Transwales - Day 7

At last it was the final day, the legs seemed fine and everyone was in a good mood. So they set us off on the longest day, 84km with 2500m of climbing, by sending us up an off-road climb! I was riding with Fay and Darryl again and we had fun spinning uphills and ploughing through sereral stream crossings - they had called them water splashes but I assume that was before it started raining and never stopped. The first water stop was very welcome after 24 hard km all off-road. At this point the cut-off of 4pm was looking unlikely and they had told us not to rush! After that we headed into more forest and then down some purpose built singletrack where ali was waiting to get picutes of us. Straight after that it was the very welcome lunch stop. It had took us over three and a half hours to get here so there was some hope it might be getting easier!
We set off on the road but it was soon back into the forest with some long fireroad climbs, fortunately my legs seemed happy enough to climb still - Ali's massage still working wonders! Before dropping out of more singletrack to another waterstop. Just before this one was Ali again to get a few more shots of us.

Here Ali had left me a bottle of vimto energy drink and some jaffa cakes which was a nice suprise and then the woman there told us it was about 20miles mainly on road. At this point we thought we might make the cut-off. So we headed a long the road only to turn left and onto a cliff, well not quite it was walkable but it had everyone walking at some point. This seemed to continue on the way back, some road, a bit of an off-road climb etc. Till we were on road following the signs for Builth Wells and coasting up the uphills with our speed from descents, well at least halfway up them!

Once we got back (well within the cut-off) there was beer waiting for us, probably the slowest I have ever drank a beer! The three of us posed for a picture, we had all survived the week. I rode it all, Joe missed the optional section on day 3 and Ollie missed the last special stage and most of day 4. But we were all smiling at the end.

After some chatting I wandered to the car, got clean clothes and had a shower it was nearly half five, so Ali asked about prize giving. They said 6pm so there was no time to grab food. It was nearly 7pm when they did it, apparently the top guys had gone for curry - thanks the rest of us would have been eating too if we hadn't been told 6pm. Anyway I was 3rd overall, won my first ever cash prize! After that we headed home, getting home at about 11pm, where I just climbed into bed, exhausted.

The week was brilliant, although the organisation could have been better I was lucky that I never saw the worst of it as Ali got that. I'd recommend it to anyone but it is easier if you have some support. For me having sandwiches I liked every day was a major plus, as oppose to playing guess what is on the roll. I'm sure next time I do it the weather can't be too bad! Oh and maybe there will be hot showers ;)

84km @ 13.0km/h Av HR 134bpm

I would love to hear from some of the people I met, on the last evening we were all too shattered. If you leave me a comment with your email I won't publish it on the blog so you don't get a ton of junk mail ;)

Transwales - Day 1

We were up just after 7am, breakfast was served from 6:30am but since Ali was in charge of food for the week we could afford to get up a little later. Then it was breakfast and I got my bag ready for the first day. Helped Ali pack up the car, she only had the tent left to come down by the time I went to the start line. Ollie and Joe used their bikes to transfer their heavy kit bags to the lorry. We all started just after 9am, each number being noted down so they knew who was on the course. I was feeling a little apprehensive at this point as I knew it was a long way to go till we got back to this campsite!
The day seemed to go well, I just kept riding steady and chatted my way round the course, some things never change! After 25km we reached the queue for the special stage to decide our starting times for the night stage. I queued for 40minutes in total, but fortunately it was sunny and there was a group of us having a laugh! The stage was unrideable really, I would have been better off trying to run it and route finding was nearly impossible!!! I kept on plodding around at trio pace, struggle a while with my back getting sore, but after a bit of stretching it seemed fine. I was back at 2:35pm, comfortably inside the cutoff times, but due to the fact that some people queued up to an hour and a half for the special stage they decided not to give time penalties. I still looked happy as I crossed the line.
Distance 69.8km (43.6miles) Average moving speed 14.8km/h (9.25mph)



Once I was back, Ali kindly queued for the bike wash while I grabbed a recovery shake (For Goodness Shake Chocomalt flavour) and got a cold shower. There was an advantage to being female as we had specific ladies showers, although the men were using them when they were empty as well.



