Ups & Downs Of The Cat & Fiddle Challenge

Meeting the Stone-Wheelers lads at Brian Roukes shop in Burslem at 7.45am so it was another early Sunday morning start.

So alarm set for 5.30 again, it’s get ready & get the big bowl of porridge down before i set off, oh don’t forget the espresso as well.

Left home at 7.15, it takes about 20-25 min to get to Roukies shop so it’s a nice little warm up to start off with, then when i get there it’s just sign in and meet up with every one else.

So we all set off at about 8, a few of us want to try & finish it within 3hrs, last year i did it in 3hrs 3min so it wasn’t a bad effort last year.

I’ve done this ride the last 4 years as it is in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust as my wife as the faulty gene on her side of the family and her cousins child as got it so it’s a worthy cause for me to do.

We go through Burslem then Tunstall heading to Kidsgrove, where just after Kidsgrove we take a right turn at the lights on to the A34 and head towards Congleton.

There’s about 20- 30 of us in this group at the moment as a few have cotton on to us for a lift.

There’s about 6 of us doing the turns on the front and we are keeping it at a good pace because the Kidsgrove-Congleton Rd is a good straight flattish road.

At Congleton we head towards Macclesfield when it decides it wants to pour down like it does most years on this ride, where just before Mac we take a right then a left turn and we come into Mac going in past Macclesfield Town Football Club.

In Macclesfield we take a right on to the A537 Mac-Buxton Rd, now this is where the Cat & Fiddle starts.

We’d been averaging just under 22mph up to Mac as we’ve had Paul Belfield, Matt Downing and your’s truly pushing it a long, so this will start to bring the average down now.

Straight away it goes very steep and now it’s only 4 mile up to the Cat & Fiddle Pub, VERY NICE!! and to top it, it’s misty as well.

Now it’s everyone for themselves up to the Cat, Belly gets left here as he his a big lad but he’s still quite good on them and me and Matt push on.

After about a mile up Matt pulls away from me as he his a very good hill climber, he’s got  a contract with Yeti Mountain Bike Team so when he gets to the hills he’s like a mountain goat and i know of i try to keep up with him i will just knacker myself up so i will probably see him at the finish now.

I get to the Cat & Fiddle pub, where you can hardly see it as it is that foggy and i sit up for a bit to let Belly catch up then it’s heading down hill towards Buxton.

Just before Buxton we turn right on to the A53 Buxton-Leek Rd where you head up to the highest village in the country named Flash then it’s down hill heading towards Leek.

About 3-4 miles before Leek you have the hills called the Rouches on your right hand side, this is a very steep downhill section where you hit speeds of 50+mph. Last year i hit 56mph on this section but this year i ease off a bit and do 49 mph, must be getting chicken in my old age! but Belly lets loose and does about 60, never right!!  

In Leek we take a left turn onto the Leek-Stoke Rd where at Morrisons Supermarket i have a collision with a car what as cut in front of me on a round about when i’ve got the right of way but as usual it’s never their fault is it.

I’ve hit the wing, gone on to the bonnet but manage to stay upright and land on my feet, i was like Lee Majors in the Fall Guy.

After about 5 mins of me, Belly and a fellow cyclist named Paul from Manchester falling out with most of Leek we get back to finishing the ride off.

The bikes rideable thank goodness and got a couple of witnesses to say it lady drivers fault, so thats something any way and i’m ok apart from a couple of scratches on my right arm, now leave it to British Cycling Insurance to sort out now, thats what you pay membership for.

Coming out of Leek it’s another uphill section then it’s down hill to Endon where you turn right head to Brown Edge where you got a few more sharp hills before you get back to the finish in Burslem.

JOB DONE! EVENTFULL DAY!!

There’s always a good spread on when you get back so it’s well worth the entry money and it’s for a good cause.

Couldn’t find my H/R monitor before i left so knew it was going to be one of those days, so stats off the bike computer.

Time 2hrs 44min

Distance 53miles

Avg 19.1 mph

Total Time

Was 2hr 49min because of messing around with the incident.

Happy with the time as it shows me how much i’ve improved since last year.

Took the bike in to asses the damage and there’s about £250 worth but at least i’m ok.

Sunday! Head For The Hills

Another early start again so up at 6, the normal scrambled egg on toast + espresso and out for 6.55 to meet Andy at the end of the road.

