Registration complete, Team Wheelbarrow (comprising Phil, Joe and Liam) convened on Saturday night in Pitlochry, Perthshire, for some pre-race nosh and drinks along with the wifely supporters. Tactics were discussed (survive; find a peloton to hang on to; and don't push it), fears were expressed (that the broom-wagon sets off just after us and drives at 13 mph to try and take your timing chip off you) and beer was drunk ... an early night followed with a sharp eye on the weather forecast.
Where's Wally?
Sunday dawned clear, cold and windy and after a hearty breakfast we all met up at 06:30 at the start. Well, actually 24 groups back from the start as we were not exactly up there with the elite riders. Some early morning shopping ensued by Joe who had forgotten his gloves, then we were set. Sadly one of the warnings I'd been given was absolutely true: an hour spent standing in the windy main street of Pitlochry at 06:30 in May is not exactly the best warm-up. By the time our wave of riders was released onto the road I, for one, was full-body shivering (the main reason for a pulled knee before I'd even left Pitlochry - Learning Point 1)!
Liam ...................................... Phil ............................................... Joe
The buzz was fantastic. Over 4000 riders, and the most eye-watering collection of high-end bikes you could wish for. The organisation was faultless, the feed stations were great, the route was fantastic. The wind was a pain, but helped on the return legs as much as it hindered on the outward leg. Once Joe had the bit between his teeth he was off! I saw him briefly at the first feed station, then never again until the end. Liam dropped off the back within the first 5 miles and I thought that his dour warning that he was going to do abysmally might in fact come true (although I never actually believed him when he first voiced it). It turned out that a technology glitch caused his HRM to convince him he was on the verge of a cardiac event and he backed off. He then came back on song, powered through the first feed station whilst Joe and I were scoffing, and we never saw him again. He was first back. Well, first of the 3 of us anyway. (My HRM also lied and reckoned my heart was only beating for 31 seconds of the race. It was all down to the cold = no sweating for an hour = no full chest contact. Joe was OK; he used the electroconductive gell - Learning Point 2)
Joe sailed in a short while after Liam, and I breezed in for the wooden spoon half an hour later having spent far too long at 3 of the 4 feeding stations - Learning Point 3. Oh, and also because I didn't pedal fast enough - Learning Point 4. Still, it gives me much more scope for improvement next year!
All over ; where's the beer tent?
So well done all 3 of us. We finished, and we finished in good shape ahead of the broom wagon. It really was a great event and well worth the effort. Now all Joe and I have to do is the same thing for 15 days on the trot with 10kg of panniers! Not at that pace, though.
Celebration!
p.s. I've just scanned the results and my dignity is restored with the King Of The Mountain times!
Liam : 3009th; 05:18:56; (KOTM 13:18)
Joe : 3158th; 05:26:09; (KOTM 14:00)
Phil : 3798th; 06:04:41; (KOTM 13:15) (moving average 14.6 mph)
And for comparison and future inspiration, Evan Oliphant, Scottish Road Race Champion won :
Evan Oliphant : 03:27:38; (KOTM 05:48) (Suspect he missed out on all the feed stations)
To read more of this event, see :
http://www.etapecaledonia.co.uk/
http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/Perthshire/article/13990/surrey-couple-saddle-up-for-married-life-at-etape-s-start-line.html
http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/article/13942/saboteurs-fail-in-bid-to-wreck-etape-caledonia-cycling-event.html
http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/Perthshire/article/14002/opponents-of-etape-caledonia-vow-to-step-up-pressure-to-have-it-declared-illegal.html
Very well done, chaps!
ReplyDeleteSteve Almond