Highclere - one riders prespective by Howard Ashmore  

Three intrepid Welwyn Wheelers set off from WGC at 6.00 am bound for Highclere in Hampshire. Ahead lay 200km cycling in beautiful Hampshire. The weather forecast was perfect and high spirits prevailed.

I have never ridden a sportif before and was very pleasantly surprised when we arrived. Highclere itself is a beautiful country house set in a wonderful parkland setting. There were over 900 entrants yet the organisation was superb. We were given route maps and transponders. There was also High5 energy drink available for those that wanted it.

The transponders fitted on the front axle. At the start and finish and some check points along the way you rode over a mat and this logged your arrival time. The results were available on the web site that evening, and I received text message at 10.00 am the next day which also gave me my times. Something for the evening 10’s perhaps!

We met Jeremy and Clare at the start who were both riding 125km. Despite our best encouragement they could not be persuaded to extend their ride. The good news was that for the first 70km we were on the same route.

I have ridden the Stevenage Audax events and these have a very different feel to the Sportif. At Highclere everyone seemed to be a racing cyclist rather than tourist. We set off in a large group with Welwyn at the head and everyone following wheels. We were however quickly overtaken and I was surprised at the pace that some of the riders were setting.

Very quickly we found out that the description of rolling Hampshire roads was an understatement. I don’t recall any part of it that was flat. We were either climbing or descending the whole way round. The opening hills soon thinned out the groups, but up to the first checkpoint almost every junction was marshalled and at some the police were holding up traffic. In fact the entire route was extremely well sign posted and we did not need the map at all.
 
The checkpoints were spread evenly along the route. There were always plenty of bananas, fruit, water and energy drinks.

We seemed to fly along until we waved Jeremy and Clare goodbye, then I think the mind games started to play a little. This is the second time I have ridden this distance and although I knew I could complete it, I did start to doubt myself as I realised we had 80 miles still to go. I decided that I would just try and go with the flow and if I cracked then James and Steve could just abandon me to the sack wagon.

At the half way point we had a longer break and a selection of cakes and sandwiches perked me up a lot. The next thirty miles or so I felt much better and really relaxed. I think that at this stage James experienced the mind games too as he was commenting on how far we had to go and that he had never ridden this distance before.

For the final third I was beginning to tire, yet Steve seemed to be as fresh as when we started. The pace went up and we caught another larger group who then rode along with us. The pace seemed to be rising and the mind games were starting to come back as I thought about how far we had to go. Luckily, and I admit this is not the most charitable of thoughts, James suffered a nasty cramp attack and we were forced to stop.

Once we started again this had the knock on affect of slowing the pace significantly which was much appreciated. The last 30 miles however, were nothing but a slog to grind out. It was only in the last mile or so that the pace leapt with the usual rush for the finish line. Steve took the honours and we crossed the line tired but elated.

Thanks very much to Steve for chauffeuring us and providing help and guidance along the way.

I heartily recommend this event to the club. It is a challenging event without a doubt and I think it must compare with running a marathon. Nevertheless the sense of achievement at the end is fantastic. The route is in beautiful countryside, on very quiet roads and with hardly a pot hole in sight.

Highclere - another prespective by Steve Hayward

Its 5am in the morning and the alarm is telling me its time to get out of bed.  I’m confused because it’s Sunday morning and there’s no need to get up this early.  Maybe the kids are playing tricks on me and think this is a bit of fun.  Mrs Green Machine grumbles good luck to me and then promptly falls back to sleep.  I’m waking up now and realise this is the day I have been waiting for now for several weeks, today I’m riding the Highclere Cyclosportive and I do need to get up because today is going to be a great day in the saddle gently meandering around the quiet picture post card villages of Berkshire and Sussex - 200km or just over 125 miles didn’t sound so bad. 

It wouldn’t if I hadn’t already ridden this event back in 2006 and I knew just how hard this event is on your strength, endurance and ability to carry on when every muscle is screaming at you to stop with nothing but relentless hills to break up the agony.  My first experience of riding this event really was as bad as that.

This time was going to be different.  I’m fitter, been doing more endurance work, solid winters training behind me and I knew what was ahead.  Except I had a BBQ the night before, decided after a couple beers that a bottle of wine would wash things down nicely and that film I had always wanted to watch but never had, finished at 1.30am.  This is not good preparation and after talking several members of WW into entering and riding, felt like I was going to look silly if I cried off now.  Think I also convinced myself that I was getting a cold as well!!!

