REVIEW: Mills Hills Sportive 14 October 2012

“Welcome to Calderdale” reads the roadsign. It’s 8.30 in the morning and I’ve been driving since 5am, so I’m feeling a bit tired. But the roadsign has given me heart that at least I’m in the right part of the country for the ride. Now… to find Mytholroyd (which I’m sure is twinned with Brigadoon). I switch the Garmin on and get directed up hill and down dale until, eventually, I see the town in the distance at the bottom of the valley.

The roads that lead me here are steep and narrow. A taster for the ride ahead I wonder? I’ll find out soon enough. I sign on at the reception desk, say ‘hello’ to Emma who has devised the routes, grab a complimentary Clif Bar and head off.

Within a mile I hit the start of the ascent up Cragg Vale, the longest continuous uphill gradient in England. It’s not hugely steep, but there’s a lot of it. About 6 miles in fact. I climb steadily, if unspectacularly, and reach the top happy to have completed the first of many personal challenges for the day. But something’s wrong – I can’t put my finger on it until the start of the descent into Ripponden, whereupon I am absolutely creamed by a couple of guys wearing the colours of  local tri club on a club run. Then the penny drops… I check the brake calipers and sure enough, the rear brake pad has been rubbing gently on the rim for the entire climb up Cragg Vale. No wonder I found it hard going…

I adjust the brakes and begin my ascent up the next hill, Ripponden Bank. This one is 17% in places and features a wicked bend. It’s about a kilometre of steady climbing and I come to the realisation that ‘the only way is up’ on this ride.

Some wicked descending into Sowerby Bridge including a single-lane 20% hairpin that has my heart in my mouth, followed by another ascent towards and through Luddenden. The road is narrow, and my attempt at this climb isn’t helped by a 4×4 attempting to reverse down the single-lane road. So I unclip out of the pedals and walk the bike past the offending vehicle, cursing the fact that I’m unable to build up any pedalling rhythm for the climb. I remount the bike for the rest of the climb up Stocks Lane, but blow up after the 17% hairpin. It’s at this point that I realise that ALL of the climbs out of Calderdale are INSANE… truly INSANE. Oh, and that the rear brake block is rubbing again…

You know you get some days when you just know that the ride isn’t going to go well for you? Well, I reckon that this is going to be one of those days for me. By the time I reach the first feed station at Warley Moor I’ve decided to bail out of the long route and follow the signs for the short route back to Mytholmroyd. I have a bit of a chat with the guys at the feed station, and do the usual thing of explaining how me with my London accent ended up coming down from Sunderland for the ride (long story). They tell me a number of things, including how the reservoir that we’re stopped by is used by the Halifax Sailing Club. I find this hilarious – I mean – where else in the world would you bring a boat 900 feet above sea level to go sailing? Just goes to show – they do things different in Yorkshire, and in doing so they breed ‘em tough. Much respect!
The route to Mytholmroyd is (mostly) downhill, so I arrive at base earlier than I expected. I hand in my chip and get a voucher for a pie and peas supper in return. Now that’s what I call civilised! They even have a vegetarian option (and not in the Frankie Boyle NSFW sense) .

Despite the long journey, the slight mechanical, and psychotic 4X4 driver I really enjoyed the ride. The weather for an early autumn ride was perfect – bright, dry with that autumn ‘bite’ in the air. The event itself was wonderfully well organised and the choice of routes (including a cyclocross option) meant that there was something for most riders. However, if I were to attempt this again, I would definitely go better ‘prepared’ next time (but not in a Dr. Ferrari kind of way, y’understand). For example, some of the riders at base at the end of the ride were heard to say things like ‘mile for mile, there’s more climbing on this than the Fred (Whitton)’. Now I’ve never done the Fred, but if they say so, then that’ll do for me.

Special thanks to Emma, No Mean Feat, and everyone else involved in organising the event. Looking forward to next year!

REVIEW: Cross Border Sportive, Newcastleton, Scottish Borders, 31 March 2012

7.40am. I’ve been driving for an hour and I’m heading up from the Tyne Valley towards the Scottish Border for the inaugural Cross Border Sportive in Newcastleton. This ride is part of a week-long series of events that form the Newcastleton Cycling Festival, and the first of two sportives over the weekend (the ride on Sunday heads north towards Hawick). The fog is getting thicker – in places it’s impossible to see further than about 12 yards – so I’m driving as steadily as I dare up the hillsides. Then the thought strikes me – I’ll be riding down these same hills within the next couple of hours. I hope the sun burns this mist off by then…

Experience tells me that this is a likely scenario, so I carry on towards my destination. Indeed, I am rewarded by bright, clear conditions atop of the hills, and as I approach Newcastleton I am actually looking forward to the prospect of climbing back up the 15% hairpins I’ve just driven down. Such is the strange sense of perspective of the roadie.

