Sarah Storey continues her blog for Sportsister on the final stages of the Deloitte Ride Across Britain.
Day 6
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 left Manchester and headed towards Ludlow, and it was from here that some of the other para-cycling squad joined the ride for the day. The squad included Helen Scott, a tandem pilot, Terry Byrne and Shaun McKeown, both class C4 and coach, and Chris Furber. We 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 over the border into Wales, skirting Shrewsbury, then completing 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 39×25 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. If only we’d been told the severity, we could have been prepared! After this, the run into the finish was far longer than we realised, and everyone was glad to have made it back.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
Read more from Horizon Fitness’ cycling blog – most recent post is at the top
Sarah Storey blogs- Two epic stages
Sarah Storey blogs- Riding with an Ironman
Sarah Storey blogs- Tomorrow’s Time Trial
Sarah Storey blogs- Rudy Project Round 4
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
Day 7
Day 7 began with some filming with Channel 4, the broadcaster of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, meaning a slightly later start than normal. It also meant we had the event chaperones held back to ride with us, so that the film would have the sense of mass participation. 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. It was a fantastic section of the route.
The chaperones have been the angels of Deloitte Ride Across Britain. Along with the motorbike marshals they have been the people making sure that everyone is safe on the road. They are on push-bikes until the bitter end every day, ensuring that everyone gets home safely. 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, led by Andy Cook.
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 has now 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 unnecessary detours 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!
Penultimate Day
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 people seem very ready for it 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. 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 am 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 even better, because we were passing through the town of Tiverton, 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. With a head wind added in, 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, but I had to lean towards it 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!
Final Day
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 9 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 7 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 sore! 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 was 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 Storey, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
