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BLOG: Deloitte Ride Across Britain
Sarah Storey Blogs Across Britain from the Deloitte sponsored Ride Across Britain event.
LATEST: Final Day - Land's End!
Sunday 20th June 2010 will forever be remembered for the day we arrived in Land's End to a huge crowd, clear blue skies and in excess of £315,000 raised for ParalympicsGB.
With 1017.5 miles behind us during the nine day event, the relief of seeing the finish line was almost too much for some riders and there were so many happy yet exhausted faces munching on Cornish pasties and cream teas! For one gentleman the day will also be remembered as the day he proposed to his wife, riding across the line with "Jo, will you marry me?" scrawled on a white t-shirt.
For the most part the ride had been an exhilarating expedition taking in what felt like every hill in England and Scotland! With best parts being the views from every change of direction we took, it was hard to choose a favourite place on the ride. Towing a small group of riders to the bottom of Glen Coe and then the awesome views as we ascended during the first day of blue skies was a pretty special moment, but then the views as we entered the Lake District and the wild ponies on the top of the moors really we spectacular. High up on the moors between Bolton and Blackburn also gave a stunning view across to the Pennines, with the city of Manchester and Salford sprawled out infront and then as we rode through the final two days, the views out to sea from the Cornish coast were just amazing. Our final view of St Michael's Mount was a wonderful surprise amongst the cheeky climbs of south Cornwall and it also marked around 15 miles to the finish. With the weather on our side for the final seven days of the ride, there really was no better place to be cycling.
Of course, with any gruelling event there will be plenty of low points and for me Day 3 and Day 6 were two of the worst. After the exhilarating climb over Glen Coe, the road down the side of Loch Lomond frightened the life out of me and things didn't get much better as I grovelled my way through the lanes off the Erksine bridge. It was here where the road surface was in pieces and doing nothing for saddle soreness! Day 6 started so well and ended so badly and with no warning about the gears needed to climb Long Mynd! I was one of many miserable riders trudging uphill and pushing the bike!
Although I keep saying it, there really were no more inspirational people than those we rode past everyday we started out last. No one had ever ridden so many big mile rides back to back and for those taking 12 hours or more to finish as stage there was very little time before they were back out and in the saddle again. Hats off to everyone who took part and a huge thank you to all the fundraisers, the money raised goes beyond everyone's expectations and is a testament to the dedication of the riders and their support crews.
Apart from the riders, there were many other people on the road giving everything to keep the riders safe. Our motorbike marshalls had their work cut out with the spread of ability, but they handled the event brilliantly and kept everyone safe. Then there were the chaperones, the guys on push bikes, out everyday to the bitter end keeping the riders moving even when they thought their legs weren't working - these guys were also the unsung heroes. It didn't matter where we were, there were always family and friends lining the route in support and so many local people waving and cheering from their gardens. From tasty food each night, to the security keeping us safe on camp and the Halfords team keeping the bikes all working, it was a fantastic atmosphere. ParalympicsGB and Deloitte were always there to welcome us and with so many riders to chat to on the way, the atmosphere was fantastic.
I can't thank my own support crew enough either, because without their famous jam butties and the constant supply of coke and vimto, bananas and chocolate, the daily massage and all the washing done in the blink of an eye, our journey could never have run so smoothly. Following for hours in the car, helping out anyone else who needed a gel, some water, a blast of air from the track pump or just a word of encouragement, they were out on the road everyday and keeping us fuelled and safe.
It's great to be home and reflecting on all those miles in my legs and of course there's not long to wait before I test them out this weekend at the Nationals with the rest of my Horizon Fitness team mates!
Sarah x
Days 6 & 7 - Group Riding and only one stage left!
Days 6 and 7 of the Deloitte Ride Across Britain gave me the opportunity to ride in a bigger group for the start of both stages.
On Day 6 we were leaving Manchester and heading to Ludlow and it was from here that some of the other para-cycling squad would join the ride for the day. Helen Scott, tandem pilot, Terry Byrne and Shaun McKeown, both class C4 and coach, Chris Furber, all made the early start for what was billed as an 108 mile stage, but ended up being 111 miles.
The start was flat but busy as we contended with the rush hour through Knutsford and Middlewich, however soon enough we were out in the Cheshire lanes and heading for a brief time over the border into Wales and then skirting Shrewsbury before the hilly finish into Ludlow. We'd all been told there would be a steep-ish climb at the end of the ride, but no one was prepared for what we actually faced. It might as well have been a rock face as we slowly approached this sheer climb from the steep side of Long Mynd. With the 39x25 ratio most people seemed to have, there was little chance of us pedalling up and I sadly became one of the walkers. I'm told only 12 people were able to ride up it, but only because they had been fortunate enough to have been on a triple or compact anyway. If only we'd been told the severity, we could have been prepared!