Another lad name Ian was out today so we head up Lightwood Rd to meet him at Meir Heath, then off to Fulford.

It starts off hilly straight away on this ride but the hardest hills are still along way to come yet.

From here we move on to Draycott where we turn right at the Izac Walton Pub and head off to Tean.

Now at Tean this is where the hills start to get a bit steeper, this is where i can hear the lads breathing that bit heavier.

Off on to Alton Towers now, where at Alton the roads get very narrow and bendy, then down steep incline towards the old railway station at the bottom of Alton Towers, where we turn left along a very narrow lane full of pot holes which takes you to Oakamore passing the Ramblers Retreat at Dimings Dale on the way.

We get to Oakamoor where we turn right over the bridge thats above the river, this is where i warn Andy whats about to lie a head for him because this is steepest hill on the ride.I took Ian on this ride couple of months ago so he knew what was coming.

We turn left at the Cricketers Arms and its there! i think it’s called Star Bank but i’m not quite sure of that, just know it’s a steep bastard of a climb. It says it’s 16% at the bottom but i think they are pulling our legs a little bit here!! 

So it’s pain time for about a mile, heading past the Lord Nelson as we go.

Now on this climb doesn’t matter how good on the climbs you are, you’ll be breathing through your backside, then after this climb when you think thats it done there is some nasty little climbs taking you on towards Ipstones.

We get to the top of the next few climbs and i’m feeling quite fresh and enjoying it, because usually i do this ride on my own and i go a lot quicker pace.

We get to Ipstones then we turn right at the Spar shop and head on towards Cheddleton near Leek.

There’s still a lot of climbs but not quite as steep at the moment, but just before Cheddleton there’s a good one and just after the Boat Inn in Cheddleton its self.

We get up the first of them the down to the Cheddleton Steam Railway where we turn left over the railway crossings to the next hill passing past the Boat on the left.

At the top of this hill we turn left the main Leek to Cellarhead Rd heading towards Wetley Rocks where we take a left up towards Dilhorn.

Now there’s a real good downhill section just before Dilhorn that goes for a good mile where you can get up to speeds of about 40mph, then in Dilhorn we take a right to Caverswall and on to Weston-Coyney.

At the lights we turn left on to Meir which is about 2mile away on a good flat main road which is usually very busy but being Sunday morning it’s now nice and quite.

At Meir, me and Andy take right turn on towards Normacot up the last bit of a hill, well after the other ones this is more like a small incline and Ian carries straight on back towards Meir Heath.

At top of this small incline it’s a nice downward slope for about a mile to home, this is where i can just spin my legs to get them eased up a bit.

Then i leave Andy and he’s just got a couple more mile to go to Trentham.

job done!!!

Didn’t push to hard today, but really enjoyed it.

Doing the Cat & Fiddle Challenge next Sunday, i usally do it in about 3 hrs, but i want to try done under the 3hrs definitely this year.

So be having a good easy week this week.

Stats

Total Distance  37.34 miles

Total Time  2hrs 25min 50sec

Max Speed  41.3mph

Avg Speed  15.4mph

Max H/R  158bpm

Avg H/R  108bpm

Thursdays Training Ride, Bit Of A Disaster

Left home in lovely weather again, just can’t believe this weather can you! sun out and hardly any wind, perfect!

Off to Trentham to meet up with Paul (Belly) and Lynn, then through Barlaston on to Stone to meet the rest of the gang.

It was a bit of a rush as usual as Belly as to rely on the trains to get back from London so always pushing for time.

So we set off on the training run, there’s about 8 of us out, but 3 are not the quickest so they set off 5 min before us.

We get through Great Bridgford then the start of a bit of a climb we see the others in front.

With in half a mile we are all back together and at this stage we’ve been going at a good steady pace of about 21mph.

The rest now go on the back and we take it nice and steady so we can all stay together and get round safely because of the fading light.

Everything was going along well at this point then about 2 mile from Gnossall there was a big bang. 

One of  Bellies £800 set of wheels as just broke a spoke, so we all stop to see what we can do to help.

The wheel’s now buckled and won’t go past the brake blocks we thought, but after getting the brake block off we realise it’s also catching the frame.

We couldn’t be any further in to the ride, i’d done 22 miles from home and the total when getting home is about 45 miles.

