Thanks to everyone involved in what turned out to be an epic weekend. I think the adjective 'epic' has been overused in relation to some bike rides but if this didn't qualify I don't know what does.
However as one of those who failed to complete this ride, whilst my body is still recovering from the battering it took (slept in until 10 o'clock this morning ; bliss!), I like to analyse what went wrong and what I could have done differently to change the outcome.
Firstly preparation ; did I 'train' sufficiently for the ride. Although I was a regular audaxer for about 10 years,completing about 150 events including 2 SR series, in the last 5 years I have concentrated on more competitive cycling mostly LVRC road racing. As such, my training is aimed at being able to go quite fast for 2 hours rather than quite slowly for 24 hrs. However I completed the MC1K 2 years ago on a similar strategy and I don't think it contributed to my failure this time.
However my audax bike (Van Nicholas Yukon) is now 10 years old and, whilst some components have obviously been replaced, the main Campag groupset is still largely intact. The wheels were replaced about 7 years ago as the original rims wore out and there were replaced with Mavic Open Pro CD which has a ceramic coating which still seems to be in relatively good condition with only a few chips in it.
My ride started to go pear-shaped at Lancaster when my rear tyre deflated with a loud hiss as we waited at the traffic lights on the one way system. Once I removed the inner tube, I could see that the hole was on the inner side of the tube so was caused by a spoke coming through rather than road debris and it didn't take long to spot the culprit.
New rim rape was needed (although I did carry some insulating tape so could have bodged a repair if necessary) ; luckily a branch of Leisure Lakes was only 50m away so I wheeled my bike over and explained the situation. The workshop was quite busy so I waited a little while for the mechanic to sort out my wheel.
Whilst he was doing this, another MP rider came in with a problem. His bike had a 'clicking' sound that needed further investigation. The mechanic diagnosed a problem with the rear derailleur and fitted a new cable and re-indexed the gears.
I later saw the same rider at Arnside where he had discovered for himself that the click was caused by a cracked rim. I last saw him heading to Kendal, hoping he could get a new wheel.
Meanwhile my wheel was back on the bike and pumped back up to 100psi using the shop's track pump (so much easier than the pump I carry on the bike!) However whilst I was paying for the work, the tyre deflated. My 'new' spare inner tube wasn't holding pressure. Reflecting that it was probably one of a batch I had bought at a cycle jumble ( 3 for £5) I decided to replace it with new tube from the shop (3 for £10). On hindsight, the cycle jumble inner tubes may have been a false economy as I had now lost about 40 minutes by the time I was rolling again.
To try to make up time, I didn't stop for food at Arnside and relied on the energy bars I carried instead. I arrived at Whinlatter about 4.30pm which was back on my original schedule. However I was shaking and felt quite rough ; this wasn't helped by the cafe being really hot. When my sandwich arrived I had no appetite but knew I needed to eat something so forced it down. Meanwhile, the rain outside was torrential and I suppose the combination of my weakened state and the weather just got to me and I decided that I should head straight back to Askrigg rather than attempt the loop to the coast and the climbs of Hardknott & Wrynose.
Most of the other riders had already left the cafe as I slunk out and turned left back down Whinlatter. Ironically I felt a lot better a bit later and berated myself for giving up too easily but in light of what was to come on Day 2 I suspect I made the right decision.
Once I had accepted that I was DNF, I relaxed and enjoyed the ride back down the A591. No time pressure and even the weather had improved. I stopped off for a pint at Sedbergh just as the second half of Wales v. Belgium started and was able to celebrate their success and it was good to do something 'normal' for a while. Meanwhile I had a bike ride to complete so got going again in good spirits and finished well before midnight which allowed me the luxury of almost 3 hours sleep.
Back out on the road by 5.30am on day 2, I was under no illusions that it was going to be a hard day as the weather forecast was for frequent heavy showers again and we had 360km to complete compared to 284km on day 1 (although we were starting a lot earlier).
My ride started OK but as I approached Kielder the weather got worse and I sheltered under a tree for 15 minutes during another torrential shower with another rider. When I got going again, I was cold and so when I saw a sign for a tearoom just off the route in the village of Simonburn, I diverted up a flooded lane to the comfort of the tearoom.
