cheshire cat sportive

[fossyant]

Well done - times ?

 

[andy_wrx]

Ah the benefit of living locally !

Yes, someone had swiped at least two of the direction arrows, but since I knew the way from Rode to Twemlow I guessed at what the route might be and navigated across.

A few big bunches of people turning back wouldn't trust me, only managed to do the pied-piper act and get one guy to follow me.

The distance was about right, it wasn't the official route but just different back lanes and they're all flat, so 6-o'-one-half-a-dozen-of-the-other.

Official time on the telly in the sports centre was 6:21:02, bike computer said 5:56:something and 16.0mph, which I guess is about right with three foodstops.

Crabbed my way up Mow Cop easy enough (take it very slow at the botom, monster that last 100m which is the steep bit).
But, as usual, suffered on the run out of Congleton up to the Cloud which the organisers call 'the Bridestones', although to be honest for me the last little bit at the Bridestones is easier than the 2 miles before it !

I guess I didn't make things any easier for myself by cycling to and from the start (bit galling as the route then goes back only a couple of miles from my house !).
Was fancying I could do a 200K, but my legs went in the last 10 miles home, and it then started raining so I aborted home at 118m total.

Good day out. A pretty easy sportive in contrast to Fred Whitton, White Rose, Pendle Pedal, etc, but quite enough to test my state of training at the end of March !

 

[longers]

Was good to see Trio at 2nd feedstation .

The sausage rolls were excellent at the 3rd stop . I think I may have put weight on.

About 6 hrs 40 mins. One of our "group" had a bit of a nightmare from about halfway, cramp, footpain etc so rather than everybody keep him company the others went ahead and I stayed with him for the route back.

Mow Cop was good and I was pleased to get lots of comments from the bystanders on my speed up there, they probably said that to everyone though .

 

[trio25]

I made it up Mow Cop which I was really pleased with.
Ride time was 7hours 5minutes, no idea what official time is though. Guessing nearer 8hours. But I was pleased, an average speed of 14.7mph is a lot faster than I'm used to averaging.

 

[Aperitif]

Well done you lot! - <envy>

 

[nom de plum]

Hi,
Well done everyone...
If anyone has a gps file from yesterdays ride, I would like a copy (if possible) cos I have no idea about the diversion before Alsager

Thanks
Steve

Ps I got lost after coming down from the cloud because the route signs had been removed!!

 

[longers]

Ps I got lost after coming down from the cloud because the route signs had been removed!!

Yeah, that's where we got lucky, it could have all gone horribly wrong there as I don't think my friend would have managed many extra miles.

I'm on the photo's page with my tongue out .

 

[nom de plum]

Yeah, that's where we got lucky, it could have all gone horribly wrong there as I don't think my friend would have managed many extra miles.

I'm on the photo's page with my tongue out .

Longers, where's the photos page??

I did 05:48:09

 

[longers]

Longers, where's the photos page??

I did 05:48:09

Quick time Nom, good stuff. Official time of 7.15 for me.

Photo's here.

 

[trio25]

Offical time for me was 8:05 I won't stop and queue for the toilet for as long again!

 

[andy_wrx]

Offical time for me was 8:05 I won't stop and queue for the toilet for as long again!

Well, the man did say it was an offence to urinate in public, but if you can find a quiet field opening...

 

[longers]

Well, the man did say it was an offence to urinate in public, but if you can find a quiet field opening...

We rode most of the way with a policeman and he didn't arrest anybody .

 

[trio25]

Well that is my usual tactic but I was being a good girl, I won't next time!

 

[andy_wrx]

For anyone still really keen on Mow Cop, how about running it ?
The 'killer mile' race up it has taken place since the early 80's and the current record is 6:12
(how fast did you go up on it on a bike ? I didn't time myself but I reckon I was a bit slower than that...)

http://www.mowcop.info/killermile/killermile.htm
http://www.sports-fitness.com/events/sf/uk/view/killer_mile
http://www.mowcop.info/killermile/killermile2008.htm

and even the entry form
http://www.mowcop.info/killermile/entryform2008.pdf