The night stage that evening was 7km long and I was one of the later starters. I managed a time of 32:53 which left me in 5th in my category.

Transwales - Day 0

I was up in the morning and nervous as anything I got the car packed, tried to leave as much behind since Ali had to repack the car everyday and the weather wasn't looking favourable! Once I managed to get all the bits that Ollie had had sent to our house there wasn't much room left for me!!! We waited till team GB had won a few more medals in the Olympics - some rowing and swimming. The journey down was pretty straight forward and we arrived at Builth Wells at about 2:30pm, once the tent was up - just before it started raining. i got registered and put my number and timing chip on the bike. We walked into Builth Wells to buy some food, once back at the camp the rain seemed to get heavier and heavier so we hid in our tent till Ollie and Joe arrived.
Then it was time to cook dinner, a very hot chilli (we both assumed it wouldn't be hot even though it was described as hot on the tin!). After that we went to the main tent for briefing, no real suprises, since it was still raining we just headed to bed.

Hit the North

Okay then I'm now very tired and sore but I have found some pictures of me and think its time to put my thoughts down. We arrived in plenty of time on saturday and actually managed to squeeze our car in next to the track, made it easier for Ali! After my usual faffing and finding out kate (uber-fast friend) was riding solo as well it was time for the start. First lap went well, very little queuing. All three of us arrived together. Ali was now pit bunny for the three of us so was very busy! We headed out again, it was a little muddier, but I could push my bike and get round it fine. On this lap Ollie came past me, but I was riding at a comfortable pace. Next lap seemed muddier and my brakes less effective, lap 4 basically no brakes. I also passed ollie again, we were riding very similar lap times. So I stopped, changed clothes brake pads and back out. My aim before the event was 10 laps, at this point the conditions were making that look impossible. The first section I could barely push my bike, how I would have managed the chicken run to avoid the bombhole without the marshalls helping me with my bike I have no idea!

Lap 5 was where I came off, on an easy section but I skidded a fair way, arm was a little sore and bike was fine so I carried on, at some point I pass. This time in ali cleaned my arm put some dressing on the worst part, back out and it was getting better again. You could tell the soloists from the amount of mud, and lack of anything else! Another lap and it seemed to be getting a bit better. I came in and Ali cleaned the bike and it was back out, 7 laps done. Lap 8 was the hardest, the first section was nearly impossible to push the bike, it was so clogged up! Back through and out, it had got worse!!! No chance of me getting round before 10pm, I could barely move my bike, getting out on tarmac it took me ten minutes to get my wheels moving! I rode this lap with the lad from ssuk who had taken his trousers off for a new frame! It was nice to just chat my way round a lap. He was also a soloist, on his 7th lap.

As you can see I was a little muddy at the end, but pleased, I had finished 3rd female soloists. I could get one of my shoes off for ages (thanks Mr NBT) and took ages to warm up. Kate finished as winning female in typical Kate fashion!!! Apparently on one lap she came in and said "I've broke my fingernail" the lads next to us didn't know what to make of her!!!

We headed straight off and got pizza, bed just before 1am, time for just over 4 hours sleep before attempting the legbreaker!!! More on that tomorrow!

I've definetly learnt a lot from this race, first I like riding a 12hour solo! I could have gone faster! But where I lost my time was the bomb hole as I didn't even attempt it, I was losing at least 10 - 15minutes a lap. So I need to work on my technical skills!!! Kate rode it every lap and said it was definetly the key!

9 lap, 75miles, 120km

I'm scared

Okay I've been down, got my number (256) and I rode a lap of the course with Ollie. It was muddy and some bits were just scarey as I slid down them out of control. I'm not sure I'm going to enjoy 12 hours of this and I'll be walking a lot of it!

Remember to cheer for me if you see me, I have trio on my name plate!

Ollie's here!

Well ollie has arrived so I have him hard at work fixing punctures. My bike is at the shop, lifecycles to the rescue again! Hopefully I am ready for tomorrow, I'm hoping for 10 laps, but wondering if that is a bit optimistic in the rain?