There’s actually a touch of groundfrost in the village as I pull up and find my way to the village hall to get registered for the ride. I duly sign in, receive my route details, and get changed out of my civvies and into my riding gear. I notice that the public toilets in the market square also feature two shower rooms which are open to the public. This reminds me that I am in 7 Stanes country: a network of 7 mountain bike trails in Scotland of varying terrain and challenge for those better practiced than I in the ‘Dark Side’ of cycling. Around 85 miles await me, so I saddle up and get going, and typically I think I’m the last to set off and I hit the road alone.

The fog has lifted by the time I return to the Kershope Forest. The 15% hairpins rudely warm up the legs after only about 3 miles, and I find I’m catching up with some of the other riders by the time we hit the first feed stop after 17 miles. I also find that I am amazed at how quiet the roads are on this route. If I recall rightly the only vehicles I’ve encountered up to this point are the 4X4 buggies that the farmers are using. It is at this point that the long and short routes available to riders diverge – the short route heads west and the long route south then east along Hadrian’s Wall. I’m on the long route, so I follow the signs and the directions on my Garmin and aim through the forest for the village of Greenhead and the point where we pick up the Hadrian’s Wall route.

Greenhead holds memories for me – 2½ years ago I succumbed miserably to the climb up Glenwhelt Bank which forms part of the Sustrans Hadrian’s Wall route that me and 5 mates did one sunny weekend that September. It’s not really much of a climb, but the thought that ‘I won’t let this defeat me’ crosses my mind, so I drop into the inner ring and begin the climb. It’s over before I know it, and I turn east into a headwind to follow the old Military Road.

The Military Road is so called as it pretty much follows the route of the original Roman road used to supply the garrisons dotted along Hadrian’s Wall. So as one would expect of a Roman Road it is very straight. This is fine in most circumstances, but this is the North Pennines. It’s lumpy, but not unbearably so, but that headwind is a constant companion for the next 20 miles or so. And because it is a popular tourist route there are more vehicles on the road – about 3 every 10 minutes on average. After about an hour I’m looking for the earliest opportunity to leave this road and head north westerly to begin the circular route back to Newcastleton.

This opportunity arrives a little earlier than anticipated thanks to the directions on my Garmin. Having downloaded the route to my device I am being instructed to turn left into what appears to be a farm road. There’s also a yellow direction sign on the side of the road, but I’m unclear if it’s telling me to go straight ahead or turn left. I put my trust in the technology and head down the farm road. I come across a total of 3 gates to navigate across, but I’m aware that this is not uncommon for rides in Northumberland: indeed the route had earlier crossed farm gates before the first feed station. So I follow the Garmin and rejoin the main road towards the village of Wark after about a mile or so. It’s only when I finish the ride that I realise that I’ve missed the second feed station that must have been no more than half a mile further down the Military Road.

From Wark it’s onwards through the Kielder Forest to Kielder Water, the largest man-made lake in Europe. The route follows the water’s western edge for approximately 12 miles. The final feed stop is at the head of the lake in Kielder village itself. There I spot a guy wearing the colours of the West Lothian Clarion CC, so as a fellow Clarionista (Sunderland section) we exchange a friendly ‘Boots!’ and ‘Spurs!’, refuel on Jaffa cakes and juice, and saddle up.  From there it’s a few miles back over the border, and a gentle descent and tailwind back into Newcastleton along some of the quietest, best maintained roads it has ever been my pleasure to ride along.

I’m caught by 3 riders as I head into Newcastleton, but by this stage I don’t care. I’ve really enjoyed this ride and hope to come back to ride the northern loop some time soon. As a footnote, this sportive had a fairly low take up on riders with only about 30 or so riders on the Saturday. But the ride organisers and the route itself deserve to get a higher profile and more take up. I sincerely hope this event runs again next year – it’s a beautiful, if sometimes overlooked part of the country. And where else can you can you get a shower after the ride in the middle of the town square.

At a glance:

Base: Newcastleton, Scottish Borders

Organisers: SIP Events

Distance: 83.4 miles

Total ascent: 4,738 feet

Timed: Manual

Feedstops: 1 (short route) 17 miles; 3 (long route) 17, 51 and 69 miles

MapMyRide data: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/79643173

Product Review – CNP Professional nutrition

Recently I had the opportunity to sample some products made by CNP Professional, on the proviso that I write up reviews about the samples to publish on their Facebook page.  I figured that this blog would provide a place to write a more in depth review of the products than trying (and failing) to work within the character limits that FB impose. The sample pack contined a range of products tailored for cyclists… so here goes.

