A Heavy Weekend

Weigh in first
This week 100.0kg
Weight gain 0.7kg

In my defence, the scales have determined that my body water content is 51.6% this week and not the usual sub 50% figure, therefore I determine that I am properly hydrated for once. Body fat % is below 30 for the first time (albeit only 29.9%). This is probably consistent with me emptying bidons far more rapidly than normal for the entire weekend, which is a good thing in anticipation of the potential hot weather that may be imposed on us come the Etape.

This weekend, as the title suggests, was a biggie. The four first-time etappers headed to North Wales in the early morning light of Saturday, to congregate at Betws-y-coed YHA for a 9 a.m. start. Unfortunately, route finding, traffic, and the inevitable pre-start faffing about meant that the eventual start was something after 10.

Mark had planned routes for both days, and they were belters. Lots of open road pacing, both into and with the wind, together with a lot of quieter roads over more 'inhospitable' terrain. It ended up looking something like this:


Whilst there are some differences of opinion between Memory Map, Polar HRM and MapMyRide, we are going for the following stats:

153km
Predicted Ride Time 7:26
Actual Ride Time 7:19
Elapsed Time 8:38
Climbing 3,529 metres (MORE THAN THE ETAPE!!)
Calories 6,409
Average Ride speed 20.9kmh
Top Speed 71kmh

That's a ride 10 miles less than an Etape, with an Etape's climbing, in 8:38. Game On! Mr Etape, the Datameister is ready for you now!

Saturday night's recovery involved Steak & Kidney Pud, Red Wine and Ibuprofen, together with about 8.5 hours sleep. Sunday 'dawned' grey, with the realisation that, 'if this was how the professional stage racers felt, I'm happy to be an accountant'. Everything ached, and Sunday promised another 57 miles of pain.

Breakfast offered some respite, as did a 20 miles drive to Corwen, and a rematch with the Horseshoe Pass (had me off the bike last time) followed by the "Road to Hell" from the Dave Lloyd Mega-Challenge. Horseshoe was conquered, as was the far-too-long 17% section along the road to hell, the route looking like this:



The obligatory stats:
93.6km
Predicted Ride Time 4:18
Actual Ride Time 4:08
Elapsed Time 5:36
Climbing 1,747 metres
Calories 3,282
Average Ride speed 21.7kmh
Top Speed 63.6kmh

Again inside 8:30 Etape ride-time pace. Happy!!

We all survived the weekend, despite Brett threatening to demolish a LandRover Discovery in another SMIDSY moment (again descending at 30+mph). Why do they always fail to see HIM?!

And somewhere around the Bwlch-y-Groes/Lake Vyrnwy on Saturday, I passed 7,000 miles of training.

If you got this far into this monster missive, well done! You probably have sufficient stamina to finish an Etape.

Until next week, and the results of the Forest of Dean Spring Classic, have a good week.

Clive