South Downs 100 - This Weekend.
Discussion
What bike will you be on?? Gooby will be on his Blue Orange 5 and i will be on a white Trek fuel ex9, i am sure we will cross paths!!! I have no idea how many people are doing it!!! I had in mind from previous posts its a couple of hundreds!!
I guess id like to think that we could make the devils dyke (65 miles) and see how we feel at that point???
I guess id like to think that we could make the devils dyke (65 miles) and see how we feel at that point???
Four Litre said:
Were looking to start off at 6am. If I make it I will eat my shorts (literally) and then wheely off Beachy head!
Good luck to you both - we've managed 60miles in training but that was a serious effort and I limped in my driveway half dead!
Training? I knew there was something I forgot to do.... Do you think it is too late?Good luck to you both - we've managed 60miles in training but that was a serious effort and I limped in my driveway half dead!
Done this before, twice, albeit on my own as opposed to a BHF event. Far too fat and out of shape to even consider it this year - after buying a car 
I think my best was 15 hours - 05:30 to 20:30 or thereabouts. The best experiences were accidentally getting airborne at 36mph down Butser Hill, chancing upon some RC glider fliers, telling some mid life crisis £3000 Cannondalers where I'd come from, and the wonderful long grass descent at the end.
The worst experience was the extra unsuccessful time in the rain where I abandoned the attempt... at Lewes, 80 miles in. Too slippy and dangerous with noone around in case of accident - cold, wet and walking down hills is not a lot of fun.
It's a beautiful trail through some diverse countryside, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. For a bit of inspiration: http://mintsaucembuk.wordpress.com/
I think my best was 15 hours - 05:30 to 20:30 or thereabouts. The best experiences were accidentally getting airborne at 36mph down Butser Hill, chancing upon some RC glider fliers, telling some mid life crisis £3000 Cannondalers where I'd come from, and the wonderful long grass descent at the end.
The worst experience was the extra unsuccessful time in the rain where I abandoned the attempt... at Lewes, 80 miles in. Too slippy and dangerous with noone around in case of accident - cold, wet and walking down hills is not a lot of fun.
It's a beautiful trail through some diverse countryside, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. For a bit of inspiration: http://mintsaucembuk.wordpress.com/
Edited by trashbat on Wednesday 27th July 15:04
So yes we did it!! Gooby and i set off from winchester at 5.30am, and rolled into Eastbourne at 8.55pm!! Was one of the toughest days i have had but incredibly rewarding to know we did it!!!
If you think your tough then try this ride as its a physical battle and a mental one too!!!
So far the only pain this morning is sunburn on my shoulders and a bit of a sore behind!!! Glad i trained as i hit the wall at 90 miles so could get through!!
If you think your tough then try this ride as its a physical battle and a mental one too!!!
So far the only pain this morning is sunburn on my shoulders and a bit of a sore behind!!! Glad i trained as i hit the wall at 90 miles so could get through!!
Well done on doing this chaps. You must have huge (albeit now mashed up) cahonies.
Am thinking about giving this a go next year as i'm doing a lot of training at the moment with no real target.
Do you think it would be suicidal to this on an ageing (although marginally updated on a budget) Giant hardtail?
Am thinking about giving this a go next year as i'm doing a lot of training at the moment with no real target.
Do you think it would be suicidal to this on an ageing (although marginally updated on a budget) Giant hardtail?
Well done to all that did the full 100 (hats off!)
We started a lot later than planned - 6.40am and one of the team suffered badly with punctures, leading to a lot of delays. We made it to the 65 mile cut off and ran out of time to finish the 100, gutted in some-ways, but my knee had been killing me since 50 miles so I was somewhat revealed. The climb to devils dyke really finished me off.
Going to build up the legs a bit and will be back to finish the job next year for sure.
We started a lot later than planned - 6.40am and one of the team suffered badly with punctures, leading to a lot of delays. We made it to the 65 mile cut off and ran out of time to finish the 100, gutted in some-ways, but my knee had been killing me since 50 miles so I was somewhat revealed. The climb to devils dyke really finished me off.
Going to build up the legs a bit and will be back to finish the job next year for sure.
wades said:
Well done on doing this chaps. You must have huge (albeit now mashed up) cahonies.
