Like a Lamb to the Slaughter

After a couple of months of being a virtual couch potato, it's amazing how unfit I have become. I didn't want to believe the specialist who said that he thought my leg would never heal, but wanted to be satisfied in myself that I'd given it every chance before accepting this fact. I think that I have managed to fix my REDS (relative energy deficiency in sport), but unfortunately there appears to be no change to my tibia.

  

I guess it's time to accept the facts and think about trying to run again and ensuring that the fracture doesn't worsen. I want to do this gradually, and keep as low a level of impact as I can, at least initially (OK, so I admit that I'm actually now scared to restart running!) so I've decided to try to make friend with my bike.

I know that I'm innately lazy and would look for excuses not to go for a ride of any distance (even more so if the weather isn't the best) so entering a sportive was my way of making sure I got and there and rode. I found an event called "The Winking Sheep" and entered the "baby" option of "The Lamb". I thought this was the short/easy ride that is usually attached to a longer event, and I suppose that you could say that is was even I this case, but it was actually more like a "lamb to the slaughter" as the pre-ride info kindly made me aware that it was 55 miles long and involved 5500 feet of ascent and descent.

The forecast for the day didn't help, as it was predicted to be windy and wet, but when I left Durham early in the morning, the sky was clear and there wasn't a breath of wind. Unfortunately, by the time I got to the event HQ in St John's Chapel, the sky was an ominous colour and it was distinctly cold.

My friend Mark was cycling with me, and although I insisted on starting right at the back of the starting groups, we soon found ourselves overtaking a few cyclists on the road up to Alston. It gave me a bit of confidence to realise that I wasn't going to be by far the slowest rider on the day, and I felt slightly smug to be overtaking people who were walking up some of the early hills. 

Pic by sportsunday

The routes (and feedstations)

The ride was divided up into thirds by "feed stations"......definite goals for me, as I'm always led by my stomach, but now I have the excuse of "keeping the REDS at bay". The first section didn't feel too bad....well apart from all the ups and downs. I actually prefer to climb than descend hills, no matter whether on a bike or on foot, but I did rather gulp when I saw the gradient up to Nenthead. I unclipped one foot in case I needed to get off and walk, but made it fine right to the summit (albeit with some nice lactic in my quads). Luckily for me the descent, although steep at 17-19%, wasn't too twisty, so although Mark shot off into the distance, he didn't have to wait too long for me.

It was starting to rain by the time we got to the first feedstation so the hot mugs of tea (and chocolate brownies.....obviously) were very welcome. The middle section had a punishing start with a 90 degree bend off the main road straight up a very steep "stand up on your pedals" climb, but it was short lived and we got a nice cheer at the top. I found the next section rather tough as the weather had definitely deteriorated and the road climbed gradually uphill into a strong headwind for what seemed like forever. Going over the top wasn't much better as the wind was so strong that even I, queen of the "braking during every descent", had to pedal relatively hard just to keep going. 

Pic by sportsunday

I felt rather cold as we rolled into the next feedstation in Middleton-in-Teasdale and was devastated to find that I couldn't have a hot mug of tea there, as I'd been thinking of not going much else for the previous few miles. As a slight recompense we did get the "feedstation food" but also were offered the leftovers from a wedding buffet that was about to be thrown away.....how many people can say they had wedding cake on a sportive?

The course was set out
on a nicer day!

There was a similar sharp climb from a 90 degree turn off the main road soon after this stop as well. Unfortunately there was also gravel on the road just where the turnoff was, so I came to a halt and had to pedal further up the road to take a "run-up" after the climb. From there we climbed higher and higher up out of Teesdale to head back into Weardale. There was a rather scary hairpin bend on a descent between the two valleys, which appeared to have already claimed an unwary driver as there was a smashed car on the apex with a note in its window stating "police aware". Mark shot past and didn't spot the damage but I had a long time to observe it as I inched my way round the wet steep corner.

The "Winking Sheep"

Soon after that, we reached the worst part of the day for me.....the descent down into Stanhope.....as it was very steep, wet, and consisted of tight steep hairpins with a horrible camber. My arms were full of lactic acid from having my brakes on so tightly, and I wanted to cry as it looked too steep and narrow for me to be able to actually get off and walk. This time a lovely motorbike marshal came to my aid and flanked me as I inched my way down. He asked me if I didn't trust my brakes, and I replied that I actually didn't trust myself.

Still, I eventually made it to where Mark was waiting patiently at the bottom, and we enjoyed the final 7 miles of "rolling hills" back up Weardale to the start. We were given a Winking Sheep beer for completing the ride but by the time we'd tucked into a sandwich and slice of cake, it was bucketing with rain, so we'd clearly timed it just right.

Not a "flat" course

Except for those not so lovely descents (including the one on cobbles in the middle of Alston, where I met a car driving up at the same time) I did enjoy the day and was happy to have managed to get round without having to get off and walk, though it did teach my exactly how poor my fitness really is! I would say "more work to be done" but the couch is looking rather appealing again!