5 mtb'ers were already there and the owners seemed used to needs of wet cyclists as fresh towels were offered as well a brew.
Fortified by both a hot drink and dry socks (although they didn't stay dry for long) I slogged into the head wind towards the control at Kielder where I arrived about 3pm. I saw my fellow Derby Mercury clubmate Mark and expressed my concern about being able to complete the section over to Lockerbie as it was obvious the conditions were going to be tough.
As it turned out I wasn't the only one having doubts but I suppose it helped that I didn't have anything to gain by completing the full distance as I had already packed on day 1.
On this basis, I headed straight on at Newcastleton and cruised at a relatively leisurely pace back down the A7/A6 through Carlisle and Penrith where I headed to the McD's by the station just as another heavy shower passed over.
I wasn't sure what distance my short cut had missed out by guessed it was about 45-50km which meant my ride was still going to be just short of 200 miles (sorry about the mixed units). The light was fading as I approached Kirby Stephen at about 10:45pm so I just had time for a pint before closing time. This time I watched the penalty shoot-out between Italy and Germany which went on a bit (9 spot kicks each) before the Germans won.
Finally getting going again about 11.10pm, I was joined by 3 riders (Martin Lucas, Ray Robinson & John (?) as I waited at the traffic lights.
I had to decide quickly whether the advantages of riding in a group at night outweighed the extra effort I knew I would have to make to keep up with them.
I decided to give it a go as there was only 20 miles left and I could always drop back if the effort was too much.
I think pride kicked in as I managed to hang on (just) and we rolled in to Askrigg at 12:30am but I was shattered. How do these guys keep that sort of speed up for so long?!
For me day 3 was a truncated version of the route, starting later at 9am after helping out at breakfast and turning off at Stokesley to ride along Ryedale before rejoining at Helmsley. Mostly enjoyable except for the slog along the A170 between Helmsley and Thirsk and I arrived back at 7:50pm with the intention of helping out with the evening meals. However I had time for a quick pint as I was told the HQ would be shut until 8pm.
I stopped at a pub lower down the main street but while I was supping my pint was told by one of the locals that there were some other cyclists at the Crown up the hill.
I switched pubs and sure enough a group of other MP riders were just tucking in to their meals. I think they were some of the riders who had packed on day 2 and had found accommodation in the Newcastleton/Langholm area and had spent the day riding back. By now I reckoned the centre would be open so, declining the offer of a drink, I rolled back to Low Mill to check in.
However, with the reduced numbers of riders still going and the large spread between their arrivals, my assistance in the kitchen was unnecessary so I was clear to pop back to the pub to enjoy another pint or two.
After a thoroughly convivial evening, I got to bed relatively early after promising to help out at breakfast.
Back up about 4am, most riders seemed anxious to be back on the road and the breakfast area was almost empty by 6am when I had a chance to get myself ready for the final leg back to Bispham.
My legs were still stiff and I headed slowly along to Hawes and grovelled up the climb to Ribblehead but once over the crest I assured myself that it was (almost) all downhill from here. The showers had finally disappeared and it was a beautiful morning to enjoy a bike ride.
The truckstop in the layby just before Lancaster was proving very popular and this allowed me to refuel and also find some company with which to ride the final miles. Up to this point, except for the 20 miles at the end of day 2, I had ridden pretty much on my own ever since the parting of the ways in Lancaster due to my puncture.
It certainly helps to have some company as the miles go by much easier when you can have a chat.
Just before we reached the A588/A585 junction on the outskirts of Blackpool, Mateusz can past at speed, down on his tribars in full TT mode. I didn't hesitate and jumped on his wheel. My speed increased from about 25 to 35 kph. We both caught another (non MP)cyclist who obligingly dragged us along for a couple of miles. Once into the industrial area Mateusz eased off (phew!) and we finished about 11.30am.
I am so full of admiration for all the riders who completed the Mille Pennines and am disappointed not to be amongst them but have concluded that, although I have the physical ability to complete this kind of gruelling event, I no longer have the mental determination to carry on when the going gets tough and as such will call it a day on 1000+km rides from now on. ( Oh, and check my rim tape as well if there was to be a next time)