After this the run into the finish was far longer than everyone realised and everyone we spoke to was glad to have made it back.
Day 7 was starting with some filming with Channel 4, the broadcaster of the London 2012 Paralympic Games. This meant a slightly later start than normal and also meant we had the event chaperones held back, to ride with us so that the film would have the sense of the mass participation event. Once the filming was over and we set off at our normal pace, Barney and I got to ride with the chaperones up to the first pit stop and it was a fantastic section of the route.
At Deloitte Ride Across Britain the chaperones have been the angels of the event as, along with the motorbike marshals, they have been the people making sure that everyone is safe on the road. The chaperones are the event helpers on push bikes and they are on the road until the bitter end everyday, making sure that everyone is getting home. Sometimes they have to push the struggling riders, sometimes they have to talk them through, but whatever the weather and whatever the time of day, provided it is daylight, the chaperones are out there keeping everyone moving. It just so happens the chaperones are all from Chippenham Wheelers and they are led by Andy Cook.
So once our filming was done, we put the hammer down and with the help of motorbike number one, we made our way at full speed through the lanes around Hereford and towards the Forest of Dean. It was great to hammer along at 30mph and at times it felt like a Crit race as we sprinted out of corners and through villages! All these guys are great fun and told us of the people they'd helped and the long days they'd been keeping.
After arriving at the first pit stop the remainder of the ride was a solo effort for me, apart from a short distance into the second pit stop when an amazing guy came whizzing past me on a downhill and sheltered me into the stop.
It's got to the stage of the ride where everyone is starting to marvel at how far they have come over the past week. On Wednesday we were in the Lake District, whereas now we're in Devon! The conversations have been about the incredible distances we've covered, not to mention the extra unnecessary bits, just to take in yet another climb! It's been great to catch a few words with the other riders as we move from group to group and they are usually telling me off for riding too fast!
Today's stage was another gruelling and very hilly slog across 117 miles from Cheddar to just past Launceston. It was the penultimate day of riding and it was very noticeable how people are now ready for the ride to be over! Although we have seen some incredible sights and will no doubt do so again tomorrow on the final leg, everyone has sore legs, knees and bottoms and for the people who have spent 14 hours a day getting through the miles, there has been very little time off the bike over these past 8 days! I really do take my hat off to the people surviving from one mile to the next, I'm getting lots more rest at the end of each day because I can finish inside 7 hours and yet I am still struggling to keep the pedals turning at times.
For me today's stage was extra good because we were passing through the town of Tiverton and this is the home of one of my best friends. Joanne Railston and her husband Damian moved down to Tiverton about 6 years ago and they are sorely missed up north, so it was fantastic to be able to stop at the side of the road and have a quick chat!
After Tiverton the hills just kept on coming mile after mile and with a head wind added in, it meant there was very little rest before the next switch to the 39" chain ring. I was really grovelling by the time the lead motorbike found me and helped me negotiate my way through some tricky villages and narrow lanes. At one point the road was lined with grass down the middle and I was leaning towards the middle as the trees were hanging over a long way!
Base camp and the end of the stage was a welcome sight and I was thankful for the cooling cologne and flannel Colin was wiping me down with! The sun has been shining for these past few days though and with less than 100 miles [hopefully] ahead of us tomorrow everyone here is looking forward to seeing Land's End!
Sarah x
Day 5 - Heading Home!
Day 5 of the Deloitte Ride Across Britain took us along some more familiar roads as we wound our way for 186km towards Manchester. Starting at the back of the field I spent the day with Jody Cundy and Barney Storey. The ride started with an ascent up the killer Kirkstone Pass and then dropped away to the east of Windemere and then onto the "Levens" TT course. The views were breathtaking throughout the ride and if it wasn't the hills of the Lake District framed by a backdrop of clear skies, it was a view across Bolton and Manchester to the Pennines far in the distance.
It was the perfect day for riding and I started out with Jody, as Barney was doing from the 1st pitstop to the end, whereas Jody was doing from the start to the 2nd pitstop. The two of them have been doing roughly two thirds of the route everyday, and that has been upwards of 75 miles a day, very impressive for two kilo specialists.
The climb up Kirkstone Pass took just over 15 minutes, so although it wasn't long, like the climbs in the Alps, it was very steep. 13% at the least and 20% at the most. Thankfully the descent down the other side was more gradual and we started to pick off various riders. Starting last meant we were once again able to say hello to everyone as we went by and unlike yesterday morning, when everyone's heads had been down as they concentrated on surviving the second consecutive 130 mile day, people were in better spirits after conquering the big climb at the start.
