I think someone said Geraint Thomas has the best time for horseshoe, i think the best time yesterday was 15+ mins.
My completion time is 8hrs 10min + change, not that impressive I'll grant you but I did complete it, so I'm happy with that.
Full report:
4am alarm, out of the house by 5:15am get stuck at the closed road about 6:15ish, bit of a discussion how I (and about 30 cars behind me) are supposed to get there with the road closed. They let us through after about 10 mins as the queue grew. Parked up and started the process of putting the bike back together, bloke next to me says "first time?" .. "yep, terrified of the horseshoe pass"... "don't be it's probably one of the easier sections of the course". At which point I thought he was trying to take the piddle and concentrated on getting the bike ready.
The main area had sports massage, somewhere to get tea and coffee, buy some gels / bar and the wiggle shop was open for last minute essentials with a mechanic on hand for any quick repairs needed.
20 minute or so delay to the start and some confusion as the lady announcing the range of numbers to go next didn't seem to have a working mic. Quick safety briefing from the starter and my wave is off.
Horseshoe pass at 12.5 miles in, with a KOM competition for a Festina watch.
Then followed 73 miles of the most beautiful scenery, including something called "The Worlds End" which seemed well named, of which I saw almost nothing as I was concentrating on the 3 feet in front of my front wheel and wondering when it might flatten out a little, preferably a lot.
First feed station was at 30 miles I think, was well stocked, loos, mechanic, snacks, gels, bars, water, energy / electrolyte drinks etc. I stopped there for a piddle and a water top up. Tried to eat some more of my fuel bars & gels but they turned my stomach and I found I couldn't face anything sweet so grabbed some pretzels & refreshed the water bottles and carried on. All 4 feed stops were well stocked, well manned and full of happy volunteers.
Course was well marshaled and signposted, with motorbike outriders going past every 15 minutes or so offering mechanical or physical help, saw a few accidents, including a clipless moment at a feed station, lots of punctures being tended to.
The locals were friendly, though I'd have happily throttled the old bloke who said "30 down, just 55 more to go" with a huge grin on his face, and the guy at 70 miles who said "it's all downhill from here mate"... lying sod!
The road surface wasn't great, but it was rural wales so I knew what to expect, some of the worst pot holes had been repaired, unfortunately there was a lot of resulting loose gravel hanging around which got tricky on corners and descents, saw a few people who had obviously slid out on bends into hedges etc.
I will admit I had to walk a couple of the steeper sections after 50+ miles, a combination of my fat body, the lack of fuel (still couldn't face anything sweet). I also stopped for a couple of drink stops as the downhills were to fast to drink on and the uphills needed my whole body to get up
and basically there was only ever up or down, almost no flat.
I finished the course saying you couldn't pay me to do it again, and found myself walking into town for lunch thinking "a couple of stone off and a bike better geared for the hills next year" so who knows.
I saw a lot of thin people, a few less thin, I saw a lot of nice bikes, I saw some odd bikes (one like a mountain bike with smaller thin wheels), and a tandem!
Got a medal, got a goody bag.
If anyone is interested in the route please ignore all the stats bumf that comes with it unless you want to coach me to better performances
. grew up not far from llandegla so spent most of my youth in and around snowdonia and the clwydians/berwyns. 
