Strangely not. About 2 kg less now compared to IoW. I guess I may have lost some fat and gained some muscle, but weight not that different
It doesn’t help that he’s stood next to the 6’3” lanky git....aka me.
Omg mate, I seriously haven’t stopped eating ALL day! I got home from work and ate a whole packet of chocolate digestives. And drink....omg....I must have drunk 5 litres of water today. That said, I have been laying slabs in the sun and barrowing heavy loads of Scalpings up a mini Devils Staircase. The legs were not particularly keen to oblige, but I’m sure it’s helped.
I know that situation. I've gone from a very tight 48 almost 50 waist trouser @138kg to an almost 46 waist trouser and still shrinking. But the weight is stubbornly not dropping. I am currently going between 123 and 127kg. Most of my trousers/jeans are now held up with braces and sweatpants I'm down nearly 2 sizes 4xl to 2. I just wish I could drop the tyre a few more sizes.Strangely not. About 2 kg less now compared to IoW. I guess I may have lost some fat and gained some muscle, but weight not that different
the last stretch at 13% is a welcome recovery. More rolling roads await past the stunning views of the lakes before we blast past the 2nd feed station, the signage was poor for that one, and head to Llandovrey where there is a shop and Adam kindly gets us all a snickers ice cream. Not far left and we are joined by a rider from the 130 route who was feeling the heat after the elbow and has found a way back which didn't include the staircase. We all ride together until the last climb and we drop the other rider so back to the three of us, just 4.5 miles to the top, but the heat was building and the legs were burning. A bit of confusion at the top, the GPS said left but no arrows, we went left which was a wrong turn but we still got back. All three of us roll into the car park together and do what surely is the most English thing we can do, we sit down and have a cup of tea and underplay the achievement of the ride we have just done. Once we've all calmed down we have a chilli con carne from the shop, which was rather good.
So about 50 or so riders head out from county cycles at the start of the DD, following an option of porridge for breakfast. A van leads us out and the boys in orange (and one pink) jersey hit the front early. The next few miles are flat and downhill so we save a bit of energy and draft a few others. The first hill, a long drag sees the chain gang split, Bill, Paul B, Adam and me stick together and climb it with one other rider. We all ride together until the first feed stop at 27 miles and the route split. We compare the empty bottles of those drinking properly and me who has drank about 200ml. Paul B heads right to the elbow, the rest of us left along a nice stretch of tarmac until it turns right and off up the military road, that woke the legs up, but was worth it for the flowing landscape across the range. From there many small hills hit us until be turn up for the valley approach to the staircase. Adam kindly points the staircase out in the distance, over the cattle grid we go and someone turns up the gravity setting, at the first hairpin I'm regretting my gearing choice (36×29) and by the 2nd hairpin I've unclipped. I walk a bit and then get back on,only as Adam is taking photos and I don't want any of me walking
The guy who runs it is happy with low numbers, but it's unlikely to be sponsored by Bianchi as they want a few hundred. I was happy with the format, but I don't do many sportives and the ones I do are because of friends also riding them.
Not many, I spoke to one other so probably 5 or 6, I think people stayed away from those in the orange jerseys
I totally agree - the small numbers are what appeals to me, and I'd much rather do this event with 50 or so riders than the much bigger sportives (ToC excepted because it's closed roads so a different type of thing). There was lots of talk of doing it again next year from those involved at the bike shop so I hope they do carry on.
Doh!