It has been truly amazing and hugely motivating to ride alongside the other cyclists. Every one of them has the bit between their teeth and even if it's taking up to 14 hours to finish stages, no one is willing to give up. As I've gone along the lines of riders, a few have jumped on for a tow, thanking me afterwards and telling me how awesome it is to ride that fast. It's hard to put into words what it is like to be riding such a tough event with people who don't ride their bikes for a living, but are doing it because they want to raise money to help with our quest for gold at the Paralympics. They are the hero's of this event and hats off to everyone who is keeping those pedals turning and getting through each gruelling stage. This is the hardest thing I have done and so I cannot imagine how they are all feeling.
Today's stage was bathed in wall to wall sunshine and also marked the 500th mile - halfway! As we turned to head south passing down the east side of the M6 and then crossing it to head through Garstang we gathered a few people who were up for a tow and we soon arrived at the second pit stop, where Jody was climbing off. Barney and I didn't hang around, the more familiar roads heading through Belmont and skirting the course for the 2002 Commonwealth Games Road Race were beckoning, but first we had to get through some cheeky climbs in the lanes to the west of the Trough of Bowland.
As we traversed the edge of Bolton we headed west towards Westhoughton and crossed the M61 to meet the roundabout where I'd been knocked off by a car back in January 2006. By now the roads were many of our old training roads and as the kilometres ticked by we knew what was coming ahead and that definitely made the final 40km far easier than on previous days.
We crossed the very familiar territory of the East Lancs road and then headed through Culcheth and Glazebury. By this time we had the lead motorbike to escort us to the finish and before we knew it we were heading over the Warburton Road bridge and the 5 miles to go sign. It was a welcome sight and all that was left was a few of the lanes near to Dunham Massey Park that we have again used so often for training.
Setting off at the back meant we weren't the first ones home today and try as I might, no matter of lifting the pace was ever going to drop Barney from my back wheel! We finished with another 30kph average speed and in 6 hours and 9 minutes, although with the longer, faster descents the power was down a bit at 180 watts average. It might have been a touch shorter than the previous two days but there was no respite for the legs!!
Tonight there's a chance to catch up with some of the local Deloitte employees who have continued to be hard at work fundraising. There will be a cheque handed over to BPA for the total raised so far and now that we are well over halfway.
Sarah x
Day Three and Four: Two epic stages: riding through saddle sore and 3 litres of coke!
By day three of the Deloitte Ride Across Britain, everyone was ready for some better weather and we were not disappointed. Although, strange as it was to be woken at 3am by the daylight coming through the curtains, we were grateful for the blue skies as we set off on what would be the first of two epic stages to say the least. Back to back days of 130 miles [212 kilometres] were going to be a huge challenge and long days were predicted for everyone.
For me it was about starting more steadily and surviving what would be the longest distances I'd ever ridden, beating my previous longest of 175km by some margin. Looking at the route profile, it seemed as though 7 hours 30 minutes would be a good time, so when I averaged 34kph for the first hour it was something of a surprise.
For this first of the two long stages, I was riding solo, my Ironman bike buddy was planning a later start, so I had the opportunity to enjoy the company of my husband, who drafted me until his rear mech slipped into his rear wheel and there was a stop for mechanics for him. I carried on solo passing groups of people as I went towards the first pit stop of the day which was on the other side of the Glen Coe range.
It was a humbling ride to say the least, passing rider after rider all heading out for the gruelling ride. I passed people with every kind of set up, mountain bikes, trainers and flat pedals, carrying panniers. It was such a motivating ride as I bid them all a good morning and felt lucky to be riding a full carbon set up and Zipp 404's.
The miles slipped by quite comfortably with a tailwind and the beautiful weather as well as breathtaking scenery which made for an easier first half. Before I knew it I was turning to head down the west banks of Loch Lomond and towards the second pit stop. This is where it got quite frightening as the road was more like a motorway with HGV's, buses and cars towing vans skimming past me with alarming proximity. I spotted a path that was following the lake shore and after a quick nod from my support car, headed onto the path and away from the busy road.
Traversing the banks of the Loch was calm and tranquil and the water looked like a mill pond. All too soon the path ended and I had to rejoin the A82 for the final 5 miles into the second pit stop. With no one else really there I turned straight round and got back on with the route which took us through a built up area, a dual carriageway and over the Erksine bridge via the bike path, thankfully. The views from the bridge were quite spectacular and with clear skies it was possible to see the planes on their approach to land.