Belly decides to ride it as far as he can but about half a mile outside Gnossall his tyre blows, Shit! now we’re walking to Gnosall, well Belly is i’m just rolling along.

We get to Gnossall where there’s a bit of light, here young Sam who’s with us, rings his dad to bring a van to get Belly picked up so he can get home.

Now it’s pitch black and i’ve got about 20 mile ride home on country lanes most of the way, really looking forward to this!

Hilly section now up to the Woodseaves- Great Bridgeford road,so not been to bad a rider on hills i stay at the front to try get us home a bit quicker.

We get to the Woodseaves-Great Bridgeford junction and have to ease off a bit because some are getting dropped off the back.

We need to keep everyone together now so there is more lights to see for the on coming vehicles.

So i stay on to the front keeping a nice even pace to Great Bridgeford not to leave anybody behind and stay in single file because this is a quite fast and busy road.

Once to Great Bridgeford we  get in to pairs because the roads aren’t quite as busy now then on to Stone, where we leave the gang, now just got to Lynn back to Trentham safely.

Once got Lynn home it was get home as quick as i could because it was 9 oclock and i wanted my pizza, bloody starving i was! ( 

Had a feeling it was going to be one of those nights, we’ve had a good run this year with no accidents and not many mechanical problems so we were over due for one.

Won’t even be bothered to do the stats as i don’t care, just glad that night was over.

Head for the hills sunday morning as i’m doing the Cat & Fiddle Challenge the following Sunday which is very hilly.

Just will have an easy week next week.

Tuesday Evenings Chain-gang

Left home on lovely sunny evening but quite breezy.

Met Paul (Belly) in Trentham then off on our normal route down to Stone to meet the other lads.

When we got there, there were only two other lads waiting, Ian Noons (Noonsie) a bit like the general of Stone -Wheelers and Kev, a lad who hasn’t been coming out very long with us and is big in to triathlons.

So off we went!

 Noonsie said straight away that he was knackered and wouldn’t be doing much work because he had had a hard race on sunday and was still feeling it a bit, which i didn’t mind just mean’t the rest of us would be working that little bit harder.

So we start the clock.

Me and Belly got on the front straight from the off, straight into a very strong head wind, NICE!

So we decided between myself and Belly just to ride in pairs, with me and himself staying on the front as long as possible.

Through Great Bridgeford, through Seiford, onto Ranton then to Gnosall with the head wind stronger than ever.

We are not setting a bad pace with the head wind we’ve got, about 20mph avg.

Then the 3 mile + uphill section starts up to the B5405 Woodseaves-Great Bridgeford road.

Lights on now!

This roads very narrow so its single file up here, at least we’ve got a side wind now, this is where Kev decides he wants to show his climbing skills and bombs to the front to try and drop us all, which i’m having none of,  seen as me and Belly have done all the work on the front for over 10 miles in that headwind.

So straight on to his wheel, think then he realises he won’t be able to drop us and backs off a bit, who’s he trying show!

We get to Woodseaves-Great Bridgeford where we turn right towards Great Bridgeford, here we decide that myself, Belly and Kev will take it in 20sec turns on the front.

Noonsie still knackered so he stays at the back, now we’ve got a good tail for wind and we can get a good pace up for the last 5-6 miles to get the avg speed up.

We get some good speeds up and coming into Great Bridgeford, where we always have a sprint finish to the Great Bridgeford road sign.

This is where Belly comes in to his own, a powerhouse of a man, he can’t half shift on the flat and he starts the lead out.

I’m right on Kevs wheel, so when Belly goes i tell Kev don’t loose his wheel, which he does, so now i’m Knackered.

I go past Kev but now got no chance now of catching Belly, GAME OVER!!

We stop the clock, how have we done!

Avg 21.1 mph, not to bad with the wind and not many out, felt that i had a good work out though.  

Now back home in the dark.

Chain-gang stats

Distance  20.73 miles

Time  59 min 2 sec

Max Speed  32.2 mph

Avg Speed  21.1 mph

Max H/R  158 bpm

Avg H/R  137 bpm

Total Miles  45.04

Sunday Training Ride

An early start today, first thing to do was to get a bit of breakfast down of  scrambled egg on toast, swilled down with a shot of espresso, rocket fuel!!

So off i go, time 6.50am, just coming light and looking a very nice morning for a bike ride.

