Barry & Katie (Team Massie) are taking on ETAPE, LOCH NESS on Sunday 27th April. A 66 mile cycling sportive around Loch Ness including the epic Carn an t-Suidhe climb from Fort Augustus, the 7th toughest climb in Scotland, which goes on for 8km with 389 metres of elevation (wish I hadn't researched that!)

We're training hard, working on endurance & hills. Katie in particular since she didn't own a bike until October last year, eek!

We wanted to take on this challenge and raise funds for Rainbow Rogues, which is a charity close to our hearts who have given invaluable support to our family. Absolute life savers at times!

Please sponsor us and give where you can so Rainbow Rogues can continue supporting families with children with additional support needs across Aberdeen City & Shire.

Please visit Rainbow Rogues new website to see the incredible services they provide https://www.rainbowrogues.org.uk

WELL INTO HILL TRAINING

Sunday 2nd March - 42.18 miles from Turriff to Kellockbank for lunch & back. Moving time 3hrs:11mins, avg speed 13.2m/h, elevation 3,173ft. Lots of climbing and a head wind so it was hard work, I was pleased to get up the Culsalmond climb, not quickly…but I did it! Barry waited at the top to take a picture 🙈 Hard on the legs but all good training!

MORE MILES

Sunday 9th March - 55.89 miles from Turriff to the Coffee Lab in Ellon for brunch & back. Moving time 3hrs:42mins, avg speed 15.1m/h, elevation 2,736ft. The flattest route getting the miles in around Aberdeenshire. Such a fine day for it with hardly any wind and the sun shining. My legs were tired by the time we approached Cuminestown on route home but it's great training for the legs!

LONGEST CYCLE YET

Sunday 16th March - we headed out for our longest cycle yet. There was a slight delay waiting for the rain to go off but luckily we stayed dry for the whole ride (apart from my perspiration!) From Turriff we headed to Cuminestown, New Byth, New Aberdour, Rosehearty, Pitullie & Sandhaven, Broch, Memsie, Strichen, Mintlaw, Old Deer, Maud, Corsegight, Cuminestown and home again after 4 hrs:22 mins, 64.41 miles, with an avg speed of 14.7m/h and 3,028ft elevation.

I learnt a lesson in fuelling and had little energy in my legs after we stopped at Happy Plant in Mintlaw for food. Training with long miles has taught me to keep drinking and top up with gels every 30 mins to keep my energy levels up! Etape Loch Ness is only 5 weeks away so I'm glad I've done close to the 66 miles I'll need to do on the day. How far and where to next Sunday??

CUT SHORT!

Sunday 23rd March - Chief navigator Barry had planned to do 50 odd miles without a savage hill since I wasn't feeling 100% however the longer we cycled the heavier the rain got. 30 miles in we decided we were far too cold and soggy to stop anywhere so cut the ride short. As we headed home the sun came out and it was evident there had been no rain in Turriff! Oh well, we still got some good miles in. I took a gel every 10 miles and kept topped up with water, what a difference consistent energy intake makes :)

44.43 miles, 3hrs:1min, avg speed of 14.7m/h and 2,582ft elevation.

I SHOULD HAVE STAYED AT HOME!

Sunday 30th March - I thought I was feeling better, my cough had subsided and my chest wasn't so tight, the ride started so well...however! Having left Turriff via the toughest route with a strong head wind for 20 odd miles by the time we came through Foggie and headed to Banff my breathing was very shallow and raspy. Following a gel going down the wrong way and a coughing fit I couldn't get breath. We slowed down for a bit until my breathing regulated again, helped by a stretch of flat road and downhill descent. I made it home in one piece but no records were broken with this one. 40.88 miles, 2hrs:49min, avg speed of 14.4m/h and 2,497ft elevation.

TOUGH TRAINING

Sunday 6th April - This was the hardest route to date with more climbing than I’ve done before 60.06 miles, 4hrs:18mins, avg speed 14m/h and 3,999ft climbing, which is more than the ETAPE route.

With a strong headwind for 30+ miles it was a tough ride with lots of climbing, two hills with 13-15% gradients & a long arduous ascent where my lungs let me know I’m not quite over my recent illness 👎🏻

All great training for ETAPE though which is in 3 weeks time, eeek!!

ONLY 2 WEEKS TO GO!

Sunday 13th April - An eventful Sunday spin to Buckie with two wrong turns, me falling off, emergency dismounts for overly wide farm vehicles & a head wind which changed direction so it was in our faces on the way back too 🤦🏻‍♀️ it slowed us down but it’s all good training!

59.21 miles, 4hrs:15mins, avg speed 13.9m/h and 3,980ft climbing. Ooh & I achieved my first crown 👑 QOM!

ONE WEEK UNTIL ETAPE…EEK!

Sunday 20th April - we changed it up abit today & did a shorter route but at speed, something completely new to me. It was actually quite fun & my breathing following my cough is so much better 😅 which helped a lot.

31.82 miles, 1hr:47mins, avg speed 17.7m/h and 1,624ft climbing & I achieved my second crown 👑 QOM!

LAST CYCLE BEFORE ETAPE

Monday 21st April - not enough recovery time from yesterday’s speed session for my legs. I may have been a little bit grumpy with my coach 🙊

Our second visit to the Coffee Lab in Ellon for brunch was a tough route for me with tired legs, four short but very steep climbs. The ride home after refuelling and the wind behind us was more pleasant.

The rest of this week will be restful with a focus on carbs & hydration.

58.17 miles, 3hrs:58mins, avg speed 14.7m/h and 3,320ft climbing. Definitely no Queen of the Mountains today!

ETAPE LOCH NESS - SUNDAY 27TH APRIL 2025

65.22 miles, 4hrs:37seconds, avg speed 16.3m/h and 3,845ft climbing.

I was really looking forward to the day & it didn’t disappoint. It’s a large event with over 6,100 participants, it was really well organised and ran smoothly.

The weather was kind to us, despite standing at the start line at 6am we were never cold. There was a light drizzle for a few miles but we missed the worst of the rain, although it left the roads wet which slowed us down a bit. There was a headwind but we were sheltered from the worse of it by the high terrain to the west. When we reached the end of Loch Ness at Fort Augustus 33 miles in we were heading back to Inverness so the wind was actually behind us.

The Carn an t-Suidhe climb after Fort Augustus 😳 is brutal! By far the most savage climb I’ve ever done. It’s over 3 miles long, the first two parts are the worst with ascents of 12%. It gets slightly easier in comparison where it’s not as steep, only 8% for the rest of the climb to the top where the piper is playing, which is a really lovely nod to your achievement, conquering the climb 😅

I did have a tumble into a gorse bush after the first steep bit & then a puncture along the fast descent down Carn an t-Suidhe. This slowed us down significantly, but after being rescued by a kind man & his electric car pump we were whizzing off again.

The welcome back into Inverness city centre was such a buzz! We were delighted with our Harry Gow bun after crossing the finish line. I was chuffed with my time having only started cycling last November & training properly this spring.

The most important thing was raising funds for Rainbow Rogues & we’ve just about reached our target of £1,000 including gift aid which we’re absolutely delighted with.

Thanks to all, it means the world 🌈 xxx