According to the thermometer in the car on the way home from work, it was 31 degrees yesterday. I drove down the M66 through a scary-looking thunderstorm whilst tentatively pootling along the flooded carriageway at 30mph. Not looking good for a big training ride tonight, I thought. Maybe I should go for a run and avoid getting soaked/struck by lightning.

It soon cleared up though, leaving behind blue skies and rapidly increasing temperatures again. By the time I left the house at 7:30pm it was still hot and very sticky and within a mile or so I was pouring with sweat, every climb inducing a gallon of fluid to pour from my head onto my top tube.

Once I arrived at Rooley Moor Road and started the ascent up the cobbled bridleway, I immediately removed my helmet and strapped it to my rucksack. I can’t remember the last time I rode without my lid on but last night was exceptional circumstances. It felt quite liberating, a bit like riding for the first time without a hydration pack. Anyhow, once at the top I put the soaking smelly helmet back on and rode down the trail into Stacksteads, along the road then did a lap of Lee Quarry. It had gone 9 by this point so I had the place to myself I think. The dry conditions made the gravelly surface VERY sketchy – it’s going to be fun (in a comedy grazed-elbow sense) for those racing there this weekend!

Rode back through Ramsbottom, got home at 11:30. Main HID light packed in at 10:15. Good job I carry a spare LED

After a couple of years of horrid weather at Mayhem the forecast for this one was looking good. Just what everyone deserved, in fact. Dry and sunny. It would be a double-edged sword though, I knew that there would be far fewer people dropping out of the race as in previous years thus making it more of a challenge to improve on my placing last year. Still, I was looking forward to a dry and fast race for a change and also not worrying as much about Deb and the kids getting cold and wet.

Despite the forecasts, it did rain, but not much. Just enough to make the course greasy in places but still not bad enough to have me swapping tyres or even changing my clothes.

Regular readers of this blog will know that the week leading up to the race wasn’t ideal; I was a bit tired due to relentless 12 hour days at work and it also left me with some frantic packing and preparation of kit the evening before we were due to travel down. As with all things though, it was all ok in the end and we all made it in one piece. I had some earplugs this time for the first time ever – so I actually had a good night’s sleep despite the screaming kids in a neighbouring tent.

I saved a gap in our “soloists colony” for Dave’s tent, expecting him to arrive with a one or maybe two-man tent. What actually emerged from the Berlingo was the mother of all tents, much bigger than everyone else’s, perhaps even large enough for him to consider setting up a small cinema at future races

Saturday, 2pm. I lined up as close to the front as possible, much closer than I have done in the past. What I did notice is that the standard of “running for one’s bike” is much higher at this end, as is the amount of time I got elbowed. Once I’d found my bike (I thought I’d lost it for a minute), I was off. There was some congestion on the first lap but a lot less than I normally encounter. What I also noticed was that there was a much funnier standard of muppetry on the course this year – it seemed like the heat was affecting brains, causing inexplicable crashing and general ineptitude. In future I’ll be a bit more bolshy when passing slower riders – less asking and more barging

(photo courtesy Harry Burgess)

The race was going well. I was getting enough food down, staying hydrated and my lap times weren’t too erratic. I didn’t realise until about the halfway stage of the race though that I was on the same number of laps as Rod Mason and another guy. Rod 4^th, me 5^th and Other Guy 6^th. I’m pretty sure I was in 4^th at one point, lost that place whilst drinking tomato soup in the solo tent at 2am, got it back after passing Rod, lost it again and then spent the remainder of the race chasing him (or “doing a Benny Hill” as Rod put it). At the same time, I found myself having to defend 5^th from the guy in 6^th. He passed me at one point too. I caught him and somehow dropped him, eventually creating a 40 minute gap (well I thought it was impressive anyhow).

I knew the pursuit of 4^th place was a lost cause on my penultimate lap when Rich told me that Rod was about 5 minutes in front. If anything I was getting slower now, so in my head a 5 minute gap was by then unassailable (unless Rod decided to lurk/have a cuppa – unlikely).

So that’s how it finished, me 5^th place in the solo catagory with 22 laps. Understandably, I’m very, very, very pleased with that. Following my 12^th place in last year’s race I wanted to get into the top 10, so I was over the moon to get 5^th spot.

Link to results

300 miles was the target for this week. Saturday’s ride wasn’t great though. Out on the road bike, early morning. Cold, windy, raining, getting wetter. Horrible. It was winter again, except I hadn’t dressed for winter. Cut the ride short after 2 hours when I could no longer feel my fingers or toes, headed home and went back to bed for a bit. It’s been ages since I did that, but I enjoyed it I must admit. At least I climbed plenty whilst I was out.

So…I had a bit of a mountain to climb today, mileage-wise. The only thing that could save me now (given the fact that I only had the afternoon spare for training) was a road century. The thing is, the sky is grey, it’s still chilly and it’s raining. It’s still winter. The summer was here last week though!!! Waaaah!

Going for a ride on the road bike, like I do all the time in winter, would be far too depressing.

So I decided to ride a 11.5 mile local offroad loop (on some of the trails “made famous” by Hit the North). 13 Arches, Philips Park, over to Nob End, climb up Prestolee Road, along the cheeky singletrack by the marina. I reckoned I had time to ride this loop five times. So I did.

The plan was to keep the lap times consistent (tick, all within a minute of each other), a good average (not bad at 12.5mph) and keep the heart rate under control (average around 80% – good). No crashes, no dog bites, returned happy having ridden a total of 59 miles off-road and mostly out of the pesky wind.

No 300 miles this week though. 44 miles short. ‘Bothered.

Debbie, the kids and me went over to Lee Quarry this morning to watch the race. Jacqui was racing, as was Simon (in the singlespeed cat). The weather continues to be AWESOME, I’m so giddy with it I’ve even been drinking beer

Simon was 2nd singlespeeder (YAY!), Jacqui was 2nd laydee (YAY!). The winner of the singlespeed cat was running 32:18, so pretty spinny but obviously fast enough to maintain a good average. Food for thought I supppose…maybe 34:16 is just plain stupid.

Later on I went for a ride with Andrew – we did a local loop, explored some nice trails near Bolton, rode down some rather steep steps and generally had a lot of fun…which is what it’s all about after all. Some of the trailside plants have got out of hand though; it’s been a while since my arms and legs were itchy as much as this but I have a feeling that they will be buzzing for some days yet. My immunity to nettle stings normally kicks in around August so there’s some way to go yet before I can ride around here without squealing like a big girl.

Once I got home I opened another beer. What the hell is that all about?!!?