Cheshire Cat

[Steve H]

Thought I needed a bit of a target to get me back on the bike early in the New Year following the snowy-icy period.

Have signed up for the 67 miler of the Cheshire Cat organised by Kilo-to-go.

Cheshire Cat


Anyone done it before? Anyone planning on doing this year's event?

The furthest I've cycled so far is a 50-miler back in November time, but think I've lost quite a bit of fitness over the last month or so with all the snow and ice about.

I'm a bit daunted, but looking forward to it.

 

[Kestevan]

I'll be riding this again this year - but weather permitting I'll be doing the 100 miler.

It's a nice route, the majority of the hills are in the first 30 miles, so you can pretty much relax after the 1/2 way point. There are a couple of decent climbs in addition to Mow Cop, but nothing too knee wrenching.


All in all I'd say it was a pretty good ntroduction to the season, and there was certainly a good atmosphere on last years ride.

 

[Steve H]

It's a nice route, the majority of the hills are in the first 30 miles, so you can pretty much relax after the 1/2 way point. There are a couple of decent climbs in addition to Mow Cop, but nothing too knee wrenching.

Yes I saw the profile. I'm thinking that it's a fairly flat first 10 miles to get nicely warmed up, followed by 3 or 4 ups and downs that I think will be the most testing part of the course and then there's a good 35ish miles of flat / steady downhill. As long as I can get over the bumps without killing myself, it should be very do-able and enjoyable for a first timer.

Good luck with the 100 miler.

 

[ColinJ]

Good luck Steve. You're making good progress since you appeared on CC last year! The Cheshire Cat sounds good but it is logistically too difficult for me to get to it. I only do audax rides at the moment - sportives will have to wait until I'm better off again!

I've piled (even more!) weight on and lost fitness since my last forum ride in November so I'm having to build myself back up.

I may well be doing a 59 mile CC forum ride to a cafe in Waddington and back on Sun 30th Jan in case you, Kestevan or any other locals are interested?

I'll post details nearer the time, but I'm holding back to see if a December-like ice-age returns. It's snowing here again today, but it's sleety and I don't think that this lot will stick around.

 

[Steve H]

Cheers Colin - I've always appreciated your encouraging words.

yes - we had a couple of inches of snow today, but the forecast is for warmer weather next week, so hopefully it will be gone before you can blink.

Can't say I've had the best couple of weeks recently. I sprained my knee over New Year skiing and I think I've picked up a bit of man flu in last couple of days. If I can shake this and get out on the bike a bit over the next few weeks you might be able to tempt me out on the Waddington trip. 59 miles would be quite a stretch for me, so if it's one of your notoriously hilly routes, it may be a stretch too far! I'm up for a challenge, but would hate to be holding you guys back.

 

[ColinJ]

Can't say I've had the best couple of weeks recently. I sprained my knee over New Year skiing and I think I've picked up a bit of man flu in last couple of days. If I can shake this and get out on the bike a bit over the next few weeks you might be able to tempt me out on the Waddington trip.

I hope you make a good recovery.

Maybe we could even tempt fellow Brighouser Jacqui to come along?

59 miles would be quite a stretch for me, so if it's one of your notoriously hilly routes, it may be a stretch too far! I'm up for a challenge, but would hate to be holding you guys back.

It's actually one of the flattest rides that I've organised. It's a route designed for this time of year when the hilltops might be a bit dodgy. It sticks to A-roads a lot of the way though last year we did a short hilly section from Padiham to avoid The Devil's Elbow! Don't worry about speed - people have become well used to being held back on my rides recently - by me!

Ideally, we'd get back before dark but that would only require us to average 10 mph (including the cafe stop) which is not exactly a fast ride.

 

[fossyant]

The Cat is very well organised these days - Kilotogo have got it sorted - I was well impressed.

The feeds were full of High 5 and bananas and cakes (didn't eat the cakes), I had stacks of bananas though.

