That is insanely hard that thing
Would be fun a couple of stone lighter.
Garmin battery died as I was saving so I need to try and rescue the file.
But I must be around 10h dead for the timed section (minus neutral start).
My Garmin is showing 10hrs including the neutral bit but I think it was 3 minutes longer elapsed time. Sadly I missed my goal of riding the whole thing without unclipping. (Once to retrieve my bottle up a slow steep climb, when it popped out of my back pocket and once at some ruts around a puddle where I had a pee and swapped out my bottom bottle.)
Last time I looked, I was at 176w/219NP but I ramped up the pace in the last five miles so it may be a tad higher.
Bike was insanely good. Literally perfect for that event. Even the 38’s were spot on at 32/35psi. The confidence I had downhill was amazing- that Diverge geometry is very clever!
My body held up well apart from sore feet. I decided to ignore them for 50 miles instead
I took all my food and drink and skipped the aid stations. I had 1x750ml of red bull, 1x750ml plain water, 1x750ml of 100g sugar, 1x550ml of 100g sugar and 1x550ml of plain water.
In hindsight, I should have stopped at the last aid section for plain water but luckily someone gave me some.
With 5x rice crispie squares, 1 jelly babies, 1 haribo star mix and 1 bag of pork scratchings (they were the BEST choice ever!) my food weighed 1200g
All in I dread to think what the bike and food/drink/tools weighed- 18kg maybe.
Being fat and riding to power was hilarious. I was literally a rolling roadblock up the early hills but then would reel everyone back in at 240w on the flats and be doing +15mph down the hills. A few miles later, you’d end up alongside the same folk. That’s why I’m not group riding at the minute- it’s impossible to pace nicely alongside regular folk.
It is pretty “roadie”- I struggled to get too much banter going but given how hard we were riding, it’s hardly surprising.
One poor guy was slumped over his bars, saying he was cracked at mile 73!! But he made it to the finish so I made sure I congratulated him for his crazy effort!
At times, the headwind made going downhill on gravel a 240w, 10mph slog but overall it could have been worse.
Weather was great- too hot at times! With just enough early rain to dampen the dust.
I think I’ll go back in the spring- IF I’ve lost weight. And I’ll probably go lightweight on the bike and raid the aid stations just to mix things up- although they all looked congested.
That’s certainly my hardest day on the bike- I just hope I retrieve the file.
