So yes, everything you all all told me turned out to be right. I should have tried a 1200 first maybe?
As it was my first one, I inevitably took a bit too much kit. Ultimately that meant I had to wear my Perfetto jersey zipped down to my navel for much of the ride, as I had nowhere to stash it, as that space was taken by a jacket (summer jersey in a back pocket!). Didn't need a second power bank either, or the sports nutrition I carted around for the night section. My gooch fared surprisingly well, as did my hands and back/shoulders (this was my biggest concern rather than fitness).
I actually started a bit faster than I would have liked, as my HR was high Z3 for much of the first hour; but when I looked back there wasn't a soul in sight along the Wye Valley, so I kept with the group. Once past Monmouth there came the predictable split; I was at the back and had a quick opportunity to choose which group to go with. I went left (Pandy); the group was a bit larger, I had that in my GPS and the other group looked to be pushing a bit too much for my liking. It tuned out to be a very fortuitous decision. Probably around Michaelchurch, as our group strung-out on the back lanes, I struck-up a conversation with a guy I'd spotted earlier. He seemed to have all the gear, and a nice bright frame (and what the hell was he carrying in that huge frame bag?!). I enquired about the creaking coming from his BB/cranks and that was it... I was stuck with the guy for the next 340km
In the company of Sensei Hippy, I really did have a great time. Modesty prevented him telling me too much about his achievements, unless directly questioned and I must admit to raising an internal eyebrow when he was talking about a LEJOG record attempt (why was he was riding with me?!). Anyway, I used Google and you know the rest. After a pasty at Llandovery, it was off to Tregaron, where I moved into virgin territory after 180km. In Tregaron I met Audax Vlogger sensation Adam, and I think it was seeing Ajax Bay (Devon Jersey?) tucking into some milk there that prompted me to do the same, chasing down a couple of Eccles Cakes of all things (seen munching away in Adam's video). Onto New Quay, and was still good. I'd heard about the climb out of New Quay and was wary of eating anything. As it was the climb wasn't too bad, and I paid for that lack of solid food, getting a rough patch around 240km. I rectified this with the best part of one of those 500kcal flapjacks you get at garages, that I had on me. Much earlier, before Llandovery, I'd eaten the pork pie I'd also brought along; I would not recommend that as an on-the-go food, the peppery meat hit the back of my throat, causing me to eject bits of it from my nose. By the time we got back to Llandovery at 295km, I was really ready for some proper food, and hoovered down cheese on toast with beans, and a cuppa; this did me the world of good! Arm warmers on and headlight in place, we set off for the last control and I was feeling way better.
The last 100km was a world away from how I thought it would be, and the rough patch after New Quay was a distant memory. Darkness fell and it made a nice change to be riding in the dark, as well as being cooler which suited me (still just the Perfetto jersey, but zip up most of the time). We hit the last control around 10.30 pm I think. Sounds like we also initially missed that right fork to Langattock; Stu noticed quite quickly and we rectified that. In Audax mode, I had soup and apple pie to get me through the final leg
That last climb before Chepstow felt like the longest of the day! But on the flat bits Hippy/Stu was putting in some 35kph stints and I just hung-on. We were back at the Community Centre just after 1am, and the finish was, inevitably, not quite like those Ironmans I've done! 405km in the bank.
In the end, it did prove to be considerably more manageable than I'd thought, and again I have to thank Hippy for his company, which made the whole thing much 'easier' than it could have been. Whilst commitments mean I won't be a regular on the Audax scene, I certainly look forward to another one, hopefully this year at some point. Thanks again to those who offered me advice in the lead-up to the ride, much appreciated too!
