In January 2013, we decided as a group we would enter into a few Sportives over the course of the year in lieu of a ride similar to the LEJOG we completed in 2012. The first one we found on our local calendar was the Jodrell Bank Classic. This was ideal for a number of reasons in that it was due to take place on Mothers day in 2013 and two of the group would not therefore have rugby matches to coach on the day. I am sure the issue of placating wives and mothers was also discussed. Well it was thought about. It's the thought that counts.
If you can tear yourselves away from the garden sun lounger that you have taken out of hibernation in the moderate spring heat wave we have experienced, and cast your minds back twelve months, you will remember that this time last year Britain was under a blanket of snow. The two weather graphics below perfectly demonstrating the difference in weather between the two rides.
In fact for last years ride, clothing de jour was everything that you happened to have with you. Two pairs of long bib shorts, winter baselayer, two short sleeve shirts, two long sleeve shirts and then a couple of jackets too for good measure. Picture the Michelin Man on a road bike and you are getting the idea. This year, by the end of the ride, short sleeves with arm warmers and shorts were sufficient as the weather was glorious. But enough about the weather...if you wanted to know about that you would be reading a British newspaper not a cycling blog.
THE EVENT
THE EVENT
The Jodrell Bank Classic advertises itself as a perfect warm up early year sportives such as the Wiggle Cheshire Cat or (if you are lucky enough) any Tour of Flanders style events and takes in 80 miles of footballer infested cheshire contryside.
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| Route map...the proper one! |
The booking process is easy through the online SI events system and Poynton leisure center makes a great base with a lot of parking and no more traffic issues than you would expect for 700 people trying to descend on one point in a short space of time. This was all well managed by the marshals on the day so there appeared to be minimal issues. Getting the race numbers and to the start was all managed with minimal fuss as well which is ideal.
From there, you head out to real footballer country at Aldelley Edge but as this is 8am on the Sunday morning, there was minimal traffic to contend with in both years and the route takes in nice smooth roads allowing for a steady progress. Sadly, our group did get split at some traffic lights and we never quite got back together. The two minute plus wait for red to become green means the people who made the light now have the best part of a kilometer lead that is hard to pick up. As the route is flat to downhill for the first 60-70 km this does allow for a reasonably fast rolling pace which a number of people were taking advantage of in making very good times for the first 80 km until the food stop.
It has to be said, that there were a couple of hiccups on the ride. Firstly, despite warning riders on the website it was likely to be unseasonably warm on the day, the foodstop had ran out of water when we arrived there. Given it had taken out around three hours to that point we arrived probably in the middle of the group and at a rush time but this could easily have been avoided.
The next one came as you caught the first glimpse of the Jodrell Bank Radio telescope the ride is named after. This is an amazing sight and if you have not visited the telescope then it is well worth a day out. Looking at the route map you can see a loop by Over Peover and sadly at the point of the left turn to begin the loop the sign had been removed. As we had a Garmin with the course on it, we were OK and could quickly pick up the signs. However, a lot of groups took the right hand turn towards the telescope and it did lead to some confusion which is a shame.
Leaving the telescope and memories of last years puncture behind (I hit a pothole whilst wondering if the rider next to me actually was Victoria Pendleton. It wasn't) all of the riders reassembled on the course and headed towards the "stings in the tail".
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| The stings in the tail of Pexhall Road and Shrigley |
My memory of these hills from last year what that they were similar to riding up brick walls. That there was an endless ribbon of tarmac snaking up into the clouds on the edge of the peak district. That we required ice picks, crampons and the help of a guy called Tensing to find the top. Approaching them this year and I can't see how I got that view with the exception of having been out in freezing temperatures for the best part of five and half hours.
There are two climbs at Pexhall Road and Shrigley Pott that are around 100m each and the latter has a more strenuous gradient with a couple of very steep sections but they are perfect for thinking of longer climbs ahead. Particularly positioned as they are within the final section of the ride, after you have been enjoying the relatively flat terrain thus far. I was pleased with my time on the first on in particular as it included a comfort break that is not accounted for on Strava.
After this peak there is then the descent down to the leisure center which is a relief for the legs and a stern test for your brakes. The view from this point across Cheshire and Manchester is stunning and well worth all of the effort.
Awaiting at the finish line was the professional photographer and some of the photos of the riders are set out below...if you see just one photo of a rider smiling then the links are a bit funny off mobile phones so it may be best looking in browsers.
