly filled the rest of the space on the ferry, so I took their picture.  The spin up to Acle was straightforward and we got there to find the Tomsk train making the green look untidy  ;D

 
 

At this point Dave and I rode on with Tim saying he'd catch us up: he never did and the last report was that he got caught in the rain and bailed at Aylsham, but that's unconfirmed.  We also got caught in the rain, which was unwelcome (Tomsk, please could you cancel this part for next year), so we found a pub in Aylsham and had a nice cup of tea while the rain blew itself out.  We then made okay time to Wells for a very nice plate of fish and chips where we bumped into FB for the final time.  Big Saxon arrived and left while we were eating, too.

A dry pair of socks (inside some big SealSkinz socks for the night/cold section), some knee warmers and extra layers and we were ready to move off.  No, wait, Dave faffed, then I faffed, then I got my picture took (to show the missus that I really did do the ride), and then we moved off.  Huggy had decided to join us to start the next leg and was very patient, at least he looked it in the failing light.  At this point there were no bikes on the quayside, so I reckon we may have been lanterne rouge, although we left over an hour before the control closed.

We turned south and headed towards Fakenham taking turns on the front in the wind.  This was not a pleasant section and taking a turn on the front was decidedly hard work.  Huggy bailed on us at the Fox and Hounds, but we figured that it was already going to be a long night and beer wasn't the answer, so Dave and I pushed on. And then stopped a bit. And then pushed on. And then stopped a bit.  One thing about stopping: it absolutely hammers the averages!

Sleep-depravation affected me far more than I was expecting (I have done plenty of all-nighters) and I kept waking up halfway into a ditch or over on the other side of the road.  I needed to sleep!  At Barton Mills the bugger in the garage refused to open the doors, so we shivered on the forecourt.  Cold appears to affect some more than others, as I was hardly able to think and others were able to sit or lie on the ground and sleep, but not me.  The Tomsk train rode in while we were there and we left them chilling out.



Dave and I pushed on and after a missed turn (okay, Garmin was right, we were wrong for a change) made fairly good time to Newmarket where there was a fully open BP garage.  With coffee. And hot food. And chairs and tables!!  They told us to bring the bikes inside (lots of drunks at 3am, they said) and didn't say anything when I put my head down on the table and went straight to sleep while Dave fought off the locals who wanted to wake me up  :thumbsup: :facepalm:

After Newmarket it dawned on us that dawn was upon us as we could read the routesheet without a torch, and it looked like it was going to be a fine, sunny morning  :thumbsup:  However, that meant we could also see the hills that Tom had saved for us looming around every corner: lots of short ones that could be cranked over, lots of long meandering ones with false summits that required a more patient approach.  Even Dave was getting sick of them and he's a much better climber than me and much more patient, too.

Saffron Walden came and went -- there's not a lot to do there at 5am. We passed the Tomsk train parked up in the café in Sible Hedingham before catching up with Big Saxon again -- he eventually rolled into Manningtree just 15 minutes after us.  Stopping for an off-bike moment a few miles later we were caught by the Tomsk train as they stopped for that particular hedge's charms (turns out it's a regular haunt, little did we know).  The next time we saw Tomsk and Huggy was at second breakfast in Manningtree, with Oaky playing with the [puncture] fairies a few miles before that.

Those final hills were a bit unnecessary: we had already completed 400km and then Tomsk threw in a handful more climbs!! The reverse G&Y Fields run back into Manningtree was nice, until we remembered that there had been two significant descents on that ride, which were now two significant climbs.  We cranked our way up -- for both of us that was 100% success on the hills without dabbing (we aren't talking about Cumbrian or Cambrian hills here, so not a great claim, but it still drives me to the top).  On the very last climb up the short slope to the roundabout in Manningtree I raced past Dave, but he still caught and passed me easily enough before the top  :facepalm:  But I got him on the descent to the station clocking 62kph as I whooshed past to his surprise  :thumbsup:  (I have a bit of a dinner plate for a front ring, probably needs changing to something smaller).

We arrived back at the station at about 09:30, so my fastest 400 to date (my only 400 to date) and plenty of time in hand.  Stoppage time of nearly 5 hours and moving time of just over 19.5 hours, of which apparently over 7 hours were climbing!  I feel shattered like I didn't for Yr Elenydd, although I think that ride was harder because I was only just in time that time; this time I think was the wind and sleep-dep.  I had been aiming to be in by 8am to catch the first train back to Cambridge, which we missed, and although we were in time for the next train an hour later, Dave and I opted for a big buffet breakfast instead  ;D

The last few rides I have ridden out too quickly and blown up after around 100km and as this was my first 400 I needed to avoid this at all costs.  So last week I worked out a rolling speed I thought I could maintain for each stage of this ride, as well as an estimated duration spent at each control, with a view to slowing down in the early stages. It was a good plan, really it was, compensating times for hills, freshness of legs, time of day -- actually, it was more an experiment than a plan just to see whether I could hit the numbers (roughly) and if I did then how did I feel particularly beyond 100km. However, that was before Fidgetbuzz took an interest and dragged me along much faster than my target speeds and bounced through controls, giving me oodles of time in hand!  :facepalm:  This actually paid dividends later (the time), although I did fade in the wind and the rain.  But actually on reviewing the numbers and accounting for a couple (several) unscheduled stops (hiding from the rain, hiding from being awake, hiding from the pain by getting off the bike) the final result was near enough the same, but the calculations to get there were way out. I won't bore you with the details -- feel free to ask me about it on a ride and I will probably have an updated plan with me for that ride running another 'experiment'.