5.50am, Howard arrives and we quickly pack the bikes into Mrs Green Machines Galaxy (think I asked her if it was OK!!), James arrives shortly after and we are off and heading to Highclere Castle by 6am.  It’s a beautiful clear morning, very little traffic on the road and we arrive at the castle grounds a little after 7.30am.  It’s a long drive to where we need to park up and register but when we arrive, there seems to be hundreds of cars already here with the castle as a back drop and stunning rolling countryside all around us.  Within minutes of parking up, we are surrounded by cars as more folks arrive.  Just short of a thousand competitors are riding today with many more signing on the line.   Some are elite racers, some are just out for the ride and some are like us – just planning on getting round in a reasonable time and gaining some valuable training.

We have plenty of time to register and prepare the bikes.  Timing chip attached to the front hub, number attached to the handle bars, few gulps of energy drink, helmets on and we are ready.  Howard is chomping at the bit and wants to be in the first group to set off.   James is just taking it all in his stride and doesn’t look at all concerned about what’s ahead.  I’m starting to feel a little guilty now because I know what’s ahead and it’s me that’s put the idea of riding this event on the forum.   Could be a very short lived WW membership for me then!!!

Jeremy and Claire have arrived and we make contact at the starting area.  Both have opted for the 120km event which follows the same route for the first 70km as the 200km event, Howard, James and I are riding.  We agree to ride together until the first feed station and then up to the point where the 2 routes diverge a few kilometres further on.   We line up with around fifty other riders awaiting our turn to start.  Each group of riders is set off with a time gap of 2 minutes to ensure all competitors are staggered along the route.  Our turn to go comes at 8.30am and we roll over the start timing mat and the computer logs our start time.

We gently roll out of the grounds at a brisk pace, conscious there’s a long way to go and nearly 10,000ft of climbing ahead of us we plan to ride at a relaxed pace – better to finish strong and not die in the last 30 miles and grovel back.   Riders are flying past us, solo riders, race teams, triathlon riders, little old ladies on full suspension MTBs with knobbly tyres (No I joke here – she was on slicks!!!!). 

There was obviously an element here of riders wanting to get round as fast as possible and maybe unaware of just how tough it was to maintain that kind of pace for 125 miles given the rolling terrain.   I made this mistake last time I rode and really did pay the price further on.  The route is mainly rolling hills and deceptively easy sections in between but fatigue creeps up on you quietly and unnoticed until you hit a long or very steep hill and the legs just go or the bonk sets in.  Pacing, eating and drinking are critical otherwise you just wont get round.  I couldn’t help but notice we did pass quite a few of these riders further on and didn’t see them again!!!. 

The riding is easy until we hit Walbury Hill (18km) where the road goes skyward for a few hundred yards, then drops down steeply and rises again.  This double ascent is known as the Scorpion and I remember this from the last time I rode but the Scorpion came after 160km last time and not 18km like today.  This felt much easier than last time, legs are fresher and was a nice warm up.    Trick is to pick your own tempo and ride steady.  Go too hard at the bottom or try and follow a stronger rider and your in trouble before the top.  Do this too often and your likely to suffer further on in the day.   James and Claire were first up both climbs and look comfortable; Howard and Jeremy were close behind. 

This was feeling good and now starting to feel confident this was going to be a good ride.  Groups formed, broke up and reformed but we settled down into a small group happy to maintain a comfortable pace as we rolled through some stunning scenery and chocolate box villages of thatched roofs and manicured gardens.  Myself and Claire on passing through one of these villages on the front of the group simultaneously shouted - me a warning that there was a not so obvious junction coming up that we need to break sharply and Claire pointing to one very pretty house with lots of flowers climbing up the walls and declaring everybody look at that one!!!!.  Between the two of us we had it all under control!!!.   

The sun was shining, we were rolling, the climbs once past Walbury Hill were gentle and some very fast descents to the first water station at Hurstbourne Priors (40km).  Bottles filled and some fruit consumed, we are off again and the ascent of Stockbridge looms. 

This is a long draggy climb not dissimilar to the climb out of Hexton but the wind is on our backs and I’m climbing this on my big ring, finding my rhythm and mopping riders up as I make my way to the top.  Claire is on my wheel twiddling a tiny gear and really looking as if this was just a gentle training ride (bets off for the hill climb champs then!!!)  Howard, James and Jeremy making good progress but it’s a long climb and we slow down to regroup at the top.  The next section to the first feed is very fast rolling section with speeds up to 60km. 

We reach Sparsholt at 68km in 2hours 13 mins and having climbed 960 metres or around 3,000ft in old money.  That’s 15.7mph average and its feeling easy.   (Bottle of wine, couple of beers, few pork sausages, beef burgers, chicken breast and a token lettuce leaf the night before obviously agreeing with me – supports my 5 pints of Stella preparation for riding the track league!!!!)

