Training Update to 4th March

The 8th of May is drawing ever nearer, the spring equinox is just around the corner and I am only too aware that I need to get fitter, shed a bit of weight and get some miles in my legs.

I have been riding to work now for two years and to be honest it is not really testing me anymore. It's about 6.5 miles by road and I can usually do it in under 20 minutes if I go the flat route. So this week I decided I was going to 'get on it' and go the toughest route I could think of to get to work within 45 mins.

Sitch Lane over Lantern Pike takes me past this row of houses

My route now takes me over three of the steepest climbs I know within the area. Setting off I nip down the back road out of Hayfield and up over Lantern Pike via Sitch lane. Its a really nasty climb first thing in the morning when my legs are still cold. It gets my heart pounding immediately and I have to get out of the saddle and drive hard up past a row of terraced houses that over look the village. There is a brief respite before the road rears up again and does not give up until the road crests the top overlooking Birch Vale with New Mills in the distance. There is a great view looking back over Kinder Scout if you have time to stop. I'm usually trying to compose myself for the big drop down into Thornsett so I don't usually get to see it. As I hurtle down the steep section I have to be careful for tractors and the odd car taking a short cut. The road is narrow and there is always cow muck and gravel everywhere. I had a tyre blow out on me once coming down this section. Luckily I managed to keep the bike upright, otherwise I would have been toast. Its pretty steep and fast.

Sunrise at the top of Sitch Lane

Once I get to the bottom I immediately turn off right at Thornsett Primary school and head towards Briargrove road. Nick Craig describes Briagrove as a "really horrible hill". As I have written on numerous occasions Nick is one of the finest mountain bikers we have ever had in this country. If Nick says a hill is horrible then that is code for a lung busting, sick inducing climb...and yep that is what it is. I have to get in a very low gear and just grovel my way up. Half way up when I think I am doing ok it just rears up to about 1 in 3 and keeps going for about half mile until you hit the Mellor road. I have to stand on my pedals all the way. There is just no way I can pedal sat in the saddle. Its just too steep. I have standard road gearing apparently (keen road cyclists will probably tut at my lack of knowledge) but I have no idea what the ratios are. All I know is that the big gear is like a dinner plate and that I sometimes wish I could have my mountain bike gears. Once I hit Mellor road I have a chance to get my breath back as I head down the long steady downhill road into Mellor and onto Marple Bridge. It can be quite fast and tricky, especially at the moment with road repairs exposing rough tarmac strips all the way down. I have to say they are long overdue. Some of the roads in this part of the world are a disgrace. They are bad enough in a car but are just treacherous on a bike. We're just over the county line into Cheshire at this point and the road surfaces are noticeably worse. I would love to get a councillor to cycle these roads. They would (I hope) be ashamed. We live in the fifth largest economy on the planet. Our GDP is measured in trillions. You wouldn't think it cycling along Mellor road.

Mellor Road - honest

Where were we? Oh yes, sorry for the rant, we were just coming into Marple Bridge. I like Marple Bridge. The river Goyt runs through a deep ravine to the left of the road. On the right hand side is a nicely kept row of shops and pubs. The road suffered a major landslide a number of years back and some serious civil engineering was needed to bolster the river bank. The road was officially re-opened by the Queen after quite a bit of money was spent and it shows. The only problem is that I have to turn left onto Brabyns brow which is the last of my climbs. Its another lung buster. I remember as a kid being daunted by Brabyns brow, having to get off my bike and push it all the way up. I now treat it as a challenge as it's the last hill on the ride to work so I try to 'monster' it. I get out of the saddle and just go for it. By about half way (at the curry house on the left) my legs are screaming for me to sit down, but I keep going, gritting my teeth and pushing hard. By the time I get to my turn off at Arkwright road I'm pretty much shot but I am at the top and have a couple of miles along Strines road to recover.

Brabyns Brow as it was before the motor car

Brabyns brow today - just as steep

For a couple of weekends now I have managed to get out for a reasonable ride. Last weekend Neil Coverley and I rode over to Buxton via Whaley Bridge and Long Hill which as the name suggests is a long hill indeed. It's about five miles of steady climb and is a really good challenge if you set yourself a good pace. It was included in the national hill climb championships in 2011. Once at the top we headed down into Buxton and cut through the back roads and headed out on the country lanes behind Dove Holes. We then cut across the A6 and headed the back route into Chapel en Le Frith and then over Peep o Day an back into Hayfield. I reckon it was a good 25 miles and pretty hilly so a good work out too. I felt really good as we got back home.

 Near the top of Long Hill

They call it Long Hill for a reason - but don't win any prizes for originality though

I decided to do the same run this weekend. Neil had entered a bike race (Sunday) and wanted to rest his legs. So I set off on my own. I have to say I found it quite hard this time round. I don't know why? I felt great last week but this time my legs were heavy all the way up Long Hill. It was a real struggle to the top. I felt quite deflated with my lack of energy. To make things worse I had stopped for a quick drink of water and a banana on the top of the hill, when I noticed I had a puncture on my front wheel. I had a spare tube and a pump and thought about changing it. Unfortunately I'd forgotten my tyre levers and it was a pig to get the tyres off the rims. I couldn't budge them so I wondered if it was a slow puncture and had a go at pumping the tyre back up. It seemed to hold the air ok so I turned round and headed home the way I came. I took care not to stress the tyre leaning over on corners and just went steady. The tyre slowly went down and had to pump it up three or four times as I limped home. As I rode I realised how stupid forgetting a simple bit of kit was and how important getting things right will be for my challenge. Punctures happen!

 Brooding skies over the shrine at the top of Long Hill - with the road snaking away in the distance

So why did I get a puncture just here?

I got a call early Sunday morning from Steve Williams, my mate from across the road. "You getting out for a Mountainbike ride in a few minutes man?" "err yes I suppose so" I said after checking with 'the boss'.

Twenty Trees

We headed off up past Twenty Trees, a local landmark (of which there are only 19) and into the snow that was steadily falling on the hills. So much for spring being on its way it was freezing. I don't get to ride much with Steve at the moment as he and Helen have recently had a baby boy (Alexander) That coupled with their twins Tim and Ben has understandably meant mountainbiking taking a back seat. So it was great to get out with him. It was a really good little blast out for an hour.

Stop press (Monday) - I have a cold (almost ManFlu). I think that is why I felt so sluggish on Saturday. Sore throat and all bunged up. Typical! Lets hope it clears up quick.