The day started early with porridge and a walk down to Coniston, as we were staying in copper mines cottages up a rough track. As usual, Jo was soon out of sight as we set off up Hawkshead Hill. I started wondering what I had got myself into, with my legs feeling very heavy. Of course there was no proper warm-up before the hill as it's only a kilometre at most before you start to climb, and the walk down from the cottage didn't really count.
I made a point of pacing myself through Ambleside, but was still feeling heavy legged when we turned off the road before Windermere to head towards the Kirkstone Pass. However, the initial part was the worst and once we turned onto the climb proper, it didn't seem that hard, and the top was along shortly. However I'd probably been riding for over an hour already by the time this point arrived.
Starting the descent, the road starts to get twisty just as it gets steeper. I recognised the corner where I had to brake hard last year, but remembered it looked worse than it was. However a couple of riders were two abreast in the corner, and I was catching them rapidly, so I grabbed a handful of brakes. I got rather too much of the rear brake and locked the back wheel on the way into the corner, getting a bit sideways in the process. I was probably doing 30mph and going straight on into the wall would've led to an early end to my ride (or worse). However my instincts were intact and I quickly recovered the situation and got round the corner.
I didn't have too much time to think about what just happened, as I still had to concentrate on the rest of the descent, but when I got to the bottom I felt a little queasy as the realisation of what could have happened hit me. I pressed on, alongside Ullswater, pacing myself and riding completely on my own until I was passed by one or two riders on the flat, including one lady on a pink bike who I'd passed on the way up.
The ride over to Matterdale End seemed a little steeper than last time. I repassed the lady on the pink bike, and made a fast descent to the turning onto the A66, where she caught me up on the descent towards Keswick and draughted me for most of the way, being dropped on the ups and catching me again on the downs. At one point a large group came past and we took advantage of the extra speed this afforded. In Keswick my companion dropped me again on the flat.
Going south from Keswick towards Honsiter, I was still feeling quite fresh, and the heavy legs had gone. How was my pace comparing to last year? I had no idea, though I was trying to pace myself. I also knew that Honister was a tough climb from the start and didn't want to wear myself out too early on.
Getting to the bottom of Honister, I started passing people who were already reduced to walking, but suddenly I was stopped in my tracks by a shooting pain in my right hamstring, which felt like cramp. I stopped and it got worse initially, but after a couple of minutes it had faded. I got told off for stopping by another rider! I set off again, and the cramp seemed to have gone away. Lucky. Once you get past this initial section it eases off a bit, and I passed the lady on the pink bike, who was now walking. The descent was a bit slower this year, in part due to my earlier fright and in part due to the road being wet in places (perhaps part of the reason for my earlier mishap). It was interesting looking at the Powertap display on the steep sections of the climb; 350 watts for 3-4mph at times!
At the checkpoint at Buttermere I was much quicker than last year, and only took 7-8 minutes to get water, a roll, a banana, and be off again up Newlands Pass. This was suitably tough again, but I made a show of getting out of the saddle and grimacing (ok that wasn't show) as it gets steep right at the top. I got a "looking good mate", which wasn't how I felt!
Over Whinlatter Pass there were lots of people again. The woman who shoved a pushchair out in front of me as I neared the top gets a thumbs down, but the support and encouragement is great. I felt better at this stage than last year. Once off the main road the route involves 3 climbs to get to the next checkpoint, and these are harder than you expect as only the final one gets a mention in the ride description, but I felt better than last year, and had plenty water left. I did feel slightly queasy at one point but pressed on and chased it away.
At Calder Bridge the plan was again to be quick, and I wolfed down two rolls, got some water, and was off in 8-9 minutes. I also ate the banana I'd been carrying since the last checkpoint (doh!). On the final section I knew there was no point pacing myself for Hardknott as I'd never climb it. So I pushed on (still being overtaken by the fast guys, of course) and got there nice and quick and walked from the bottom, cycled the middle bit and walked the last. I was ahead of last year's time, and there were more people on the climb and more in the saddle. Cars were struggling with the congestion and the smell of burning clutch wafted across the air. Nice.
Just as I was approaching the top it started to rain, so I put my raincoat on, and then had a rather interesting descent, with it being up to 30%, wet, with bumpy surface and hairpins. There was a very strong headwind as well, so it was a slow, blustery ride across Wrynose Bottom, I rode most of the climb but for the last 60m or so of ascent. Down the other side was again hairy but the hail at the side of the road suggested it had recently been worse. Earlier riders had a very hard time of it with the hail on the road surface, which had already melted when I got there.
Pushing on to the finish, still in the rain, my time was 9h14m36s which was almost 20 minutes faster than last year! Not bad considering the training disruption (knee, lurgy) I've had.
