The End of Hibernation 200

[JJ]

Well the hall has been swept, the tables and chairs put away, and the crockery washed and dried.

Between the two rides we had about 120 folk out on bicycles today, and this org is very grateful to his many helpers.

But he's still a tired boy tonight, and he didn't even ride.

The final score was 1 DNF, but he did manage to hobble back to base, while the 100 had 2 riders simply vanish into thin air.

Espeically good to see was the number of local riders trying their first audax.

[Chris S]

One DNF in 120?  That's good going!

[Gaseous Clay]

I'm really pleased i forced myself into trying an Audax event (the 100km End of Snooze).  I chatted to and ended up riding a lot of the event with a splendid Aussie called Tony (many thanks to him) who helped make the day very enjoyable indeed.

The weather was superb, the route was very pleasant and the whole event seemed very well organized to me as a participant - brilliant!

Luck was on my side when during a fast-ish descent i noticed my front tyre start rubbing on the mudguard.  The rubbing got steadily worse, then something on the edge of the tyre caught my eye although i couldn't make out what it was due to the spinning.  I stopped as quickly as i dared and was rewarded with a gunshot  as the inner tube exploded, blowing the tyre off the rim - the something that caught my eye must have been the tyre coming off....

A great day out and one that has given me motivation to do another, which is lucky, because i entered the Start of Summertime 200km a few weeks ago!

[Bendy Bianchi]

Lovely ride JJ, thanks for everything. I now have a slightly tanned face and arms, although it may well be wind burn.

[Gareth Rees]

This was my first 200 km audax, so I'm very pleased to have finished in time (just over 12 hours). The first half of the ride was great, but then it turned west after Onehouse into the wind. I had a very low patch from Sudbury to Finchingfield, but tea and cake sorted things out. I was last on the road until Flint Cross (where the B1368 crosses the A505), where I met Richard Phipps. Richard had been encouraging all day (me: "It's my first 200k" him: "It's an easy one").

Thanks to John for organising the ride and being so friendly when I limped in to the finish at 20:05.

More recollections: http://blog.ctc-cambridge.org.uk/2010/03/21-mar-end-of-hibernation-audax.html

[damerell]

This was my first 200 km audax, so I'm very pleased to have finished in time (just over 12 hours).

Shortly after Ben Harris and I arrived, the organiser was chasing round asking if anyone was Gareth Rees, so we knew you were still out there.

It must have been quite an easy day of it; we got back with 2h20 to spare, and that's never happened to me before!

The curious thing, actually, is that I hardly ate at all. We bounced the 50km control because the queue was so long, aiming to instead collect a tearoom somewhere along the way. However, we decided just to stop on a bench for five minutes and have a little something, then press on to the 90km control - but they managed to lose my food order, so I didn't eat there other than eating some more of my malt loaf. Then at 144km the control turned out to be a teashop, which did me a smallish jacket potato and some lemon cake. I only started to feel hungry around 165km, and ate the rest of the malt loaf which kept me going to the end.

So... for a 200, I ate one banana, one malt loaf and Red Leicester sandwich, one small jacket potato, and one slice of cake, and finished faster than every before. This is deeply unnatural. Normally I expect to have to sit down and eat properly every 50km whether I like it or not.

I wonder if this is connected to starting the day not with pasta but with an omelette sandwich the size of my head?

[Bendy Bianchi]

I find that eating a *large* pile of pasta the night before helps. On the 200km ide yesterday we didn't stop (other than for the stamp) at the first control as it was too early (9.30 ish). Early lunch (bacon roll) at the 95km stop and didn't stop at the third stop as too busy. So bacon roll + 3 energy bars + bottle of lucozdade for the ride., but a mound of pasta on saturday night before the race ride.

[Phixie]

I was last on the road until Flint Cross (where the B1368 crosses the A505), where I met Richard Phipps. Richard had been encouraging all day (me: "It's my first 200k" him: "It's an easy one").