Pro Hydrate

Pro Hydrate is a hypotonic drink formula designed for use before, during and after workouts. Simply scoop out the required amount into your bidon, mix well, and keep hydrated during your ride.

Like many drinks of this type the formula (mixed up to producer specification) the berry flavour tastes very sweet. Consequently I have tended to dilute the mixture to suit my palate (which would probably have the sports nutritionists pulling their hair out that I can’t  follow instructions).

That said the drink is refreshing and pleasant tasting. Importantly I found that the drink was easy on the stomach, and did seem to provide a good way of getting carbs into the body on a 100km ride. It was easy in the stomach with no bloated feeling, which is always good, and something that not all energy drinks can achieve.

Another consideration is that the formula is vegetarian and vegan friendly.

In summary, a good quality energy drink that’s very sweet but easy on the stomach.

Pro Recover

This formula is designed to mix carbs and protein in the right proportions to help faciliatate recovery after a ride or strenuous workout (ratio approx 2:1 carbs:protein). The mixture of high glycemic carbs and Branched Chain Amino Acids is claimed to help aid muscle repair and growth. From What I can tell the BCAAs are derived from dairy products, which may be a consideration for those with specific dietary requirements (e.g. vegans and lactose intolerent)

As such the benefits of reovery drinks such as this tend to be felt after a few hours circualtion around the body. Typically for me I can feel the effects of NOT taking a recovery drink the day after a long ride. If I’m tired the day after, then I haven’t recovered properly. So the best testimony I can offer is that this product seemed to fit into my post-ride regime well. It was easy to consume, and it felt like my recovery was aided through taking this product compared to if I had not taken a recovery product at all.

The drink is pleasant tasting in either chocolate or strawberry varieties. Like all these products is mixes well in the shaker, or in this case of the samples in the pre-measured bottle in which the powder came in. Simply mix up with water filled to the halfway mark in the bottle, give it a good shake, top up with water, and presto! your drink is ready.

This packaging has things going both for and against it. On the plus side, having the right amount of powder in a bottle to mix it up in saves having to measure out the product with scoops at the end of the ride. However, it also means that a lot of air is carried about in transit, adding to the volume of the product. Also, as most cyclists will have the scoops and bidons or shakers that can be used to mix the drink in, having the product pre-measured in this way may be a little wasteful of resources, and incur additional costs in shipping. I can think of one other energy drink producer that actively moved away from this strategy do to the additional cost of transporting whatwas effectively air. CNP do supply this product in more ‘traditional’ 1.25kg containers, so the choice is down to the consumer.

A good product that aids recovery and is gentle on the stomach.

Pro Flapjack

The Pro Flapjack is a high-protein supplment / meal replacement bar designed to act as a way to get quality nutrition into your body while you’re on ‘on-the-go’. The bar comes in 2 flavours – chocolate and chocolate orange, and is based on a blend of low-GI oats and protein. The protein source is mostly whey protein and diary casein, but in this case (unike most products in this range) the bars are not suitable for vegans or vegetarians.

The bar has a carb to protein ratio of 2:1, so the focus is very much on getting a protein boost into the body quickly; typically the carb to protein ratio in similar bars is 4:1.  As such this bar is probably best used as part of a post-ride / post-workout refuelling routine rather than during the ride (although it does work on the ride).

As a snack on-the-go I feel this bar works quite well. It does a good job of replenishing depleted energy stores and gives a good boost to help complete a ride. Like other bars of this type that I have tried the bar is rather dry in the mouth. The chocolate orange taste is pleasent but the drawback for me is that the bar has a chocolate orange topping covering half the bar, which means that riders run the risk of the topping melting in a jersey pocket and turning into a bit of a gooey mess.

In short, the bar is better for me post ride than during a ride itself.

Propeptide

Pro-Peptide is an advanced protein supplement that is designed to deliver a high-quality protein boost in addition to regular meals.This is useful for athletes wishing to either bulk up or improve muscle mass relative to their body weight.

The protein is derived from whey protein and egg white, and this formula is vegetarian friendly.The protein content is very, very high, coming in at 70g of protein per 100g of product. The ratio of protein to carbs is 7:1, which, when you consider the ratio of carbs to protein in the Pro Recover product of 4:1 (NB – Carbs come before protein in this latter ratio) is quite astonishing.

Over the trial I have tended to use this product as part of my recovery programme. The blend mixes very well in the shaker, and the vanilla flavour has a smooth, rich texture to it. I found the flavour to be perfectly balanced, and the feeling in the stomach was that of feeling full but not at al bloated. When you consider just how protein-rich this product is I think that’s quite an achievement.

I realy enjoyed sampling this product, and plan to use it further as part of my recovery / supplement regime.

