Friday 21 August 2015

A day out in the Cotswolds & a polka dot jersey

Sometimes it's just nice to have a pedal somewhere completely different. As attractive as the surrounding Staffordshire/Shropshire/Cheshire countryside on our doorstep is, there is the odd occasion when a total change of scene is required.

By pure chance, I happened to notice a post on one of the Midland Women's Cycling forums on Facebook - a charity sportive with a difference - 150km with a timed hill climb! I didn't need to read on, I was already convinced that this would be an ideal 'Sunday long ride'. Having talked my, equally cycling obsessed, partner Paul into getting up at a time usually reserved only for weekdays (Paul commutes to Coventry for work, so we are all too familiar with 5am!) we were Warwick bound.



A warm welcome from Vicky and her team of merry volunteers and the promise of a BBQ on our return and I was almost forgiven for parting Paul with his only lay in of the week... almost! It wasn't long before we were out in the country lanes, a small group of us having set off at a nice training pace and the miles were rolling along. Then they started to go up, a pattern which was to feature heavily for the most part of the ride! At 40km we managed to miss a direction arrow and head straight up Foxcote Hill, a steep 12% incline, by accident. Thankfully, one of the group had downloaded the GPX file so after enjoying the downhill the other side and rolling along for a few more kilometres we realised the error of our ways and headed back up (and down) the hill!

Steady climbing interspersed with some nice rolling stretches continued to be the order of the day. We eventually came upon the timed climb, where I parted company with Paul, who sensibly decided that he fancied a more sedate approach to proceedings. He didn't have much choice given his smallest gear was an 42x21 (kudos)! Having paced myself up the first section, I steadily increased the power whilst heading for what appeared to be the summit... a false one at that! Around the corner and up again...!! I wouldn't say it was my best hill climb effort but with a good few kilometres and metres climbed already in my legs it was a balanced effort.

There was no need to wait for Paul at the top as he has unbelievable descending skills - we'd make a great team with me climbing and him in charge of all things downhill! Having come into cycling in my 30's I feel that I've missed out on the 'fearless' skills that you acquire as a youngster and I've always had questionable balance, so I'm generally better at plugging away slowly uphill!

Anyway, the remainder of the ride rolled on, until eventually, some 6 hours and 3,000m of climbing later, with almost 170km covered, we rolled back into The Mytons. The promised BBQ was lit and some welcome food awaited us, as did the chip timing system which was to decide the inaugural King and Queen of the Mytons...

Yep, a lovely polka dot jersey made its way back to Staffordshire :)

Thank you to Andy at Custard Photography for the photo.

 
 
 

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