Meeting  fellow cyclist Andy Davis at 7am at the Trentham Hotel so need to get a shift on.

I meet Andy then its off towards the A34 from Trentham to Tittensor, where there we take a right turn towards Swynnerton.

We’ve been going a nice pace because Andy quite strong on the flat sections but struggles a bit on the hills, but he’s getting better.

The road to Swynnerton is an up hill section which goes on for about a mile or so, then a good down hill section towards Eccleshall for about 3 miles, where we turn left to Great Bridgeford.

Great Bidgford on to Ranton then Houghton, these roads are nice quite country lanes which i like, thats why i think there’s no better time to get out on the bike than sunday mornings at this time because there’s hardly anything on the roads. Love it! makes you feel good be a live.

After about an hour we get to Bradley which then it’s banana time and then on to Penkridge.

We’ve not been pushing it to hard and by this time we’ve been averaging about 18.5mph.

On towards Stafford along the A449 where we nearly get our selves caught up in a middle of a time trial, another 10 min later and i think we would have been. There was a lot of riders wearing Walsall Wheelers tops so don’t know if they’d organised it or not.

Then it’s through a very quiet Stafford town centre.

Back on the A34 past Stafford common where you never seen so many people pushing and shoving because there’s a car boot sale on, WHOOPY!!

Now it,s the final part of the ride on to Stone, which is about 7-8 mile of undulating main road which we get a good shift on.

In Stone this is where i leave Andy to meet up with the wife and daughter at Alleynes High School swimming pool for a nice dip in the pool for a refreshing swim. Job done!

Should have been doing the Derby Mercury R/R next week but had a phone call Saturday night say there was a full field and i’d just missed out in time with my entry form, GUTTED!! so i’ll be on the look out to see if i can get in anywhere next Sunday, fingers crossed.

Total Distance  42.74 miles

Total Time  2hr 18min 19sec

Max Speed  37.7 mph

Avg Speed 18.5 mph

Max H/R  153 bpm

Avg H/R  115 bpm

Thursdays Chain Gang, Could We Reach Them Dizzy Speeds Again?

In one word NO!

Left home in Lightwood and headed off to meet Stone-Wheelers in Stone.

Belly got in touch with me earlier to let me know that he couldn’t make it as he was staying in London over night, but could i meet his girl friend Lynn in Trentham, as she was coming a long.

Now you thinking a girl! but this lady as come second in the world duathlon long distance championships and rode in the commonwealth games so she’s one fit lady.

So we met up and headed to Stone passing through Barlaston on the way going a nice easy-steady pace to just get the legs wormed up.

We started the chain gang with 8 of us out again, but there was 2 lads there who had never been on the chain gang before so they set off 5 min before us with another lad named Steve who is always off the pace, the only lad i know who comes on the ride twice a week and never gets any fitter!

So we start the clock and straight away you could tell there was a few tired legs from Tuesdays ride.

We finally get in to a bit of a rhythm as we get towards Great Bridgeford, then onward to Seighford.

Turning the corner in to Seighford we see the 3 lads standing there as 1 of them as got a slow puncture, at this stage we’d been averaging about 21mph so we all come to a halt to show our moral support as you do.

Onward to Gnossal now but every time we seemed to get a rhythm going we were going far to quick for the other 3 lads.

From Gnossal comes the up hill section to Woodseaves-Great Bridgeford road, by this time we’d decided to take it easy so everybody could stay together which doesn’t usually happen.

We turn right on to the Woodseaves-Great Bridgeford road where 4 of us decide that it’s a chain gang so we give it some welly, by this stage on Tuesday we were averaging 23.6mph now we were averaging 19.8mph.

We really shifted along there as it is a 5-6 mile flattish section, but i’ve got to admit i was absolutely knackered in the final half mile.

 

Clock stopped, what have we done?

We’ve averaged 20.78mph, well down on Tuesday but not to bad in the end.

 

Least i got some miles in, could have sat at home on me arse and done nothing.

 

Now home! lights had been on for much of the ride as we seemed to lose the light quick tonight.

 

Chain Gang Stats

 

Distance  20.78 miles

 

Time  1hr 0 min 21 sec

 

Max Speed  32.8 mph

 

Avg speed  20.78 mph

 

Avg Hr  123 bpm

 

Max Hr  159 bpm

 

Total  Miles  44.39

James Martin! You’re A Cock!!