There are more products to sample when I get round to them, including the two varieties of Pro Energy gels (one of which is caffeinated). However, as I tend to use gels as an ‘option of last resort’ I haven’t yet got around to trialling them. Once I do my review will appear here.

Finally, thanks to everyone at CNP Professional for the opportunity to sample their products. I think you’ve found yourself a returning customer!

finish line

Journey’s end. 19 June 2011

Ride Across Britain Stage 9 – Okehampton to Land’s End

“And I think it’s gonna be a long, long time ’til touch down brings me ’round again to find I’m not the man they think I am at all – oh no, no, no”

I have the words to “Rocket Man” swirling around my head for no apparent reason as I leave Okehampton bound for Land’s End. Somehow it resonates with me. I get the feeling that this truly is a life-changing experience for me. I’ll have achieved something extraordinary by the end of this trip: something which defies expectations of my loved ones and close friends. I begin to feel emotional as I continue to play the song in my mind, especially when Elton comes to the bit when he sings “I miss my wife.” Pull yourself together man! It’s 6.30 in the morning and you still have over 100 miles to go…

Thankfully the miles ticked over much more easily than yesterday’s windswept, rainy excursion. But by now my knees are really aching, and all I can do is concentrate on the road and aim to complete this final stage as safely as possible. I fail the final ‘big climb’ – an 18%-er which kicked in at 100 miles, but by now I feel entitled to get off and push now and then. Heck – there’s another 10 miles to go.

Before too long the finish line is in sight. I hear the crowd cheering the riders home. Somewhere in the background I hear the announcer call my name. It’s done! I collect my medal from Sarah Storey, and head off for a well earned shower and bite to eat.

So… Would I consider doing this again? No. Would I recommend this to someone else? Well if you have an ambition to ride an end-to-end then yes, I absolutely recommend it. To feel part of something that feels bigger than the sum of parts is an amazing feeling. It’s the closest to a pro-peloton I’ll ever experience, and for that alone I say without hesitation ‘go for it’ – as the blurb says “more is in you.”

I can’t possibly end this blog without listing the ‘without whoms’ none of this would have been possible. So here goes. Thanks to Neil and the team at Cycling Plus for pulling my name out of the hat to win this prize. Thanks to all of the caterers, shower operators, luggage handlers, tent erectors and the whole army of behind-the-scenes folk who made life on camp run like clockwork. Thanks to the Security guys on site, and a special shout out to Carl and Tom who stuck to the job in good humour in all weathers. Thanks to the team at Halfords, including Steve who I shared some parts of the ride with. Thanks to Boardman Bikes for the chance to ride the superb new Team Carbon (review to follow later). And thanks to the team at Threshold Sports who made it all happen, especially Maz and Amanda who put up with my calls and emails leading up to the event, and helped with my on site questions too – it was lovely to finally meet you.

A few more thank yous before I sign off. Thanks to you reading this, and especially if you’ve taken the time and trouble to comment on the forum or via facebook or twitter. Your words of encouragement really helped see me through. Thanks to my friends Janine and Steve who came to visit me at Haydock Park and Bath respectively – it was great to catch up and at least try to forget about the bike for a while. And finally thanks to my lovely wife Yvonne and our two children; thanks for coming over to Carlisle and being there at the end of the phone each evening. I’m coming home soon- in time for our son’s 4th birthday. I missed you all and love you dearly.

Ok then… Time for sleep methinks. G’night

Ride Across Britain Stage 8 – Bath to Okehampton

The hardest day’s cycling in my life. Off to bed for an early start tomorrow. It’s not about the journey anymore, it’s about getting to the destination and then getting back home to see my wife and kids.

Ride Across Britain Stage 7 – Ludlow to Bath

‘It’s ok’ they say.  ‘It’s only a short stage. There’s a sting in the tail at the end, but honestly you’ll be fine.’

But what a sting in the tail – the climb up to Bath Racecourse is a borderline epic, and from the other side of Bristol it’s even more challenging – 20% according to the riders who took a wrong turn and went up that way instead. Great! We’re going down it tomorrow.

But I felt really good in this stage of the ride. So much so that I must have overtaken around 6 riders going up that hill towards the racecourse. Get in!

However, the real highlight of the trip today was approaching pit stop 1. All of the children from the nearby primary school turned up outside to cheers the riders on – and what a cheer! I don’t recall hearing a louder ovation in my life – certainly not for anything I’ve been involved in.  It’s  moments like that that make you feel proud to pull on the jersey every morning, and that will stay with you long after the event itself has passed into a distant memory.

Stage 8 tomorrow. Now the hard work begins. 112 miles and 3000 metres of climbing. I’d best get some rest…