Am thinking about giving this a go next year as i'm doing a lot of training at the moment with no real target.
Do you think it would be suicidal to this on an ageing (although marginally updated on a budget) Giant hardtail?
Tbh we saw loads of different stuff out there! My favorite was a guy on his single speed 29er Hardtail with fixed front forks!!! And he made it! Saw him at the finish as we were packing up! We were right on the deadline at the 84 mile mark! We set off with the first group at 5.30, and got to the finish at 8.55, we had no major issues (only a couple of chain offs, and i had one puncture that sealed, Im running tubeless!) The irony was that we had packed for the worst!!!Am thinking about giving this a go next year as i'm doing a lot of training at the moment with no real target.
Do you think it would be suicidal to this on an ageing (although marginally updated on a budget) Giant hardtail?
My advice would be to go to the devils dyke, do the last 35 miles and see how you find it, and then consider youll be going that after 65 miles of riding!!!!
But.......
.......Its a great achievement, and the only way to get the emotion of getting there is to go do it!!!!
wades said:
Do you think it would be suicidal to this on an ageing (although marginally updated on a budget) Giant hardtail?
I did all mine on an aluminium hardtail - not a very expensive frame either (2006 GT Avalanche) although everything else was upgraded. It was fatiguing from the harsh ride but less effort lost and maybe more controllable.I think if you build up to 70 miles of even flattish off-road with some load carrying, then you can do Way-in-a-day without too much trouble.
What an experience. I am not sure I would do it again!
The ride was .... Ok, for 65miles. The ride to devils dyke was hard but enjoyable. My pace is slow but steady and Just1 spent a fair amount of time holding back and waiting for me. I started to slump at about 40 miles so ate a gel. POW! Just1 had to work hard to keep up ... for 10 miles. At 50 miles the fizzz stopped and so did I. I had to rest for 10 mins and walked the next hill. It went smoothly to the 65mile point. This is the "make or break" check point at Devils Dyke. Basically you decide to do the complete 100 at this point. The hills are hard there is a lot of UP. This sounds odd. You climb for ages and the decents are very steep and Very quick so the theory of recharging your energy on the decents just did not work. I swore at the hills but I really enjoyed the first 65 miles.
At Devils Dyke we stopped, had an ice cream and chilled out for 20 mins. I was ready to go again.
The last 35 miles were the most difficult riding I have ever seen. The hills just took the piss! You would go up and up and up. Then you think that was great and that hill is done. Bull - you would go round a bend and the hill would climb up further. On one hill some of the locals passed us and I asked ho much more hill there was to climb. They looked at the state of us, laughed and said , "sorry mate you are not even half way".
If I had the energy I would have cried.
You would decend down a basic cliff face. from 260m hills to the bottom at close to sea level in 3-4 mins of water carved trail with no energy to do anything but slump on the saddle. Then climb again. Every time you thought you got to the top you would get to the brow and there would be more hill. It just destroyed your will. To 86 mile check point was the hardest thing I have ever done. I had 4 jels left and no energy, I was dragging on empty and using the bike to prop me up as I dragged my feet up a hill. People around me were getting me vent my spite against the hills. All I had energy left for was to swear at the hills. I started on the gels... I was scared that I would not have enough to complete the ride and I would run out of gel with a couple of miles to go and not be able to carry on.
We passed the 86 mile check point and we were told that they were about to close the check point and we may not be able to complete the ride due it getting dark. I dropped a gel. FANTASTIC! I started to ride up hills and keep a decent pace. Every hill, I would take a gel. It kept me going and importantly I was not swearing at EVERYTHING!
At 91 mile check point I asked How far to go. A very nice and chirpy young lady said only 9 miles, and some of it is down hill. I looked at her and said, ..."of course you are stratospherically un attractive" My job done, I downed another gel and plodded on...
The last hill was a son-of-a -b
h. not the worst but it teased you badly. Round the side you could see Eastborne. The finish was within sight. The hill went up and we teased ourself that a quick decent and we were there. Done. Over.
bks - it went up again. Then again. Then through a load of massive fields. Then through a golf course. We had started to call it the "sting in the tail" and this one had a swarm. The only research I had done was Just1 sat me infront of a video and showed me the last decent. It was now dusk. We had seen the sun rise over the South Downs and now we were watching the sun set. I had to swap out the lenses on the glasses so I could see and with a lot of fear that we would do the decent in darkness we actually started down hill FAST, real fast! God help me if there was a big rut or crater.
