Kop that!

First the bad news

Weight 103.5kg
up 0.2kg this week.

Miles last week 34 miles
Longest day 34 miles

Now this week I understand the weight gain. A birthday coupled with a light week of training will do that to you.

That said there were some highs this week. The Cat & Fiddle loop of 3 hills was completed in 2 hours 21 minutes, a full 18 minutes inside Memory Map's estimated time. I guess that good 'A' class roads do make a difference after all, as does remembering to pump up your tyres to 100 psi before you start off.

The climb of Cat & Fiddle and Axe Edge took 5 minutes longer than lasts years Rourkie Cat & Fiddle Challenge, but didn't have a hot day or other riders to help things along. Equally, a 20 minute rest last year was only a 10 minute rest yesterday, so the elapsed time was 5 minutes better.

In addition, I deliberately didn't use the bottom 2 gears of my exceedingly wide range cassette, relying instead on the gearing that will be on the Madone when it arrives.

Unfortunately, I did need them all later when we progressed to Mow Cop (sorry, did I spell it wrong in the title? What could I have been thinking of?) It was at this point I proved 3 things:
1. You can ride down it
2.It's very worrying riding down it
3. I still need a 34/34 on my current bike to get back up it.

But I did get back up it. In one go. Without getting off (except putting a foot down to realign the chain on the bottom end, and I'm not counting that!)

Time in last year's Cheshire Cat Sportive: 31 minutes (23 of which was walking, or trying to)
Time yesterday: 14 minutes
Result!

Now, if I could ignore my stomach, I could actually do this thing.