Almost as quickly as we'd been thrust into the busy sections, I was back out in open countryside as we finished the stage with a loop to the south west of Glasgow to come into the base camp based south of East Kilbride. This section was in fact more challenging than the climb through Glen Coe, as the road surface was in a dire state and the road either went straight up or straight down, making it hard to maintain the 20 miles per hour I'd managed to that point. Great practice for the National Road Race Championships a week on Sunday though!
With the stage brief indicating we would cover 128 miles, I became rather alarmed that I'd missed the 5 miles to go sign when my power meter ticked over the 202km mark. When the lead motorbike caught up with me, he also confirmed that he thought we'd now passed inside the daily mileage, but then sure enough instead of seeing a base camp, we saw the 5 miles to go! By this point I'd been drinking flat coke, to try and get some life into myself. After 190km on the front and mainly riding alone, I'd started to swing big time and my saddle was very uncomfortable!
On realising I could stay there and grovel or step on it and finish inside 7 hours, I decided to pick up the pace again and kept telling myself this is what a lone breakaway would feel like! Thankfully, the flags of the base camp appeared and I coasted in to applause, I was the first rider home! My clock said 6 hours and 57 minutes, a 30kph average speed - although with the 20 minutes I'd spent faffing with extra chamois cream and loo stops as well as the many traffic lights, my official time was 7 hours 17 minutes!
As I staggered away to get in the car, James Cracknell appeared to finish, with an incredible solo ride of 6 hours 56 minutes, I wonder if he actually stopped!
All too soon the massage was done, the dinner had been eaten and the alarm was ringing for the start of stage 4 another 212 gruelling kilometres which saw us leave Scotland and enter England. For me the start was another 100km I could spend with Barney who was once again doing the starting leg for the relay he is doing with Jody Cundy, and as both of us were feeling rough with bad stomachs we kept the pace quite steady and picked up various riders looking for a tow as the wind was now coming from the south and we had a head wind for most of the day.
On deciding that we were probably on sports powder and gel overload, we ditched the bottles and refilled them with coke, pretty much the only thing we could stomach for several hours!
After leaving Barney there were very few people ahead, but gradually I was able to pick them off and the second pit stop loomed just before crossing the border back into England. It's not until you ride in this way that you realise just how far north Scotland reaches! The final leg was an undulating ride into Carlisle and then a much hillier finish down to Ullswater. There were some steep rises and some fast and twisty descents, but the views were quite amazing and we found roads that most people would never have realised existed. For most of this section I had the company of the lead motorbike, which confirmed I'd be the first rider home again. These motorbike marshals have been a very welcome sight at various points on the route and today I was grateful for him leading me through the twisty sections.
At one point we were high on the moors, passing through wild land with low lying bushes and hundreds of small ponies and sheep. The road was winding through this remote landscape and it made you feel like the only person in the world! As I rounded a corner, after slowing down to not scare the ponies, there was a huge sign wishing "Nigel" all the very best and several people stood with it cheering! It was awesome to see them high on this moorland and I pushed on realising there was only about 20km to finish!
We crossed the A66 and went through Troutbeck Head and then gradually worked our way through the countryside to the side of Ullswater. Turning right the road then climbed and fell through Patterdale and before too long I could see the flags of the basecamp in the distance. It was a welcome sight and I was chuffed to again finish inside 7 hours, with 6 hours 53 minutes on the clock, a height gain of 1565m throughout the day and another 185 watt average.
Being in the Lake District is familiar territory with the races I have done up here, but tomorrow starts with a climb over Kirkstone Pass, so that will need a good breakfast and thankfully a slightly later start at 8am! For now though it's time to clear all those empty coke bottles from the car!!
Day Two: Chasing down an Olympic Champion and saving a Lamb
Day Two of the Deloitte Ride Across Britain was very soggy and thankfully not too long!
We started from the same spot we finished last night and headed south towards Loch Ness, two short climbs over the Glens and a rolling finish along some terrible road surface. The quieter roads of the far north were behind us and the busy road along Loch Ness was a shock to the system as the cars and bikes whizzed past. Although it doesn't feel like June up here and after 70 miles I changed my gloves as they were soaking [we're still trying to dry my shoes!], the tourist season is in full swing and cars from many European member states whizzed past.
My riding partners for the day were once again Ironman, Alan Ingarfield and we were also riding on the first and last leg of the day with James Cracknell.
Each day's stage is split into three sections by two pit stops. It's partly an opportunity to refuel and also an opportunity for everyone to be accounted for along the route. Alan and I rode with James from our 8am starting time until the first pit stop, where, not realising he was up for a ride all day, we left him refuelling. By the time he caught us up at the second stop, he turned on a sixpence and headed off with barely a word apart from to let us know he wasn't happy we'd left him!