I hope that didn't sound dismissive - it certainly wasn't meant that way.  Congratulations on having been blooded and you are now rememembering the many good bits of the ride rather than the aches and tiredness.  You may even be considering riding another one (did I mention how addictive these rides seem to be?)  Contrary to general - non-cyclists' - opinion, it is not necessary to be super fit to complete an Audax, but you do need a certain level of fitness; below it, and the ride is hard work: above, the trip becomes a relaxed and enjoyable day out.  Experience and bonk rations will help, too.  I feel sure achieving that level of fitness would be no problem for you and look forward to seeing you up the road.

That ride was good, very well organised with just the sort of weather we'd have chosen.  Many thanks to JJ and team for a memorable day.

[JJ]

I'm very pleased to take the credit for the weather of course 

This reminds me that I can now play the game of trying to line up forum names, remembered faces, and real names.

I've got a few taped, some with just forum names and faces, and several who are still a complete mystery to me.  Also interesting to find out how many forumites are from just round here.

[toontra]

I was one of those you met JJ.  Great course, especially the northerly section to Stowmarket and the final 30k up to Haslingfield.  Thanks for the organisation, and the weather!

[Bendy Bianchi]

Me too. It was I (Chris Pugh) who forgot to sign my brevet, you shouted out to find me.

[dasmoth]

Me too. It was I (Chris Pugh) who forgot to sign my brevet, you shouted out to find me.

Not sure how much that narrows things down -- I forgot too, and suspect there may be others!

But a great day out.  Thanks JJ!

[Tomsk]

    Thanks for the weather, JJ - best/sunniest/warmest ride for 6 months. A few years since I did this ride - one of my first 200s back when Mike Stapleton organised it.
    Highlights include that lovely winding valley down from Hawkedon, getting up Hartest hill with a great deal of tacking [& not getting put off my stride by a car coming the other way], having lunch outside at the Lake Cafe with Deniece, Pip, Lars + others and fixing a p*nct^re in the sunshine, on a bench in Sudbury, while trying not to freak out mad old lady welded to said bench. Lastly, felt just a tiny bit guilty for taking the flat route via Newton/Harston and getting back before those just ahead, [sorry, Lars!] but, hey, I ride Chapel Hill frequently, its on my favourite permanent 100km route and it will feature on my Flitchbikes 200/100 in June. Organisers are like that.
    My first ECE 100km add on worked well, with only a brief bit of night riding on the way out [though very cold - I was slightly under dressed - should have used my winter gloves and an extra layer.] Coming back was a breeze - literally! Tailwind, not too cold, home just after 9.
    fboab: 1 point on the Fixed Wheel Challenge last year and you would have been Top Lady Fixie!! Full marks to no. 1 son, too!

[Gareth Rees]

I hope that didn't sound dismissive - it certainly wasn't meant that way.

Not at all, I took it in good spirit.

[L CC]

Full marks to no. 1 son, too!

No1Son is only 15. The boy done good

He liked it so much, he doesn't want to wait till the Long Melford 100 at the end of May to do another- he's asked me to sign us up for Ed's Witham 100 in April 

[DrMekon]

Three of us are going to be doing this route next month, life having got in the way when it was run. Any suggestions on places to get food?

Thanks

[L CC]

On non audax days I'd still visit the cafes at Stradishall and Finchingfield. Onehouse I wouldn't. I'd detour into Stowmarket or stop at the pub opposite the Lakeside.
This is partly to do with the quality of the ladies loos, something which may be of less concern to you...

[mike]

the stradishall cafe is excellent, it's half way round a nice 80 mile loop from here so I go there quite a lot!

[JJ]

Stradishall is indeed top hole.  Excellent bacon sarnies, and cheerful east-european folk.

I just got back from FORRIN PARTS to find an envelope full of validated brevets, so I'll send those out asap, and I suppose I ought to deal with the folder full of cheques  .  I sort of ran out of time at the beginning of April.