The NTRS Peaks200: take2

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redefined_cycles
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The NTRS Peaks200: take2

Post by redefined_cycles »

So I needed some more training in for the BB200 and more than anything character building and the likes. So as soon as we - the family - got back from the Lakes I knew it was a perfect time to apply for a visa from the Home Office. Granted without a batted eyelid and a day later (after kids duties off course) I was ready for my second attempt at my first ever ITT. The notorious Peaks200...

Last failed attempt I rode it down to the start line (dead car battery) of Dunford Bridge. Not this time and off I went with bike lay peacefully in the boot. Depart time from Dunford Bridge at just before 1300 with a lovely pic of my Stan with this nice chap who I'd met and seemed happy to talk :smile:

Image
Roger posing with his bike and our Stan who seemed happy at his lovely new (to us) forks.

As I rode off into the distance, with a nice gust pushing me back lightly I thought of Karl, and Sean, and Colin. All having motivated me in the past weeks on month in some way or shape. Sean for keeping ticking off these mad ITTs on his single speed and Colin for not being afraid to chuck in the towel when he knew its not safe... Karl, cos of the interview I read of his post HT550 with Stu... Particularly that 'he knew he was gonna get round it this time'...

Just like Karl, I also knew I was gonna be round the Peaks and ready n fresh with my last bit of new knowledge to get me round the BB200. Plan of action was to break the 140 miles into 7 segments; get past my last ' I'm too soft' bit between Birch Vale and Chinley; and take one pic per day and until that pics taken I'd not be retiring (for the night).

At mile 14ish going down some rocky path with suspended front end. Thinking to myself, these folk that 'endover' on these bits are obviously not taking care... seconds later as I started wondering about backpacks (is Osprey not as good as Deuter afterall as the latter is outlasting the former by a good few years) and whether that should be my strategy, it happened. Not sure how but the front end washed out on something not too hairy and on my back I went. Whacked it pretty bad but decided to keep going and see how I got on.

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See, nothing there to wash out on: must've been the extra tyre pressures :sad: and me thinking I'm a smart*ss

Ripped Wproof jacket and the grazed elbow taken care of with some honey (the only 1st aid piece I had and which doubles up as food :lol: ) I cracked on. Just round a few corners was the dreaded Birch Vale climb back into the PBW. Last time the heat got me here and my legs stopped working at the bottom. Either it was the adrenaline or I was just feeling altogether better but I managed to get up a fair amount before getting off to push.

Then at the top, back still aching (the tail of the spine to be precise which is still giving me issues walking at the mo), I ummed and arred. Do I continue or not and as the winds were picking up force and beating me around I decided that bivying tonight might be a bit critical to the old glass back. So as soon as I passed my last 'personal best', I looked back at the beautiful Peaks and took the 'snap' (the one that meant todays riding was done) and got back out to the roadside via the route.

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The picture that said my attempt was over :roll:

Now, last time I was around these parts I used Wahoo and my own cunning to try and get back to decent enough train station (I was totally done wiyh heat exhaustion last time and couldn't think clearly enough) for a cheap fare home: I managed to get cuaght up on some nasty fast roads. So this time I was determined to find the line (that wasn't actually there) through the Peaks. West to North East.

With my new route builder premium app feature in strava. I squiggled a line and forced Strava to 'find me the path of least resistance'. It found me the dashed black line (which I later learnt whilst examining it on OS maps in the pitch black (I had lights but the fog wasn't helping) headed to Kinder Scout....

So from 2100 to about 2200 I did the big walk and realised that I wasn't get back to my car tonight :-bd ... So I needed to bed down for the night as well as pray. Thankfully I've read the rule at some point in my life 'climb high, sleep low'... But at 2230 and the path getting more vague and at 2000ish feet with a steep descent looming, I thought of Alpinum (who always keeps smiling in much worse conditions*) and realised its safer to bed down for the night up here and make my way down in the morning.

Image I wonder which is Chinley Head?

ImageThe long dashed black line

ImageSleepy time

Image Bivvy spot not far from KinderScout: Happy with that!

So... I got out my bivvy (thanks Allen, it's vaguely exciting) soon after having done my prayers and thinking of thought of my cunning plan. I'd warm my water for morning wudhu (ablution for prayers) by putting the water in bottle and into pillow (alpkit airloc which had carried the sleep-system). Genius... :geek:

Managed to get some sleep in between thinking about my damp socks and sliding down the slope then csrefully pulling everything back up the slope... Listening to the wind, wondering about my back and how it'd react to the slight chill in the morning. The other part of the plan was to get up early early, psck up quickly quickly, breakkie with gibger beer and descent for pre-sunrise prayers lower down. Thankfully it all worked but in the rush I left behind my Thermarest mats sleeve with puncture kit inside it :sad:

A little more faffing and coaxing my bike down some steep scrambling paths, feeling sorry for myself that I might fall, then seeing this and thinking :shock:

Image lets call this pic of that days riding

Imageor should it be this

Image or this at the lovely Edale Honey Pot Cafe later that morning!

Before I forget... During the night I'd realised that my strategy of, 'if its an mtb then let Strava route builder run wild and build whatever cos, well its an mtb', was a bit daft. So I used my trusty Viewranger and the good old brain and drew a new line (which thankfully synced over nicely) for the mornings riding.

Ended up back at Edale at the start of the route. Was planning to ride padt the cafe which wasn't gonna open for another hour, but then saw the road-side sign and allowed commong sense to prevail. The lovely gaffer and his aunt** ushered me to wash my bike around the back with the hose and were all round lovely so I took a pic...