Interestingly (for me) Big Saxon was doing the same thing, except aiming for a flat 20kph and bouncing as many controls as possible.  The difference was that we rode the first and second legs above 25kph and slowed down later (with lots of stops) and BS just kept going and we arrived within 15 minutes of each other!!  I am in awe that you could just maintain that pace the whole time without really stopping  :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #63 on: 12 May, 2013, 11:37:30 pm »
Yes Chris - dont forget we had slept at your place for several hours - this was a straight thru ride - no sleep

But Rog you did a 200 less than a week before this! You haven't got the base miles this year to ride 200 and 400 in the same week without any effect on pace.


Nice write-up wilky.

As far as pace is concerned my mantra used to be:
Ride as fast as you can for as long as you can, and then eat jelly babies.
Obviously YMMV, and these days, so does mine.
Nowadays it's babybels  ;)

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #64 on: 12 May, 2013, 11:46:46 pm »
... and interesting to note that Wilkyboy failed to pass me - so I think he must have missed his 8.00 train - Chapman is going to be tough for him next weekend.

From my ride report: "I had been aiming to be in by 8am to catch the first train back to Cambridge, which we missed, and although we were in time for the next train an hour later, Dave and I opted for a big buffet breakfast instead".  I fell apart a bit on the run to Barton Mills and arrived just after you left I think.  And then we spent best part of an hour in Newmarket, so I think our pace was about the same, but we were less successful at bouncing through controls.

And I am bricking it about the Chapman next weekend, especially as I don't think I will be fully recovered by then and sleep-dep is more of a problem for me than I thought.

Really good to ride with you btw Rog!
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

Fidgetbuzz

  • L sp MOON. 1st R sp MARS . At X SO sp STARS
Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #65 on: 12 May, 2013, 11:48:13 pm »
Hey dammit - you were at Ixworth just 5 minutes before your target time - so I dont think i dragged you along too quickly - and after Ixworth - I doubt whether I was the leader - and on this stage - what was your target riding time- and what was it actually.

Reality I suspect is that the post Wells ride times were VERY wrong - when chatting to me you had cut back from 24s to 22s - well if you did 22s after Wells - then you did well -- I would suspect that I am just about on 20kms to Mild - and getting slower still for the last 2 stages

Vice versa your planned stops of 1 hour at each control were "unusual" - you can not stop for an hour at Saff W or at Mildenhall and Ixworth at 50k should also be bounced. one hour at Halesworth yes OK but under normal circumstances - generous. In my view the first 200kms of a ride need somewhere between 1 hour and 1.45 - of stopped time- depending on conditions etc.

very very best of fortune next weekend - hope this has been a useful training ride
I was an accountant until I discovered Audax !!

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #66 on: 12 May, 2013, 11:50:23 pm »
Yes Chris - dont forget we had slept at your place for several hours - this was a straight thru ride - no sleep

Nice write-up wilky.

As far as pace is concerned my mantra used to be:
Ride as fast as you can for as long as you can, and then eat jelly babies.
Obviously YMMV, and these days, so does mine.
Nowadays it's babybels  ;)

Thank you.  I got through three bags of jelly babies and one of Fangtastics -- I finished the ride with time to spare, so there must be some truth to it, although my teeth could've been used to strip paint ...  :facepalm:
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

Fidgetbuzz

  • L sp MOON. 1st R sp MARS . At X SO sp STARS
Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #67 on: 12 May, 2013, 11:57:28 pm »

But Rog you did a 200 less than a week before this! You haven't got the base miles this year to ride 200 and 400 in the same week without any effect on pace.


True it was quite a quick ride to Cambridge and back on Weds - bu stop trying to cheer me up - i want to be unhappy !!

Rog
I was an accountant until I discovered Audax !!

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #68 on: 13 May, 2013, 12:30:25 am »
Hey dammit - you were at Ixworth just 5 minutes before your target time - so I dont think i dragged you along too quickly - and after Ixworth - I doubt whether I was the leader - and on this stage - what was your target riding time- and what was it actually.

Reality I suspect is that the post Wells ride times were VERY wrong - when chatting to me you had cut back from 24s to 22s - well if you did 22s after Wells - then you did well -- I would suspect that I am just about on 20kms to Mild - and getting slower still for the last 2 stages

Vice versa your planned stops of 1 hour at each control were "unusual" - you can not stop for an hour at Saff W or at Mildenhall and Ixworth at 50k should also be bounced. one hour at Halesworth yes OK but under normal circumstances - generous. In my view the first 200kms of a ride need somewhere between 1 hour and 1.45 - of stopped time- depending on conditions etc.

