LeetleGreyCells
Un rouleur infatigable
- Location
- Whitehaven Mansions
Over three weeks waiting, and yesterday was the day. The excitement had been building with each postponement and I was dangerously close to being over-prepared. My first ever Audax. A calendar event originally scheduled for 9 February and postponed due to Storm Ciara. Rescheduled for 16 February, but postponed again due to an issue with the HQ venue (Storm Dennis paid us a visit too). So as I said, yesterday was the day. Finally.
Completing an audax has been on my mind since November. A permanent event was my first plan. I sent off to the organiser, received my brevet card and route sheet, and was raring to go! The following day I sprained my wrist and couldn't ride my bike. It took over two weeks to heal properly. Weather, family and Christmas scuppered my plans. While my wrist was healing, I started an endurance training plan on Zwift. Riding a static bike is easy with a sprained wrist. My last virtual ride was Tuesday when I felt I had over-trained from a 3.5 hour virtual ride on Sunday plus what I had been doing throughout the previous week.
Doubts entered my mind when leaving the house at 6:30 AM yesterday. Heavy rain was bouncing 50cm off the ground. Not promising. I drove the 1 hour and 20 minutes to the start and the rain seemed to lessen. The wind was starting to pick up, but wasn't too bad. Brevet card collected, bike and myself ready, we were given the signal for the informal start. No one moved. I was adjusting my helmet straps. Someone else was still loading his bike up. Another rider was wrestling with her buff. We started to trickle out in the next few minutes. I believe I was the third rider to leave the car park.
As I had only done a 100km ride once before, there was some trepidation. That ride had been quite flat. The Rutland & Beyond audax was not flat. Even when the ground was level or sloping down, it was all uphill. Respite from the wind was only found in areas with closely packed buildings. Four times, I nearly had the bike blown from under me.
The first 70km was not too bad. The rain abated after about an hour and a half of riding, not too long before we reached the first control at Rutland Water. There were no boats out on the water. Choppy doesn’t begin to cover how the reservoir appeared. Brevet card stamped, it was time to move on.
Part of what attracted me to audax was that riders can ride how they wish - join a group, ride solo, chat for a few minutes, ride in solitude. It wasn’t like a club ride where you are expected to ride in formation. I chatted with a nice chap called Paul who was riding in SPD sandals (his shoes had been rubbing), and a local chap who like me was impressed with the huge viaduct as we rode along the road through one of the massive arches.
Numerous very pretty villages exist along the route. I saw little thatched cottages, picturesque gardens and architectural delights/monstrosities straight from Grand Designs. Mostly I saw fields, thousands of sheep and lots of horses. Peaceful and relaxing.
On several hills, rainwater cascaded along the road surface in quarter-inch waves. Aqua-planing was a possibility on descents. I’d love to put my exceptional bike handling down to my superior bike skills. One day, I’ll get some. In the meantime, I’ll continue to trust in luck.
The second was an information control. Quick, simple, didn’t even have to stop. The third was a café where I inhaled two sausage rolls. Onwards.
An annoying incident that I won’t let spoil the day. I’m on a road not much wider than the width of a car. My legs are struggling to push the pedals up the hill against the wind pushing me down. I notice a car behind me. Old VW Golf, lowered suspension, apparent 12-year old at the wheel, girlfriend in the passenger seat. I’m on a hill and there’s no where to safely stop. I continue on. The driver starts revving his engine behind me in an attempt to intimidate me. I pedal on. I see a farm gate at the top of the hill. I plan to let him by there. He can’t wait that long. He comes pass me. I lean to the side so his wing mirror doesn’t hit me. My elbow catches his window, he’s that close. He gets to the top of the hill and stops. I’m still 15 metres away. He’s gesturing at me. His girlfriend is giving him a mouthful. He throws his arms up in the air and guns the engine. He’s gone. I continue turning the pedals.
The last 30km was difficult. 30km of non-stop headwind. A very strong headwind. With gusts. Did I mention it was windy?
Muscles were aching, neck was stiff, willpower was low. A mental battle ensued to keep the pedals turning. The wind was defeating me. I cursed audaxes, I cursed bikes, I cursed my stupidity for thinking I was ready. Every ascent, flat or descent required effort to move forward. At 80km, I thought I was done. No. Keep going. 85km done. 90km. 95. Not far now. Is the arrivée in the next village? The one after perhaps. Four villages later, I turn a corner. I’ve arrived.
Off the bike and into the control. Card stamped, time calculated. 6 hours 25 minutes.
Back outside, I sit on the back on the car. I smile. The smile turns into a grin.
