Snow Roads 300 & Potter for Tea Audaxes 14 May

[eck]

Right, sportsfans, who's up for either of these? We've already had a steady stream of entries for the Snow Roads (one of your last chances for a 300km PBP qualifier), but I can still take up to another 20 riders.

The Potter for Tea 100 is slow in starting, but I expect there will be the usual late rush of local riders.

Snow Roads controls are now sorted: Archaeolink's future is still hanging by a thread so we've had to commit to using the, rather posher, place along the road, but we've negotiated a deal with them.

Again, you can have accommodation in the well-appointed village hall for the Friday and Saturday nights, and there's a decent camp site about three miles away. Mrs eck is, as I type, working out the menu so you will still be well fed once you've scoffed all the bridies.

Snow Roads route here and Potter for Tea route here

Sadly, these events have no ferries, and they don't go to Comrie, but we hope to see you in Kirriemuir in about three weeks.

If you're doing the Kinross Sportive, then the Snow Roads would be a great next step....

 

[MrRidley]

Just remembered i've entered this so the cold sweats are about to start, i was hoping to get to Galashiels for the 300 this weekend but the missus won't let me i've got other things to do, not doing the Kinross thing but i've got an entry in for the Drumlanrig thing on the 30th.

 

[FetterSteve]

I've signed up for "Potter for Tea as my first 100km run.

I'm new to all this and have only gotten as far as 40miles so far so a bit more training to do. I have been told it's a reasonably flat route so am hoping I will manage

 

[themightyw]

Would love to do Snow Roads, but have some friends up to stay doing the Etape Caledonia. Hope you have a cracking day for it though guys. Really want to pop my snow roads cherry soon...

 

[aberal]

I've signed up for "Potter for Tea as my first 100km run.

I'm new to all this and have only gotten as far as 40miles so far so a bit more training to do. I have been told it's a reasonably flat route so am hoping I will manage

As a rule of thumb you are supposed to up your mileage by 10% at a time. So roughly, add 5 miles to your weekly ride at the weekends and throw in shorter distances, say 10-15 miles a couple of times during the week, take food and water, eat every hour and plenty of sips of water - and you'll be fine. Hope the new saddle helps.

 

[Scoosh]

I've signed up for "Potter for Tea as my first 100km run.

I'm new to all this and have only gotten as far as 40miles so far so a bit more training to do. I have been told it's a reasonably flat route so am hoping I will manage

Aye, I got conned that way too

!


Actually, it's a great route and the only graft is kept till the last 10km - but by then it's attitude - and plenty of it !

You'll be fine and, as you have plenty of nice hills all around you - go and practice on them

- make them your friends .

 

[ACS]

Waiting to see how I go on the Kinross Sportive on Saturday before deciding if I am fit enough for the Snow Roads.

If not then Tea it shall be.

Steve

The Potter for Tea is a great event to start your Audax career. Just make sure you let Eck know it’s your first outing and he will give you all the info your need.

This was my first event 2 years ago and rode it hanging off the back of the 'peleton' steady pace for about 50km then it got a little competitive <grin>. Last year, cantered along with Dave Martin and others, had a laugh with ‘how far can the fat boy get up the other side of the hill without pedalling’ and took tea and cake more than once.
Scoosh has said the last 10km is a little 'scenic' but nothing to excited about. Don't worry about pace there is plenty of time, get round with a smile on you face and just enjoy the day.

 

[FetterSteve]

Being new to all this I decided to do a recce on the Potter route to try and get a feel it before the big day.
The result is I now know how bad my map reading skills are. I was doing the bit from Stracathro to Kirrie and admittedly I only had an A4 of the whole route but I lost count of the number of times I got lost or took a wrong turn and had to double back.

Do you get issued with a map or do I need to get an OS of the area?

 

[eck]

Being new to all this I decided to do a recce on the Potter route to try and get a feel it before the big day.
The result is I now know how bad my map reading skills are. I was doing the bit from Stracathro to Kirrie and admittedly I only had an A4 of the whole route but I lost count of the number of times I got lost or took a wrong turn and had to double back.

Do you get issued with a map or do I need to get an OS of the area?

Steve - don't fret! I'll be posting out routesheets before this weekend.
There's also a link to a map of the route in my OP, at the top of page 1
Here it is again: My link

If you're totally new to this, the best rules of thumb are:
1: the 'proper' route is always the shortest possible distance between controls
2: if in doubt, the correct way is always (a) uphill, (b) into the wind © usually both!

I hope you didn't miss the Drover's about 15k from the finish? Lovely pub

 

[Scoosh]

Being new to all this I decided to do a recce on the Potter route to try and get a feel it before the big day.
The result is I now know how bad my map reading skills are. I was doing the bit from Stracathro to Kirrie and admittedly I only had an A4 of the whole route but I lost count of the number of times I got lost or took a wrong turn and had to double back.

Do you get issued with a map or do I need to get an OS of the area?

If the map reading skills are your main worries ....

Steve - don't fret! I'll be posting out routesheets before this weekend.
There's also a link to a map of the route in my OP, at the top of page 1
Here it is again: My link

If you're totally new to this, the best rules of thumb are:
1: the 'proper' route is always the shortest possible distance between controls
2: if in doubt, the correct way is always (a) uphill, (b) into the wind © usually both!

I hope you didn't miss the Drover's about 15k from the finish? Lovely pub

3: tell people at the start and tag along with those who know the way !

I did this for my first Potter, as I only entered on the day !


Still have little idea of where I went, except up a hill or two .....

....


... not sure I ever came down any, though .....

 

[fimm]

I know this is Audax, and therefore one doesn't talk about times, but roughly how long would that 300km take?
(I have other things on my plate this year, but something like this takes my fancy for the future.)

 

[eck]

fimm, it's not a "fast" 300 - all those hills. y'see.
Over the three years it's been running, the first guys back are usually about 13 - 13 1/2 hours, middle of the pack between 15 - 17 hours. Time limit is 20 hours. A lot depends on the weather. HTH

 

[MrRidley]

fimm, it's not a "fast" 300 - all those hills. y'see.
Over the three years it's been running, the first guys back are usually about 13 - 13 1/2 hours, middle of the pack between 15 - 17 hours. Time limit is 20 hours. A lot depends on the weather. HTH

You never told me there were hills on this event if i'd have known that.....

 

[FetterSteve]

Cheers Eck. I figured I could follow the pack until I fell behind, as will inevitably happen, and follow the signposts after that.

I did print off the map from your link but in hindsight it was probably at too big a scale to be of any use.

Regardless of my navigation skills it was a nice wee adventure and I did spot the Drovers but by that time was frustrated with myself so didn't stop.

Scoosh, map reading isn't my only worry.....it's just one of them

Looking forward to the 14th ( I think)

 

[fimm]

fimm, it's not a "fast" 300 - all those hills. y'see.
Over the three years it's been running, the first guys back are usually about 13 - 13 1/2 hours, middle of the pack between 15 - 17 hours. Time limit is 20 hours. A lot depends on the weather. HTH

Yes, Cairn O'Mount and Cockbridge to Tomintoul and Glen Shee (that I can pick out easily from the map). Hence the "Snow Roads" I guess.

Thanks for the times - that sounds achievable. Maybe next year, as I say. All I need to do is persuade my boyfriend that we can combine this with a visit to his mate near Banchory - perfect!