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Stan being jealous again and trying to get into the frame!

Image what could've been a scary ricer crossing leaving Kinder Scout

ImageThanks Oh Allah for the dawnlight!

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Another river thanfully shallow

Image Ain't Peaks beautiful

Then from Edale I followed the Peaks200 route back to Dunford... Carried the bike a few times before Edale and after the 2 reservoirs. Thats when i was so thankful I'd brought along the collapsing rucksack which I used to drop weight from the bike for shouldering (thanks to Seans lovely writeup of his 300 ride I remembered it) which really was a Godsend...

Erm, on the ride back to the car I thought long and hard about time limits and conceded that I'm probably one of the slowest BPs known to man. Therefore, needed to think long and hard about wasting my spot on the BB200 as I don't wanna risk not meeting cut off point. Then today whilst collecting the kids I realised I still can't walk properly so common snese thong was to message Stu to say I'm out (for now).

Will attempt another go at the Peaks200 soon enough and take it from there. Sorry if any of it was a bit monotonous :-bd ... To make up, here's another amazing pic of the next day which remained shiny for a little longer

Image


*Did i say I'm a bit soft :oops:
middleagedmadness
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Re: The NTRS Peaks200: take2

Post by middleagedmadness »

As for the slowest shaf you haven't had the displeasure of riding with me :wink: ,as for the 200 you've had your heart set on it do give it ago ,all stu asks is your willing to give it 100% ,my problem is giving it 100% gets broken up by pub and fag breaks :oops:
I normally work all my times out as 5mph average off road including any hike a bike as you don't smoke or drink you can probably add on a couple of extra mph for yourself
redefined_cycles
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Re: The NTRS Peaks200: take2

Post by redefined_cycles »

Thanks MAM... Indeed I was hoping it'd be doable but along with my regular pace and now the glass back having taken a hit... I'm taking the smart choice of letting the pain settle before attempting another off road epic. Currently not able to lay on my bike without some 7/10 rated pain. Nor sit to stand (or lying down to sitting up) without a good dose of good old 'pain in the backside', quite literally...

I did wait 2 days before giving up my ticket but common sense said to me that the new owner of said shiny golden ticket might be better served having it a few weeks earlier for prep-sake :grin:

Oh, I forgot to mention a couple of things... 1. My fear of seizing up postBivvy sleep was right and I did momentarily not 'able to move' whilst trying to stand up from the sleeping bag... Also, my first aid kit thankfully included CoCodamol and Ibuproofin.. both potentially did their job amicably.
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: The NTRS Peaks200: take2

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

Just to make sure I've got this right - your posh gps sent you across a footpath over Kinder? Yeah.
May the bridges you burn light your way
redefined_cycles
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Re: The NTRS Peaks200: take2

Post by redefined_cycles »

Bearbonesnorm wrote: Sat Sep 07, 2019 9:13 am Just to make sure I've got this right - your posh gps sent you across a footpath over Kinder? Yeah.
Nope... I'd love to blame it on posh gps... Twas me that forced Strava to make me a route through and over Kinder. Then synced it onto posh gps with posh gps not being too happy but it grunt and 'bear'd it :lol:

Obviously it was only after looking at my OS maps that I knew exactly what was going on but it wasnt too much a surprise as I've tried searching for a long dashed red line through them sections plenty and never found one... :smile: so thanks Strava and sync to posh gps (kindof)... :wink:
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sean_iow
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Re: The NTRS Peaks200: take2

Post by sean_iow »

Good write up that :smile:
redefined_cycles wrote: Sat Sep 07, 2019 1:02 am Erm, on the ride back to the car I thought long and hard about time limits and conceded that I'm probably one of the slowest BPs known to man. Therefore, needed to think long and hard about wasting my spot on the BB200 as I don't wanna risk not meeting cut off point.
Don't give up on the BB200, it doesn't matter what happened on your last ride as there's no correlation between how the last one went and how the next one will go, for example

2018 - I tried to ride a Ridgeway Double (started from my house to add to the fun and an extra 180 miles) and abandoned on the third day as too cold and wet to continue, the wife had to come and get me from Newbury which meant a ferry crossing for the car. This was meant to be my last big training ride pre-HT550 so that didn't bode well for the event :sad: On the HT550 I made it round in just over 5 days :smile:

2019 - 5th at the Dales Divide and 1st at B150 :smile: Scratched from HT550 on the second morning :sad:

Just rest the back and then continue training/riding. On an event it's much easier to keep going than an ITT on your own. If you get away early then even if later starters are passing you it will mean some company and you're bound to end up riding sections with other people which makes a big difference to moral.
Adventure without risk is Disneyland - Bikemonger
redefined_cycles
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Re: The NTRS Peaks200: take2

Post by redefined_cycles »

Thanks very much Sean... Yes, I think possibly my writeups might be getting better after reading all the professionally written ones here :-bd

Yup, gonna keep training and riding (coccyx permitting: was reading today that bruising takes up to 4 weeks to heal and fractures up to 12 :o ... but at least I was able to ride/walk back to the car via the final 20 miles of the actual Peaks200 from Edale) and gonna treat myself to a shiny new discounted jacket... To make me faster :smile:
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Escape Goat
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Re: The NTRS Peaks200: take2

Post by Escape Goat »

Good writeup man. Glad the bivvy bag is cool for you!! :-bd
redefined_cycles
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Re: The NTRS Peaks200: take2

Post by redefined_cycles »

Thanks Allen... Its like getting a comment from Martin Scorsese... :grin:
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