Fred Whitton Challenge

I have a new “Hardest Ride I’ve Ever Done”. 112 miles, 5000 ish metres of climbing, stupidly steep hills and a very hot day.

I finished in 7:16, 16 minutes beyond my target of an “elite” 7 hours or less. If I’d had anything left in the tank in the last 20 miles things might have been different. Anyhoo, I’m quite pleased with that. I’ll need to do it again if I can though…

This is what I’ve learned today.

1. I’m not great in hot weather. Maybe I should train all summer wearing a fleece-lined hoody.

2. I get all fuzzy at distances above 80 miles at the moment. I used to be good for more than that. This fuzzy thing happened at Huddersfield but rather fortunately that one was 84 miles long. I’ve got to get 2007-style long rides and centuries in.

3. 1.5 litres of water at the second feed station might seem like a good idea in 26 degrees of heat, but it isn’t. It makes you feel sick, especially when you wash it down with flapjack and caffeine-laced energy gel.

4. I might have been hurting, but I wasn’t hurting as much as the bloke that crashed riding down Hardknott or the guy who appeared to be riding the route on a Specialized Enduro complete with big Fox fork and wide knobbly tyres on.

Right. Solo racing at Mountain Mayhem in 6 weeks. I’d better get riding mountain bikes again.

5 thoughts on “Fred Whitton Challenge”

Very impressed with the directions on the bar. I’d have been screwed – I’d have to have stopped every 10 minutes to put my reading glasses on. Good riding pal!

It’s a good first time ride in that heat. Believe me, as someone who’s ridden this much faster, everyone goes wonky above 80 miles over hills like that. Even on a good day. To get to your goal time, I can just recommend setting off in a big group (did you?) to get to Honister faster (but don’t do any work!) and drinking ALL the time whether you’re thirsty or not. Also, stuff your pockets at the feeds but don’t stop (though I did enjoy my first ever feed natter yesterday).