We rode the first stage 10min quicker than plan and the second stage 2mins quicker.  Bouncing the first control and a slightly shorter stop at the second (in spite of the horrors of the Bridge Cafe) put me 50mins ahead of plan, i.e. 1h45m in hand.  After Acle it all went downhill (but not disastrously so).  I guess the thing I am trying to determine is how much less effort is required if I drop the average by one or two kph, and whether that would contribute to me being stronger for longer and whether I would still finish in time.  That's why I found Big Saxon's own experiment interesting.

The later speeds were very, very wrong: we averaged about 14.5kph to Barton Mills (several off-bike stops of a few minutes each) compared to 24kph planned, 11.5kph to Saffron Walden (that includes a 45-minute stop at Newmarket) compared to 23kph planned, and 18kph back to Manningtree (which considering all the climbing and that it was the end of the ride is okay I think) compared to 22 planned.

TBH I intended the planned control times to be stoppage times for mechanicals, moments and controls on each section rolled into one.  But they were still well beyond generous, except for Wells, and Barton Mills if you include the sleep stop at Newmarket in that.

very very best of fortune next weekend - hope this has been a useful training ride

Many thanks!  Good fortune is exactly what I am going to need!
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

rob

Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #69 on: 13 May, 2013, 09:05:13 am »
On timings - Looking at the last 3 A&Ss I did I was way earlier at Wells this time but finished later than normal, just over 22hrs.

It was fast riding all the way to the turn as the wind was friendly and the terrain is pretty benign.   I didn't find the headwind leg down to Saffron Walden that hard but must have been travelling slower than previous years.   I also found the lumps in last 20k a bit tougher than usual.

Adamski - it was me that shouted at you.   I know better than to try and keep up with you, though.


Rob

Fidgetbuzz

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Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #70 on: 13 May, 2013, 09:21:16 am »
Go away and realise that an average moving speed of 20 kph gives you 30 hours riding for a 600 ( remember to allow for overdistance if it is a BRM) so equal chunks of 22s to start with followed by 20s and then 18s will still get you there- and therefore you have 10 hours off bike - work out sleep - 2 /3/4 hours whatever you need - and then with (10 minus 2/3/4) now work out stops of 15 or 20 minutes ( ie nearly a bounce) and longer ones of 1/1+ hours.

Certainly thta is my general background approach on a really long one - but you should be able to do better ( younger) but possibly offset by bike which may cause extra oddities thta I do not know about.
I was an accountant until I discovered Audax !!

Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #71 on: 13 May, 2013, 10:51:04 am »
I did try to eat chips and curry sauce twice in separate towns only to find out that apparently East Anglia has sold out of the stuff.

I'll think you'll find curry sauce on chips is not the done thing in Norfolk. On Yarmouth market chip stalls  they do a very wide selection of mayonaise and flavoured vinegars. Also peas with mint sauce. But no curry sauce :hand: It's far too exotic.

Enjoyed the write ups and congratulations to all.


Chris S

Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #72 on: 13 May, 2013, 11:17:08 am »

But Rog you did a 200 less than a week before this! You haven't got the base miles this year to ride 200 and 400 in the same week without any effect on pace.


True it was quite a quick ride to Cambridge and back on Weds - bu stop trying to cheer me up - i want to be unhappy !!

Rog

AUK needs a new strapline.

Audax UK. Bringing out the curmudgeon in you since 1985:thumbsup:

Tomsk

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Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #73 on: 13 May, 2013, 11:37:41 am »
Enjoyed your write-up wilkyboy - sounded like an episode of 'Tank-Engine Tomsk Again', but I owe it to Oaky for doing most of the towing! Our 2 hour pub-stop got the timing spot on so we could press on through the night, only needing the bus-shelter moment in Balsham to cope. The good folk of Weasenham St Peter were well impressed by us, especially our iron wills, enabling us to leave a warm pub after a few pints and tackle a cold and increasingly damp night.....

A special mention for huggy, who was going down with something nasty and who struggled bravely on - reminds me of self two years ago - on a mission for my only chance that year at a PBP qualifier.

Commiserations to the two DNFs I've heard about so far.

I will re-think the Barton Mills control for next year [and for the G&Y Fields], possibly an El Supremo-style roadside control in the Forest. All the way past RAF Lakenheath, I kept thinking, I bet they've got a cosy 24 hour cafeteria in there along with all the military hardware, nukes etc!

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Asparagus & Strawberries 400 from Manningtree (11/05/2013)
« Reply #74 on: 13 May, 2013, 11:45:29 am »
Tomsk, never mind 24-hour cafes in nuclear bunkers, you should have a control where riders can actually buy and eat asparagus and strawberries!