100.7km and 1,723m elevation in 6 hours 25 minutes (5h 28m without stops) with 26mph winds and gusts up to 40mph.
One month until my next audax. And counting down.
PS 3 points in the bag for the half century challenge for February too!
Completing an audax has been on my mind since November. A permanent event was my first plan. I sent off to the organiser, received my brevet card and route sheet, and was raring to go! The following day I sprained my wrist and couldn't ride my bike. It took over two weeks to heal properly. Weather, family and Christmas scuppered my plans. While my wrist was healing, I started an endurance training plan on Zwift. Riding a static bike is easy with a sprained wrist. My last virtual ride was Tuesday when I felt I had over-trained from a 3.5 hour virtual ride on Sunday plus what I had been doing throughout the previous week.
Doubts entered my mind when leaving the house at 6:30 AM yesterday. Heavy rain was bouncing 50cm off the ground. Not promising. I drove the 1 hour and 20 minutes to the start and the rain seemed to lessen. The wind was starting to pick up, but wasn't too bad. Brevet card collected, bike and myself ready, we were given the signal for the informal start. No one moved. I was adjusting my helmet straps. Someone else was still loading his bike up. Another rider was wrestling with her buff. We started to trickle out in the next few minutes. I believe I was the third rider to leave the car park.
As I had only done a 100km ride once before, there was some trepidation. That ride had been quite flat. The Rutland & Beyond audax was not flat. Even when the ground was level or sloping down, it was all uphill. Respite from the wind was only found in areas with closely packed buildings. Four times, I nearly had the bike blown from under me.
The first 70km was not too bad. The rain abated after about an hour and a half of riding, not too long before we reached the first control at Rutland Water. There were no boats out on the water. Choppy doesn’t begin to cover how the reservoir appeared. Brevet card stamped, it was time to move on.
Part of what attracted me to audax was that riders can ride how they wish - join a group, ride solo, chat for a few minutes, ride in solitude. It wasn’t like a club ride where you are expected to ride in formation. I chatted with a nice chap called Paul who was riding in SPD sandals (his shoes had been rubbing), and a local chap who like me was impressed with the huge viaduct as we rode along the road through one of the massive arches.
Numerous very pretty villages exist along the route. I saw little thatched cottages, picturesque gardens and architectural delights/monstrosities straight from Grand Designs. Mostly I saw fields, thousands of sheep and lots of horses. Peaceful and relaxing.
On several hills, rainwater cascaded along the road surface in quarter-inch waves. Aqua-planing was a possibility on descents. I’d love to put my exceptional bike handling down to my superior bike skills. One day, I’ll get some. In the meantime, I’ll continue to trust in luck.
The second was an information control. Quick, simple, didn’t even have to stop. The third was a café where I inhaled two sausage rolls. Onwards.
An annoying incident that I won’t let spoil the day. I’m on a road not much wider than the width of a car. My legs are struggling to push the pedals up the hill against the wind pushing me down. I notice a car behind me. Old VW Golf, lowered suspension, apparent 12-year old at the wheel, girlfriend in the passenger seat. I’m on a hill and there’s no where to safely stop. I continue on. The driver starts revving his engine behind me in an attempt to intimidate me. I pedal on. I see a farm gate at the top of the hill. I plan to let him by there. He can’t wait that long. He comes pass me. I lean to the side so his wing mirror doesn’t hit me. My elbow catches his window, he’s that close. He gets to the top of the hill and stops. I’m still 15 metres away. He’s gesturing at me. His girlfriend is giving him a mouthful. He throws his arms up in the air and guns the engine. He’s gone. I continue turning the pedals.
The last 30km was difficult. 30km of non-stop headwind. A very strong headwind. With gusts. Did I mention it was windy?
Muscles were aching, neck was stiff, willpower was low. A mental battle ensued to keep the pedals turning. The wind was defeating me. I cursed audaxes, I cursed bikes, I cursed my stupidity for thinking I was ready. Every ascent, flat or descent required effort to move forward. At 80km, I thought I was done. No. Keep going. 85km done. 90km. 95. Not far now. Is the arrivée in the next village? The one after perhaps. Four villages later, I turn a corner. I’ve arrived.
Off the bike and into the control. Card stamped, time calculated. 6 hours 25 minutes.
Back outside, I sit on the back on the car. I smile. The smile turns into a grin.
100.7km and 1,723m elevation in 6 hours 25 minutes (5h 28m without stops) with 26mph winds and gusts up to 40mph.
One month until my next audax. And counting down.
PS 3 points in the bag for the half century challenge for February too!
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💪🏆