We made it in the failing light to a round of applause from the orgainsers which no matter how many people recieved this round of applause did not ever seem in-sincere.
I do have some thanks - Thanks to gel. That stuff is incredible and is like taking a class A rocket but most of all to Just1 - for listening to me bh as hard and spitefully as I could for 30 miles of hell and then responding positivly. I have never met anyone so positive and you got me through.
We met some fantastic people. We saw some of the most breathtaking countryside and I swore at a lot of it. I will not do it again.
The ride was .... Ok, for 65miles. The ride to devils dyke was hard but enjoyable. My pace is slow but steady and Just1 spent a fair amount of time holding back and waiting for me. I started to slump at about 40 miles so ate a gel. POW! Just1 had to work hard to keep up ... for 10 miles. At 50 miles the fizzz stopped and so did I. I had to rest for 10 mins and walked the next hill. It went smoothly to the 65mile point. This is the "make or break" check point at Devils Dyke. Basically you decide to do the complete 100 at this point. The hills are hard there is a lot of UP. This sounds odd. You climb for ages and the decents are very steep and Very quick so the theory of recharging your energy on the decents just did not work. I swore at the hills but I really enjoyed the first 65 miles.
At Devils Dyke we stopped, had an ice cream and chilled out for 20 mins. I was ready to go again.
The last 35 miles were the most difficult riding I have ever seen. The hills just took the piss! You would go up and up and up. Then you think that was great and that hill is done. Bull - you would go round a bend and the hill would climb up further. On one hill some of the locals passed us and I asked ho much more hill there was to climb. They looked at the state of us, laughed and said , "sorry mate you are not even half way".
If I had the energy I would have cried.
You would decend down a basic cliff face. from 260m hills to the bottom at close to sea level in 3-4 mins of water carved trail with no energy to do anything but slump on the saddle. Then climb again. Every time you thought you got to the top you would get to the brow and there would be more hill. It just destroyed your will. To 86 mile check point was the hardest thing I have ever done. I had 4 jels left and no energy, I was dragging on empty and using the bike to prop me up as I dragged my feet up a hill. People around me were getting me vent my spite against the hills. All I had energy left for was to swear at the hills. I started on the gels... I was scared that I would not have enough to complete the ride and I would run out of gel with a couple of miles to go and not be able to carry on.
We passed the 86 mile check point and we were told that they were about to close the check point and we may not be able to complete the ride due it getting dark. I dropped a gel. FANTASTIC! I started to ride up hills and keep a decent pace. Every hill, I would take a gel. It kept me going and importantly I was not swearing at EVERYTHING!
At 91 mile check point I asked How far to go. A very nice and chirpy young lady said only 9 miles, and some of it is down hill. I looked at her and said, ..."of course you are stratospherically un attractive" My job done, I downed another gel and plodded on...
The last hill was a son-of-a -b
h. not the worst but it teased you badly. Round the side you could see Eastborne. The finish was within sight. The hill went up and we teased ourself that a quick decent and we were there. Done. Over.b
ks - it went up again. Then again. Then through a load of massive fields. Then through a golf course. We had started to call it the "sting in the tail" and this one had a swarm. The only research I had done was Just1 sat me infront of a video and showed me the last decent. It was now dusk. We had seen the sun rise over the South Downs and now we were watching the sun set. I had to swap out the lenses on the glasses so I could see and with a lot of fear that we would do the decent in darkness we actually started down hill FAST, real fast! God help me if there was a big rut or crater.We made it in the failing light to a round of applause from the orgainsers which no matter how many people recieved this round of applause did not ever seem in-sincere.
I do have some thanks - Thanks to gel. That stuff is incredible and is like taking a class A rocket but most of all to Just1 - for listening to me b
h as hard and spitefully as I could for 30 miles of hell and then responding positivly. I have never met anyone so positive and you got me through.We met some fantastic people. We saw some of the most breathtaking countryside and I swore at a lot of it. I will not do it again.
Edited by Gooby on Monday 1st August 12:30
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