They have kept the route the same as last year as it was good. Mow Cop and Wincle are the toughies (first and last big climbs)

I'd love to do it again, but I'm scheduled to get my shoulder fixed the week before gutted.

 

[Ergle]

The Cheshire cat will be my first sportive as well. I did a couple of Audaxes and the Phil Ligget peaks challenge last year - I do enjoy organised rides and will be doing more this year

 

[perplexed]

As a potential first time Sportive for me, I'm looking at the 45 mile Cheshire Cat as a bit of an introduction. (I looked at the Wiggle "No Excuse" ride, but it was full already!)

The furthest I've ridden in one day is about 28 miles, and I'm obviously going to try to get out and about more, but do the good folk of this forum think that the above is a reasonable idea?

Ta!

(Good luck Steve H!)

 

[pubrunner]

As a potential first time Sportive for me, I'm looking at the 45 mile Cheshire Cat as a bit of an introduction. (I looked at the Wiggle "No Excuse" ride, but it was full already!)

The furthest I've ridden in one day is about 28 miles, and I'm obviously going to try to get out and about more, but do the good folk of this forum think that the above is a reasonable idea?

Ta!

(Good luck Steve H!)

If you can do 28 miles, then (IMO) you can do 45 miles.

I did the 100m Cheshire Cat two years ago; the course was different then. It was my first ride over 50 miles; in fact I'd only done two 50 mile rides beforehand.

What I did wrong was to go off too fast; I hit fifty miles in under 3 hours, but the next fifty miles took me 5 hours - it was quite painful !

I meant to go off slower than I did, but I got 'pulled' along with a group for all of about 3 miles ; I'd never ridden with 'proper' cyclists before. I got a bit carried away with the atmosphere of the event. I tried not to get too despondent at the fact, that everyone else appeared to be younger, fitter and on better bikes.

Just relax and 10 minutes into it, you'll be wondering why you left it so long to do such an event.

 

[perplexed]

Ta for the advice!

 

[Steve H]

As a potential first time Sportive for me, I'm looking at the 45 mile Cheshire Cat as a bit of an introduction. (I looked at the Wiggle "No Excuse" ride, but it was full already!)

The furthest I've ridden in one day is about 28 miles, and I'm obviously going to try to get out and about more, but do the good folk of this forum think that the above is a reasonable idea?

Ta!

(Good luck Steve H!)

Thanks perplexed and good luck to you! Yes - I also looked at the Wiggle "No Excuse" ride, but was a bit too late and it was already full. Cheshire Cat should be a good starter for us though.

 

[Boomerado]

The Cheshire Cat will be my first sportive of the year as well. I have never rode this before but it looks like a good introduction to the sportive calandar. I have done the National Sportive in Pendle for the last 2 years which is quite hilly and on the other end of the scale done the Manchester 100 which is mainly flat so i`m thinking the Chesire is like a mix of the 2.

Broke my wrist in 3 places early December and had my Cast off last week so hoping that it will be fine for then.... sure it will ...... ???

First ride out this weekend so will be a good tester.

 

[dodgy knees]

did the 100 mile last year atmosphere was gud, and enjoyed it wanted too do it this year as well but work calls, so doin wrynose or bust in april hope u enjoy ur day out

 

[Banjo]

Thought I needed a bit of a target to get me back on the bike early in the New Year following the snowy-icy period.

Have signed up for the 67 miler of the Cheshire Cat organised by Kilo-to-go.

Cheshire Cat


Anyone done it before? Anyone planning on doing this year's event?

The furthest I've cycled so far is a 50-miler back in November time, but think I've lost quite a bit of fitness over the last month or so with all the snow and ice about.

I'm a bit daunted, but looking forward to it.

I think if you have allready done 50 then 67 is easilly achievable by March for the Cheshire Cat.If I were you would look for some hilly routes of varying lengths to practice hill climbing on.

I did my one and only Sportive last year, the atmosphere gives you a boost plus you can do a bit of drafting when the opportunity arises
I am trying to get some training in now for my next one in June when illness ,work and weather allows.

Good Luck