This ride is a little bit like Ronseal in that it does exactly what it says on the tin and has all of the features you would expect from a good sportive. It is a perfect early year training/warm up ride that is well organised and gives stunning views at the end. We have ridden it twice and it will definitely be on the calendar for next year...providing it is on mothers day :-)
The amazing Mr P
Referring back to the start of this blog we are looking for improvements in our cycling this year. The comparison below has the data from last years ride and this years ride from my Garmin. The elapsed time of 6 hr 43 from last year had become something of an obsession for Mike who was determined that he would do a far better time this year. He was aiming for under six hours and a ten percent improvement. He actually smashed that time and came in at 5:33 taking the best part of twenty percent out of the time.
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| Its all in the numbers |
So how did he do it?
The main point has to be the amount of riding Mike has done to prepare this year including climbing hills using a snow plow as a lead out vehicle and that dedication has obviously shown. He has regularly been riding 80km or 60% of the distance and focusing on his heart rate so the base training seems to be working. Before anyone thinks this is a full scientific analysis Team Sky would be proud of, it really isn't. I am just a bit of a geek when it comes to looking at numbers and there my knowledge ends :-).
We also talked about the differences on the day this year and what we had done differently and three main topics and very old adages immediately sprang to mind.
1. You are what you eat - On last years ride, we may have had one snack bar and grabbed something at the foodstop but I dont remember eating a great deal. This time I know I munched my way though, two SIS enery bars, three SIS energy gels and a banana. Starting thirty minutes into the ride and then one item every hour thereafter. I felt like I had more energy throughout and I know Mike said the same.
2. Together Everyone Achieves More. - We were far more disciplined in riding as a team this year and taking advantage of wind breaks when offered. Be it from other groups or amongst ourselves taking turns at the front. At one point we found ourselves in a group of about thirty riders in neat pairs flying along at 35-40kmh with no additional perceived effort. This only broke when a chain snapped and catching back to the group ahead of that was a real challenge. It is not a sign of weakness when riding to do this. Ask Mark Cavendish who typically spends 201.5km out of 202km tucked in behind his team mates conserving as much energy as possible.
3. Its a marathon not a sprint.- Last year we did the first 80km in a very quick time. Downhill with a tailwind and over excited we sprinted off and were keen to make good progress. The last 50km took nearly twice as long as we had simply ran out of energy. This was the first Sportive for Mike and there is a real sense in those that you want to be seen to be strong from the start. I did exactly the same in the Etape Cymru ride the year before and paid for it in the last miles. Finding the right pace that you can maintain for the time is key. Mike hit this perfectly as at the end he said he didn't feel he had the energy to go any further...but at that point; not 30km before hand.
Any experienced cyclist will tell you all of the above is obvious. All inexperienced cyclists I suspect will have made the mistakes we did last year. I suspect the difference in the categories is ticking off 1, 2 and 3 and remembering not to do them again :-).
All in all Chapeau Mr P. It was a great ride. It does leave one question...What's next years target?
1. You are what you eat - On last years ride, we may have had one snack bar and grabbed something at the foodstop but I dont remember eating a great deal. This time I know I munched my way though, two SIS enery bars, three SIS energy gels and a banana. Starting thirty minutes into the ride and then one item every hour thereafter. I felt like I had more energy throughout and I know Mike said the same.
2. Together Everyone Achieves More. - We were far more disciplined in riding as a team this year and taking advantage of wind breaks when offered. Be it from other groups or amongst ourselves taking turns at the front. At one point we found ourselves in a group of about thirty riders in neat pairs flying along at 35-40kmh with no additional perceived effort. This only broke when a chain snapped and catching back to the group ahead of that was a real challenge. It is not a sign of weakness when riding to do this. Ask Mark Cavendish who typically spends 201.5km out of 202km tucked in behind his team mates conserving as much energy as possible.
3. Its a marathon not a sprint.- Last year we did the first 80km in a very quick time. Downhill with a tailwind and over excited we sprinted off and were keen to make good progress. The last 50km took nearly twice as long as we had simply ran out of energy. This was the first Sportive for Mike and there is a real sense in those that you want to be seen to be strong from the start. I did exactly the same in the Etape Cymru ride the year before and paid for it in the last miles. Finding the right pace that you can maintain for the time is key. Mike hit this perfectly as at the end he said he didn't feel he had the energy to go any further...but at that point; not 30km before hand.
Any experienced cyclist will tell you all of the above is obvious. All inexperienced cyclists I suspect will have made the mistakes we did last year. I suspect the difference in the categories is ticking off 1, 2 and 3 and remembering not to do them again :-).
All in all Chapeau Mr P. It was a great ride. It does leave one question...What's next years target?
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