Over the night of the 13th/14th June I am riding the Vatternrunden cycle ride, a 300km (186 miles) circuit ofLakeVattern inSouthern Sweden. You can find out more about this event at http://www.cyklavaettern.com/default.aspx?lang=1. but it will be by far the longest ride I have ever attempted in one go. I’m hoping – but this may be wildly optimistic – to do it inside twelve hours. I am inviting you to sponsor me either to support human rights by making a donation to Amnesty International UK or to combat AIDS/HIV by making a donation to the Terrence Higgins Trust. This is the Terrence Higgins page – if you would prefer to donate to AI go to my other page at JustGiving/StuartHathaway . But both these causes are dear to my heart. Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Terrence Higgins Trust will receive your money faster and, if you are ataxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you. Many thanks for your support. I may put in some training progress reports between now and the event if I can think of some things to say.
Stuart How's it going?
1st April
Last week I was on holiday in Northumbria and then in the Peak District. Took a bike and did a few miles in fairly cold and wet conditions - both hilly tho' Derbyshire was worse. Reckon I'd be pretty good at hill climbs if I lived anywhere near Sheffield! Then on Saturday afternoon I did the Oxonian CC Hardriders timetrial up and around Brill - only 29 miles but very strong headwinds over much of the course made it a tough couple of hours; my legs are still sore but at least I resisted the temptation to walk up Muswell Hill at the end.
8th April
I've had an invitation to take part in this year's Czech Customs Cyling Championships at the end of June. I've been before (see picture) and had a good time, although it's fairly tough with an off-road race, an Alp-style hill climb and a road race in two days. Still, I might actually be fit if I can manage 300km two weeks earlier. Sunday 13 April
Bumped into a friend from my cycling club in town yesterday (thanks for the sponsorship, Ingrid!). “Are you doing the ride tomorrow?” says she. “What ride?” says I. Turned out there was a 110k audax starting at Northmoor, which is about 12 miles from Oxford. So I rode out and found several club members and others I knew ready for the off.. Five of us stuck together and did the ride up via Witney to Chipping Norton, then back down to Uffington (not far from the M4) and back to Northmoor, before riding back home. About 90 miles altogether, which was very pleasing given that I haven’t ridden anything like that since last year’s British Cyclosportive, and the threatened rain never made it to West Oxfordshire either. Saturday 19 April
I’d agreed to marshall the club’s Open 25 timetrial the next day so thought I’d better go out today. Headed east along the A40 towards Lewknor, then north into Princes Risborough and up onto the Chilterns along Wardrobe Lane (somehow I missed the turn up Whiteleaf Hill), then down to Hughenden Bottom (one of the steepest descents I know) and back to Princes Risborough before heading back the way I’d come. Luckily the wind was behind me on the way back. 60 miles on my own was a lot harder than a bit further in company the previous weekend. Sunday 20 April
The first rider was off at 8.01 so I had to get to the first Faringdon roundabout on the A420 for marshalling duties by 8.30 at the latest. Left home in what I thought was plenty of time but had a blow-out along the Botley Road, so by the time I got to the start at Cumnor the first rider was already there warming up. I wound up virtually timetrialling 13 miles down the A420 myself and made it with a couple of minutes to spare! As the traffic was building up the time we finished, I came back the scenic route, so that was 100 miles over the weekend. Saturday 26 April
Rain promised for tomorrow, so I went out this afternoon. First day it’s been warm enough to go out in shorts and short sleeves. Thought there was a race on over towards Winslow in Bucks so I headed north up to Brill and crossed the A41. Never ridden over that way before – almost no traffic except in Winslow itself, but no race either, and I seemed to be riding constantly into the wind. Another tough 60 miles. 3rd May
Rode back over to Winslow to watch the top level road race (it was this weekend!) and did a lap of the course in reverse to see the bunch a few times. Nice day, not cold or particularly windy. Still felt like hard work! 5th May Thought I'd better make the most of having a Bank Holiday so I went out via Charlbury to Chipping Norton , then down to Burford and back home A lot more hilly and probably further than Saturday but I felt much better when I got home. Perhaps I'm finally starting to get my legs on (hope so, it's only a few weeks to go). 11th May In mid-Wales for the weekend, staying in Cilmeri near Builth Wells. Big switchback of a hill for four miles straight out of the front door, but I thought that was a bit much like hard work, so I went into Builth and up to the Elan valley reservoirs via Llandrindod Wells (paying a visit to the National Cycle Museum on the way) and Rhayader. Even the main roads were very quiet, and surprisingly almost no cyclists. Sixty miles altogether, mostly steadily uphill all the way out but I only needed to get out of the saddle occasionally which was pleasing. 18th May Time for a long one. Went to Cirencester the long way, via Witney, Burford and Bourton-on the Water, staying off the A40. Big hills on the A369 either side of the A40 ridge, particularly the drop down to the Fosse bridge and up again. Then back via Lechlade and Bampton, headwind most of the way (not that I noticed a tailwind on the way out!). 102 miles through some beautiful Cotswold villages.
25th May
Just under 75 miles, up to Banbury, then Hook Norton and back. Lots of up and down. It was raining as I left home, it was raining as I got home, and it rained at all times in between. But at least it wasn’t as windy as the previous day. Hardly saw another cyclist the whole time. I thought of Lance Armstrong doing the same sort of thing for seven hours rather than four, and then remembered that at least he had his coach with him in a car to give him the occasional coffee and hot cross bun …. -)
31st May Last chance for a weekend ride before I go. Decided to go over to the Chilterns and up Whiteleaf Hill. On the way I met a guy training to do the Etape du Tour (an annual event covering a mountain stage of the Tour de France, this year in the Pyrennees) who was heading for Brill, so I went out with him up Muswell Hill before heading over to Princes Risborough. 60 miles, nice mix of steep and long steady climbs. I think I've done about 1200km up and down hills on my own at weekends over the last couple of months, plus a few miles to and from work every day. Hopefully that'll be enought to get me through a course with no real climbs (I think!)and a lot of people to ride in the middle of.... 14th June Started at 2.10am having arrived in Motala the previous afternoon. Tried to get a few hours rest in a local sports hall. Luckily it had stopped raining by the time we set off, and by 3am it was daylight. Initially it was chilly but after a couple of hours it began to warm up. By the time I got to Gränna (second stop) it was sufficiently warm to send my fleece top back to Motala, and by Hjo (178km) I could get rid of the legwarmers. Recorded split times are:
Start 02:10 Gränna 05:04 (81 km) Fagerhult 07:47 (140 km) Karlsborg 11:53 (210 km) Medevi 14:41 (282 km) Finish 15:32 (300 km)
Total 13 hours 22 mins. We stopped at all the food stops (I only missed the final one) and I think I could have managed inside thirteen hours, but the guys I was riding with were struggling (one packed at Karlsborg), so I was holding back a bit in the middle sections, and only went off alone with 40km to go – which were pretty tough, I should have eaten at the last stop. Fifty minutes for the last 18km reflects my mistake. Luckily an energy gel came to the rescue and I finished strongly. I only saw a couple of accidents, caused by rider errors, despite the huge numbers (over 15,500 starters) The whole event was fantastically well organised with marshals at all key points, ample supplies of real food – buns, fruit juice, coffee, porridge, lasagne – and other support. Would I do it again? Hmmmm.
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