This Sunday i did my first cycle challenge for some years, the Manchester to Blackpool challenge, at 60 miles and on mostly flat roads its perhaps not the sort of challenge i would usually participate in.
Sunday at 5.30am my alarm woke me from a pitiful nights sleep and i briefly entertained the idea of turning the alarm off, rolling over and going back to sleep. After all its only a bike ride, a little training as i am currently unable to run.
I dragged my self out of bed and stood under a hot shower until i felt awake enough to get dressed, unfortunately i looked out of the bedroom window before getting dressed and it was poring with rain, horrible wet rain.
To my credit i still got dressed, ate breakfast and climbed on my bike for the short (6 mile) ride to Chris's house and my lift into Manchester. After the usual messing around waiting for Chris we were all loaded up and on our way. We were setting off from Old Trafford football ground, apparently we were able to start at any time between 6.30 and 10am, so we paid our £20, registered and were on our way by 7.30am.
The rain had almost stopped and despite the poor weather there were way to many cyclists about, bloody cyclist all over the show, getting in the way of progress and spoiling the usually quiet roads for the early commuters.
I had chosen to use my Hybrid commuter bike, solely because that's all i have that's anything like suitable for riding 60 miles on tarmac. Chris was on his retro Chris Paulson road bike, understate bling apparently, Paul was on a standard looking road bike, being an "ox" of a man he made it look tiny and definitely not capable of carrying a man of his size.
So we set off in a large group and i managed to moan my way through the first 20 miles or so, bloody cyclists getting in my way, all over the bloody road etc etc. As usual Chris was very understanding and smiled politely at my comments. I don't know how he does it to be honest (or why).
At the 30 mile pit stop Chris managed to piss off some loud mouthed idiot by getting in his way, very amusing indeed and it cheered me up plenty. We took a short break and got on our way, the number of bikes was thinning out and there was a little sport in racing some of the "pro" riders, well they had all the gear on and looked like pro's (professionals not prostitutes).
After 45 miles Chris decided it was time to up the pace and we rode hard for the last 16 miles, the constant good pace and passing of many other cyclists was quite exhilarating at times but the miles flew by and we were soon in Blackpool riding through the cheering crowds and looking forward to some food and drink.
Chris is a competent cyclist and led for much of the way but Paul rode very well indeed, he rode like a man half his size and complained very little along the way, apart from the usual comments about sweaty junk (man parts) and tender rear ends of course.
The ride was a new experience for me and it was good training, if i did it again i would like something to push me a little towards my cycling limits. Whilst still full of the buzz from the crowds we decided the next cycling challenge would be the Manchester 100.
I had better train for that one i think.
Sunday at 5.30am my alarm woke me from a pitiful nights sleep and i briefly entertained the idea of turning the alarm off, rolling over and going back to sleep. After all its only a bike ride, a little training as i am currently unable to run.
I dragged my self out of bed and stood under a hot shower until i felt awake enough to get dressed, unfortunately i looked out of the bedroom window before getting dressed and it was poring with rain, horrible wet rain.
To my credit i still got dressed, ate breakfast and climbed on my bike for the short (6 mile) ride to Chris's house and my lift into Manchester. After the usual messing around waiting for Chris we were all loaded up and on our way. We were setting off from Old Trafford football ground, apparently we were able to start at any time between 6.30 and 10am, so we paid our £20, registered and were on our way by 7.30am.
The rain had almost stopped and despite the poor weather there were way to many cyclists about, bloody cyclist all over the show, getting in the way of progress and spoiling the usually quiet roads for the early commuters.
I had chosen to use my Hybrid commuter bike, solely because that's all i have that's anything like suitable for riding 60 miles on tarmac. Chris was on his retro Chris Paulson road bike, understate bling apparently, Paul was on a standard looking road bike, being an "ox" of a man he made it look tiny and definitely not capable of carrying a man of his size.
So we set off in a large group and i managed to moan my way through the first 20 miles or so, bloody cyclists getting in my way, all over the bloody road etc etc. As usual Chris was very understanding and smiled politely at my comments. I don't know how he does it to be honest (or why).
At the 30 mile pit stop Chris managed to piss off some loud mouthed idiot by getting in his way, very amusing indeed and it cheered me up plenty. We took a short break and got on our way, the number of bikes was thinning out and there was a little sport in racing some of the "pro" riders, well they had all the gear on and looked like pro's (professionals not prostitutes).
After 45 miles Chris decided it was time to up the pace and we rode hard for the last 16 miles, the constant good pace and passing of many other cyclists was quite exhilarating at times but the miles flew by and we were soon in Blackpool riding through the cheering crowds and looking forward to some food and drink.
Chris is a competent cyclist and led for much of the way but Paul rode very well indeed, he rode like a man half his size and complained very little along the way, apart from the usual comments about sweaty junk (man parts) and tender rear ends of course.
The ride was a new experience for me and it was good training, if i did it again i would like something to push me a little towards my cycling limits. Whilst still full of the buzz from the crowds we decided the next cycling challenge would be the Manchester 100.
I had better train for that one i think.