If you haven’t seen it, this is why James Martin’s a cock! http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/09/16/martin_apology/

Tuesdays chain gang, what a night!

It turned out to be a good training night!

Left home in Lightwood to go on the Stone-Wheelers chain gang ride, met up with Paul Belfield ( Belly) in Trentham on the way.

Belly, big lad 6ft 4 weighing about 15+ stone, but can he half shift on the flat.

Anyway, onward down to Stone to meet the rest of the lads Passing through Barlaston on the way. This part of the ride we take it nice and easy to just get our selfs warmed up ready for the hard work that follows.

Distance 9.55 miles

Time 30min 8 sec

Avg speed 19 mph

Av Hr 95 bpm

We start the chain gang with 8 us going, it’s every man for themselves at this part of the ride, if you get dropped its make your own way home on yourself, thats the rules.

There’s a good pace straight from the off as we head out of Stone towards Great Bridgeford and we seem to get in to a good rhythm straight away.

After Great  Bridgeford its on to Seighford where at this stage one has already fell off the pace.

After about 10 miles we come to Gnossall where there’s only 5 of us left by now, thats when there’s 3-4 mile up hill section heading towards the B5405, Woodseaves- Great Bridgeford.

We turn right now heading back towards Great bridgeford, this is a good 5-6 mile straight flattish road where we can hit some good speeds.

We are averaging 23.6 mph for the ride at this stage, which is equaling the fastest avg speed we’ve ever achieved for the whole ride so we know we’re on for a good one.

We get to Great Bridgeford thats where we stop the clock. We,ve always wanted to beat an avg of 24 mph, have we done it! yes 24.2 mph, get in there!!

Best of all felt more knackerd the week before when we only avg 22.3 mph!

Distance 20.71 miles

Time 51 min 16 sec  

Avg Speed 24.2 mph

Max Speed 33.6 mph

Avg Hr 144 bpm

Max Hr 158 bpm

Then its lights on head back home!! well chuffed.

Total Miles 44.81 miles

Total time 2hr 17min 53 sec

Tuesday Commute

Rather quite incident free morning really, nice weather, traffic lights in my favour, roads  quite clear, no overtakes because at 6.45 am don’t see to many people about.

So really quite boring! (sorry)

Total Distance 2.48 miles

Total time 8 min 56 sec

Max Speed  23.2 mph

Avg Speed 16.7 mph

Overtakes 0

Commute home was just the same as the mornings, no tits or gippo’s pulling out on me like yesterday.

No overtakes, saw plenty of cyclists coming the other way but couldn’t see any in the distance to sink my teeth in to, shame! quite looking forward to having a good chase on.

Just one round about i had to play russian roulette on, but i managed to conquer that one quite easy.

Well out on chain gang, now that will be a bit more fun!!

Total Distance 2.44 miles 

Total Time 9 min 26 sec

Max Speed 24 mph

Avg Speed 15.5 mph

Overtakes 0 (damn)

Mondays Training Session

Started off at home in Lightwood (Stoke-on-Trent) first 2 mile is an up hill section to Meir Heath.

Next is a good straight bit of road which took me to Hilderstone, which is about 4 miles so you can keep a good steady pace up.

Then down hill in to Stone where you get to it speeds of 40mph plus which makes up for the good up hill start, happy days!

Along A34 towards Stafford then after a few country lanes on the way i ended up coming out at Great Bridgeford, then on to Eccleshall.

This is when it started to get a bet tougher where a started to get in to a good head wind, i thought it was to easy!

On towards Swynnerton which is a good steady 3 mile plus up hill drag, not steep but its a hill climb what steadily gets steeper + im in a head wind.

Then down section in to Barlaston where i turn left along to Trentham, here i see 2 fellow cyclists coming the other way, which like a true gent i wave! 1 acknowledges me the other just looks straight through me like im not there, miserable sod!

Then Trentham to home sweet home…….(Lightwood)

Had an easy week last week & think i benefitted from it because the legs felt really fresh.

Only 1 near miss, in the first mile when a bus got a bit close like they do because we all know they own the roads, which he got the usual victory sign & word of tosser!!

Total Distance 35.64 miles

Total Time 1hr 48min 49 sec

Max Speed 42.2 mph

Avg Speed 19.7 mph

Max H/R 152 bpm

Avg H/R  128 bpm