Cairngorm Classic
So before last week I'd never managed 100 miles and now I've done two massive rides in 8 days. This one wasn't quite 100 (my speedo was broken but the guy I came in with said 99miles... If only I'd had the energy to ride round the carpark a few times!!)
Entering races this year has convinced me that changing my name on getting married and becoming an 'Adams' was a great idea- I now get the no.1 race number at most events!
Even if you hate cycling and the thought of hills leaves you jelly-legged, this event is worth doing for the delectable traybakes alone. The organisers, marshalls and locals pulled out all the stops to show us the most breathtakingly beautiful places to ride and give us loads of encouragement (and cakes - or did I say that already?) along the way. The roads were pristine (take note Glasgow city council!) and even the rubbish weather at the start didn't spoil it, though descending from the Cairngorm ski centre on slippy roads with hundreds of riders around was a bit nerve-wracking and my forearms still hurt from all the breaking (I can't believe I'm admitting that!!).
It took me 7hr15 but I'm sure at least an hour of that was spent on cake and chat. I loved every minute of the ride. And all that Lanza training paid off by making sure I could still ride the 4miles up the hill at the end (though perhaps wearing a waterproof at that point wasn't the best move - it took several hours for me to return to a normal colour). But, at least I wasn't pushing to get up. I overtook quite a few people on the last 10miles and think my average speed on the last 20miles was probably quite high (dratted speedo). This is giving me hope that I can race hard for 12hr in a couple of weeks.
I'd got a bit pysched out at the start line through chatting to someone who was laughing at all the slow people from last year and telling me he'd done it in 4hr30. I don't think that can be right as the fastest this year was 4hr45 but I started feeling like maybe I didn't deserve to be doing the longer one and the marshalls would all be dying to get home for their dinners instead of waiting for me. However, I wasn't last by a long chalk so very glad I didn't turn round and do the 50 mile course.
Poor Morag had a bit of an epic trip with punctures, getting lost and a pedal falling off mid-ride. I promise it wasn't sabotage!
Entering races this year has convinced me that changing my name on getting married and becoming an 'Adams' was a great idea- I now get the no.1 race number at most events!
Even if you hate cycling and the thought of hills leaves you jelly-legged, this event is worth doing for the delectable traybakes alone. The organisers, marshalls and locals pulled out all the stops to show us the most breathtakingly beautiful places to ride and give us loads of encouragement (and cakes - or did I say that already?) along the way. The roads were pristine (take note Glasgow city council!) and even the rubbish weather at the start didn't spoil it, though descending from the Cairngorm ski centre on slippy roads with hundreds of riders around was a bit nerve-wracking and my forearms still hurt from all the breaking (I can't believe I'm admitting that!!).
It took me 7hr15 but I'm sure at least an hour of that was spent on cake and chat. I loved every minute of the ride. And all that Lanza training paid off by making sure I could still ride the 4miles up the hill at the end (though perhaps wearing a waterproof at that point wasn't the best move - it took several hours for me to return to a normal colour). But, at least I wasn't pushing to get up. I overtook quite a few people on the last 10miles and think my average speed on the last 20miles was probably quite high (dratted speedo). This is giving me hope that I can race hard for 12hr in a couple of weeks.
I'd got a bit pysched out at the start line through chatting to someone who was laughing at all the slow people from last year and telling me he'd done it in 4hr30. I don't think that can be right as the fastest this year was 4hr45 but I started feeling like maybe I didn't deserve to be doing the longer one and the marshalls would all be dying to get home for their dinners instead of waiting for me. However, I wasn't last by a long chalk so very glad I didn't turn round and do the 50 mile course.
Poor Morag had a bit of an epic trip with punctures, getting lost and a pedal falling off mid-ride. I promise it wasn't sabotage!
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