This was all the motivation we needed to chase him down and he is a hard man to catch! Whilst we gained a bit on the uphills, he was considerably quicker on the downs! After about 5 miles a longer rise gave us the last push we needed and we hooked up for our final stint into the base camp.
The roads cut through some amazing scenery and the rolling terrain made the ride pretty energy sapping. With some longer flat sections we were also able to really motor along with some swift through and off riding. It's not a race this ride, but having an hour late starting time, did make it feel like we were chasing down the rest of the 600 strong field!
Having the opportunity to ride along and pass many of the other riders was very inspirational as we saw just how many people were fundraising for ParalympicsGB. Deloitte have pledged to raise £1 million pounds by 2013 and this annual Deloitte Ride Across Britain is one of the main fundraising opportunities. Some groups of people are riding as a team, with one member always in charge of the team vehicle, whilst many, many riders, some more experienced than others, are riding the entire route. With the weather being less than ideal, on a day like today, it's a tough route and hats off to everyone who's taking part.
As the final miles approached our ride turned from a sadistic leg battering, to animal rescuers in the space of just a few seconds! As James and I were on the front setting the pace, we heard the cry of a lamb and looked across to see it stuck in a wire fence and bucking to try and get out.
"He's stuck!" said James.
"We have to save it!" said me.
So we abruptly did a U turn [much to the confusion of our support car] and headed back to free the lamb!
It wasn't long before we were back up to speed and heading towards another stage finish, this time in the mountain bike town of Fort William. This time the speed was higher and our 100 miles were covered in 5 hours 10 minutes - including the time it took to free the lamb!
An earlier finish, means longer rest and now our attentions turn to the 128 miles we will face in tomorrow's stage. Let's hope we see some sun soon!
Sarahx
Day One - Riding with an Ironman
As Deloitte Ride Across Britain kicked off in John O Groats, the beautiful weather being enjoyed further south in the country never made it as far as our 170km route for the first day of the nine day event.
With little more than one hour of darkness at this time of year, the HQ for the event was a hive of activity by the time I rolled up to start at 7am. Riding alongside fellow Paralympians; Barney Storey and Jody Cundy as well as Olympians Rebecca Romero and James Cracknell the start of the first day involved official start photo's before the ride proper got underway.
Before too long the rain was falling and the 600 strong field was spread out over many, many miles. With a strong headwind and temperatures struggling to get close to 10 degrees, the ride brought back memories of last winter! Thankfully I'd packed in preparation and with almost full winter gear, we ploughed on to get warm.
As with many sportives, the selection of riders was soon established and I found myself out front with a former UK Ironman record holder, Alan Ingarfield and now current CEO of Boardman bikes. I too was riding the new women's frame I'd been sent, so this was a great opportunity to thank him and catch up with the racing history of our former lives.
On discovering Alan's former racing pedigree it became clear why our 20 mile an hour average was never waning regardless of how many kilometres clicked by. 170km, well that is just a warm up for an Ironman!
After starting racing in the early 1980's Alan became the first man in the UK to finish inside the 9 hour mark for the Ironman, when in 1992 at the Roth Ironman in Germany he knocked an impressive 27 minutes off the former record to clock a 8.37.19. It's true what the sports scientists say about muscle memory though, because after a 15 year lay off and co-founding the Boardman bike brand, Alan jumped back on 2 wheels last September in preparation to ride this event.
We finally pedalled through the last of the rain and started the climb across the north coast of Scotland, passing through Thurso and the curiously named Bettyshill. After around 50 miles we were grateful for the turn towards the south and the chance of a slight tailwind. Passing through the typical Scottish lanes, with passing places, we reminded ourselves this was a major A road and yet there were very few other people out - apart from the 598 riders spread out across the route behind us!
As the 3 and a half hour mark came and went, Alan announced this was to be the longest ride he'd done in 15 years, yet with another 2 hours of riding ahead, no one would ever have guessed. As the wind came to our back wheel, the pace lifted again and we cruised by the side of a beautiful loch never dropping below 30kph.
Finally the end was in sight, as we passed the Falls of Shin and the castle with the 365 windows that stands on the banks of Loch Linne and our resting place for the night. My power meter stopped at a 230 watts average for the 5 hours 45 minutes and the shower and massage table were a welcome sight!
With one day down and the fabulous scenery well and truly introduced to us, not to mention the incredible motorbike marshals and our top notch support team and their legendary jam butties, we are ready and raring to get on with day two!
Sarahx
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