Claire and Jeremy are feeling fine and debating whether to come with us and do the 200km route but later decide to stick with their plans.  James is looking good but Howard’s starting to feel a little fatigued.  Nothing to worry about, tired legs but confident that he can get round.  We say goodbye and good luck to Claire and Jeremy at 70km and head off on the second leg of the journey which is very different to the first leg. 

There seems much more climbing, less descending.  We are now riding a steady pace, Howard is started to feel tired, and the climbs are short and sharp and little opportunity for recovery but is still feeling good.  We make the next water station at Warnford, 100km under our belt, stock up on energy drink happy that we are half way round and not nearly as bad as we thought this was going to be. 

The next section to Steep and the second and final feed station saw our speed drop quite significantly – combination of the miles and hilly terrain and on reflection, this was the hardest leg of the journey at 68km and 1100 metres of climbing with a vicious little climb not dissimilar to the Kimpton climb immediately before the station that sapped the legs.  This section has taken 3 hours 19 mins which is around 11.7mph – take out 20 mins for feed and water stop and that’s around 13.6 mph average. 

At the feed station we assess how we are feeling.  I’m still feeling good, Howard’s feeling stronger and James impression of someone very old trying to sit on the floor to eat his cake didn’t look good.  Tired but ready for the final leg was the general feeling as we set of for the final section. 

Immediately after leaving the feed station was the long drag up Stoners Hill that seemed to go on for ever, flatten off and then go upward again for what seemed like miles.  I’m still feeling good so find my own pace and ride to the top.  After what seems ages, James and Howard emerge and we ride on a steady pace but the climbs keep coming and our pace continues to drop until we reach Axford and the terrain flattens.  We get a reasonable pace going and start to catch riders until we have a group of around 15 – 20 riders bowling along for several miles.  This is now looking good and its easy again. 

James had been telling me on the way down about a recommendation he had picked up for curing cramp - magnesium tablets.  Having suffered previously on the Whitwell RR, James had taken the advice but unfortunately at around 40km from the finish and the start of a series of draggy climbs, James was brought to a standstill with cramp pains in his legs.  This wasn’t good but we soldered on albeit very slowly. 

Intent now was just to finish.  We stopped at what we thought was the final water station at White Hill which turned out to be a couple of good hearted folks taking pity on all these mad fools riding around in the heat.  We met up with another rider that had lost her 70 year old companion along the way and was obviously in pain from her back but having a great time none the less. 

We eventually passed the official water station a few km further on but it was unmanned and ready to be packed away – not a good sign!!!.  The final section was relatively easy (unless you had cramp!!!), a few climbs but nothing too bad, some technical descending which was fun and then the sight of James flying past in a chain gang having picked up several RedHill.com riders whilst myself and Howard were waiting further up the road.

So now I’m in race mode.   We are back in the Castle grounds with 2km to go, RedHill riders trying to lift the pace, me, Howard and James locked in.  With 1.5km to go, there was a short sharp hill.  I put a very gentle turn at the front and opened up an ever so friendly gap that I’m hoping no one has noticed and then just went for it. I got to the finish first with the clock reading 17.55.36, Howard and James close behind.  It was all over!!!! 

I was glad to have finished feeling relatively fresh given my previous experience and happy with my minor sprint victory (but it’s not a race honest!!!).  Howard and James looked relieved that it was just all over and they could finely get off their bikes.  Howard then promptly hitting the burger bar for a bacon butty – obviously part of is post ride re-fuelling strategy

The final time was around 9 hours 30 mins for just over 125 miles so roughly 13.1mph, take out around 60 mins stopped for cakes and water equates to riding average of 14.9mph – good enough for Bronze standard. 

Bear in mind we covered over 10,000ft of climbing over 125 miles on a very hot day, I’m impressed that James and Howard did so well on their first event.  Personally I’m, glad to have gotten round more consistently than I did last time – OK this time round was much slower but it was a better ride and I thoroughly enjoyed the company, the scenery and the ups and down of the other riders. 

It felt like a journey.  It had been tough and challenging but this made completing the event so much more satisfying.  For all 3 of us, this had been the furthest we had ridden ever and over some of the toughest terrain so a massive confidence boost and one I hope we can repeat next year with more riders. 

My personal stats for the ride were:
Highest HR = 169 bpm
Average HR = 121 bpm
Highest Cadence = 121 rpm
Ave Cadence 79 rpm
Calories consumed = 4261

There is another one coming up in September – The Spud Riley.  Only a 100 miles this one but similar amount of climbing in some of the most stunning parts of Derbyshire.  Not as polished or as pretty as the Highclere but in my opinion, a little bit tougher and a better riding experience.  Not for the faint hearted but guarantee you will enjoy this as much as we did the Highclere.   Be great to see folks ride this one as well.