3 Peaks - How Mad is it?

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Tim Bennet.

Entirely Average Member
Location
S of Kendal
It's physically very demanding and technically challenging. It's basically a course for fell runners who are also good bike riders.

It's worth watching at least once to see how all the support and things work. You will need your spare wheels and bike to be in the right place at the right time. A good guage of whether you're up to it is to see if you can get round the 'walking route' from Horton to Horton in under 5 hours. (ie a bit over twice the winning fell race time).
 

Cathryn

Legendary Member
We talking walking or cycling?? I walked it in May and although the walk itself wasn't too horrific, the weather made me want to die!! Can't imagine cycling it though.
 

Christopher

Über Member
One big negative on praticing the 3 PEaks is that nearly all of it isn't on bridleways, so you can't even have a try at it in your own time.
Also I thought entries were restricted to peeps who have some sort of CX experience, to avoid having to rescue undertrained persons from the fell?
 

Tim Bennet.

Entirely Average Member
Location
S of Kendal
You're right Frustruck. I perhaps didn't make myself clear. I was suggesting that to gauge your fitness (especially for someone who admits they can't climb or walk up hills), you could do the regular route on foot, where a time of sub 5 hours would show if you are even remotely fit enough. Doing it on foot is of course relevant, because on the cyclo cross event most people walk a lot of the up and even some of the down!

Opportunities to actually practice on a bike are very limited. Apart from the road sections, I don't think there is legal bike access to any (?) of it. However there are some bridleways in the area where you can find similar riding conditions, such as rough rock strewn lanes between dry stone walls or steep millstone git steps.

But if you don't know all this, you are probably not experienced enough to take part and probably wouldn't get through the screening process, for what is a very over subscribed event. An alternative is the Hell of the North Cotswolds. It again is a mixed off road / on road event with plenty of hills. Doing it on a cyclo cross bike puts you in a very select minority amongst all the baggy shorts and full suspension.
 

Christopher

Über Member
One thing you have to do on the 3 Peaks is to shoulder the bike up and over those massive ladder stiles. That can't be easy.

Point taken re the North Cotswolds and there are plenty of bridleways in the Dales, rough as you like. There is also the CICLE Classic in Leicestershire, that's tarmac & b/w. It is fun to ride a road bike on an unpaved track, provided it isn't too rough...
 

dan_bo

How much does it cost to Oldham?
I got a call this morning to offer me a reserve place on the three peaks- I wasn't accepted in the first place 'cos apparently I didn't sign the form after filling it in.


bugger.


I'm off out to run up some steep hills.
 
i watched it once, seeing them coming down penygent (wet limestone boulders) like it was tarmac was enough to put me off riding it.unless the timekeeper had a calendar:smile:
 

Tim Bennet.

Entirely Average Member
Location
S of Kendal
Let's See:

The farmers mount a ferocious campaign to have the Foot and Mouth restrictions lifted on them, so they are now free to take their animals to market and slaughter, but think it's best that this event is cancelled, even though thousands of people from all over the country will walk essentially the same route every weekend, as they have done all summer, including the duration of the last outbreak.

Logical? Right.

For every 'Support Local Farming' sticker that the public puts in their car windows, farmers should be made to display "Be nice to the public - They are your customers who pay over the odds for your products.'
 

Tim Bennet.

Entirely Average Member
Location
S of Kendal
don't know about over the odds tim.

Well, I don't think hill farming has survived by being a commercial success!

Whilst I have no problem with paying a contribution to the maintenance of both landscape and the hill communities, I do at least expect them to recognise that this should be a two way street.

There is no logical reason for them to object to the race. Running with your bike doesn't make you more of a risk factor in spreading diseases compared to those who are walking the same route for pleasure.

The area is 'open access' and thousands of others (non competitors) will have travelled from far and wide to wander where they like. Restricting the competitors is no more logical that banning those with brown hair.

This is farmers just being bolshy: They're doing it because they can.
 

dan_bo

How much does it cost to Oldham?
from what I've picked up from the three peaks site it was the race organiser's decision to pull the race- Keeping the faith with the landowners and farmers to try and ensure the continuation of the race in the future. Unlikely I know but imagine the fallout if the race did take place and F&M was found in the area a couple of weeks later? Yes I know you can still walk over there anyway but you know where the finger will be pointed..........
 
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