I thought I'd write a proper RR now I've had a proper sleep.
Woke at 4.45am, struggled into life. Had a shower, and the amount of faff involved in getting organised to set off left me leaving the hotel at about 5.38 so was having to push a little to make the start on time. Got there at about 5.53 so was no time to do anything but get card and by the time I was ready to roll, the first group was already let out. Got over to the start in time for the second group and worked my way up the field a little in at the start of the run. Found myself riding with John Spooner, Manotea was about as well and Nuncio popped up alongside and remembered me from Dr Foster's Winter Warmer. For the first few kms I was feeling very low on energy and I'd been aching a little when I woke so I was a little worried about being up to the ride. 4h sleep the night before, 6h the night before that. Not good preparation. Someone - I forget who - told me that I needed to rest properly in the week leading up to the 600. "Any 600, but especially the Brian Chapman".
John was full of helpful advice, esp when I mentioned I had entered the other BC. He mentioned having forgotten to bring a route sheet - but no problem as he was on his 19th Brevet Cymru and knew the route well; of course the various changes over the years possibly leading to some confusion. On the run to Monmouth we were doing a cracking pace and when I went onto the front of our bunch we managed to catch up with the group ahead and latch on to them.
Some "moments" occured navigating Monmouth in such a large peloton, but I don't think anyone came off. At a fork right one guy almost went off down the hill to the left instead, just after having raced off the front. Post-Monmouth it got lumpy and the group shattered almost instantly and suddenly I was virtually on my own. I stopped for jacket-removal and got passed by half a dozen people, then again I stopped because of a loose bottle cage bolt. I found myself riding with a Welsh bloke, briefly, and he told me it was flat from the next village, to Hay but that was a Lie. Perhaps only technically, though. Once I got to the flat bit I saw some cyclists ahead, and set to reeling them in, which I did, in the hope of becoming a wheelsucker. John Spooner was on the front when I got there, and I latched on, when someone broke from the group on a lumpy bit I followed them and did a spell on the front to bring us into Hay. About a mile from the control I smelled bacon and I was already hungry so this was quite cruel.
Control was very busy and being served took a little while, but the food was excellent. Manotea, and tonyh arrived whilst I ate, then I set off on my own. Said hello to jwo as well, who was about to leave as I was queuing for food.
Next section, to Builth, wasn't too hard and I caught up with the Spooner Bros at the checkpoint, and now was time for removal of leg warmers, switch to fingerless gloves, application of sun cream, and sun glasses. Manotea arrived as I was preparing to leave, having walked the steep climb to the T junction.
I can't recall much about the Builth to Llandovery section, was riding with two others for a while and another bloke who was having knee troubles that we joined up with. Chatted about Solidlights with one of the two, and about knee problems with the one that joined us. Eventually the two dropped us, and then we split up completely. I arrived in Llandovery with another rider, but can't remember who it was.
The place was teeming with bikers and cyclists, had soup and a roll and a mini trifle. Almost picked up someone else's Brevet card by accident, but realised my mistake, and they were still around so they got it back. Set off with Manotea, a female rider and a trikeist. I asked when were the hills going to start as the ride seemed pretty flat so far. I was informed they were starting soon and I was not disappointed once we turned off the A40 for the first of the two long drags. I set about the hill, Manotea and I dropped the other two and then Manotea fell behind too, as I again forgot about the distance I was attempting for the first time. The first climb was dispatched without much trouble, it was just a long drag. The second was steeper, and I was starting to overheat on it, the road was melting. I continued to haul people in, but had to stop on the climb for something, which did afford me a short break. Rest of the climb was dealt with, and then the descent.
On the way down, on a twisty section, I was being followed by an SUV which beeped me and then came alongside and the driver started trying to say something to me - I couldn't make it out and told him I couldn't hear him so he then forced me into the verge to make me stop, and told me my mirror was "dangerous". "What?!" was my reply, and he said it was "dazzling drivers". I didn't take kindly to this idiocy (does he have a go at people with chrome bumpers?). Throughout the whole thing his wife sat there staring ahead. I told him to piss off (at which point he nearly got out the car) and that there was nothing I could do about it (he said the mirror should be mounted higher, but that would just change the problem to occur at a different height of sun). I've found mirrors that mount on the hoods to be unusable with STI shifters anyway and cause grip problems. Not good on 200k+ rides.
Took the pic of the bike at Llanddewi Brefi and then rolled into Tregaron with 10h elapsed. Ordered more than I could eat, and was treated to the sight of about 30 bunny girls. Tonyh overtook me there, whilst I was eating my food and drinking coffee. Loafing at controls a speciality.
Someone had left their wallet behind, but I didn't recognise the name and so didn't offer to take it on. I did, however, swipe the bag of change left on the table as I felt certain it was Tony's. John Spooner and co. had been there when I arrived and left shortly after so I was falling behind as much due to the loafing as anything else. One rider looked as white as a sheet, but it was a thick coating of sun cream.
They arrived and left before me, but I caught them eventually on the next section, which was much more lumpy. There were alot of steep, short sections on the climbs here rather than the steady drags I'd become accustomed to. I caught Mr White and co. towards the end of the section, and another rider, and we all rolled into Newquay together.
Control here was very good. I found out who had lost their wallet, and loaned him 20 quid - he wrote me a cheque. I ordered chicken curry after John Spooner said he'd had that. It was very nice. I ate with the wallet person, then Tonyh came over and said he'd heard a rumour I had some change of his, so that was handed over, and then I was joined by a rider who recognised me from the Gower Getter back in November. He gave me quite a lot of inside knowledge on the route as he had been out and cycled it a few weeks previously. Drags are the name of the game, apparently. He set off ahead of me just like every else all day, and I reeled him in on the climb, then Mr White and companion. Yo-yo'd with them for a while due to fettling that occured at various points, and rode with a guy who had gone 16 miles off route for a while as well. They beat me to Llandovery, dropping me on the descent after I stopped to fiddle with something. Can't remember what, though!
West End Cafe had some seriously looking tired riders. There was a minor bit of trouble as some drunks fiddled with the bikes outside, they were driven off by the staff. The food was again excellent and I had chicken nuggets, with chips and beans. I was going to have apple pie and custard but couldn't face it. Set off a little after the others but caught them up fairly soon, and told 'em we were actually on a climb despite not feeling like one. It was very gentle and not at all hard. We arrived at Bwlch and I tried to sleep but it was impossible, we must've been there over 2 hours. Manotea's arrival prompted me to get up, have something to eat, and I was going to set off with a bunch of people, but they got fed up waiting for me to get ready to go, and left without me, so it was Manotea and I who set off together, though I soon stopped to oil my chain and Manotea sped past. I didn't see anyone again until the sun was up, when I saw a flashing LED on the way into Abergavenny - this was Manotea. Suddenly, my front tyre started sounding odd and I stopped twice to see if I had a puncture. Nope. I asked Manotea what he thought and he said it sounded like it might be going soft. But it felt ok so i kept going. On the way out of town Manotea pulled up and I went back to check he was OK. He was very tired and was having to stop every so often, but said I should press on if I wanted to. So I did, then felt bad about it. Not long before the start of the climb I caught two of the others who left me at Bwlch, and stopped to check they were ok, then we started the climb together, and I ended up on my own and hauled in another. By now my knee was sore and I was wondering about the wisdom of the Brian Chapman. The climb itself was fine, but I had not alot left in the tank when I hit the final undulations, which I groveled over, and rolled into the control at 7.45-7.50.
The bike was put inside, at the insistence of the organisators and then I had some food, chatted, Manotea turned up, looking in good form, and I went for an hour's kip - I did actually manage to sleep this time - and was rudely awakened at 9.30 and told to get out. So rushed through changing into clean clothes, and slowly pedalled over the bridge and back to the car.
The sleep was useful, I felt fine to drive, and bought two cans of Red Bull to help me on my way. I had to stop for a rest on the A14 and got home after 2pm and decided to give the CTC afternoon ride a miss.
Went to the local Spar, and made myself a huge plate of toast, baked beans, bacon, and fried tomatoes, and eventually went to bed at 6pm ish, and slept til 7.30am this morning. Now I feel tired and sore, but my knees have not taken such a battering after all. I had a conversation with someone at the finish yesterday about knee issues, and I might make some effort to see a physio since nothing I've tried myself has cured it.
My doubts about the Brian Chapman have disappeared after a long sleep. The thing is to be faster at the controls so I can have some time to sleep, and also so that I can reduce the rolling speed I need to do. I did a 14.1mph rolling average (which is typical for me on a 200k). It was a 16mph average for most of the first half until it got difficult and I had slowed later on. I am sure I would slow further in the last 200k of a 600k so the secret must be to ensure I don't *need* to ride so fast.
Sory for going on for so long, ffs it was only a 400
