Fred Whitton registration arrived……

and a sudden feeling of dread, fear and anticipation all in one.

How is everyone else feeling???

After last year’s rather unpleasant weather experience, I’m feeling smugly pleased that I didn’t bother entering this time. But also a little bit wistful since it’s a great ride. But then again, I can always pick a pleasant summer’s day and ride the route anyway…

Brilliant day out. Have fun 🙂

Last long ride just finished, not that long at 65ish miles. Looking forward to it in a masochistic way. Fingers crossed for weather!

(Not received mine yet) What’s the craic with start times? It’d be good to get in with a quick ish group…

even though there is no statistical basis for this… we MUST be due a decent day weather-wise

What’s the craic with start times? It’d be good to get in with a quick ish group…

The fastest guys traditionally start late aka. the “8 o’clock group” from the early days when starts were in scheduled bunches instead of an open window.

A good fast group to work with makes the most difference on the Ullswater/A66/Borrowdale section (the A66 most of all, it’s awful on your own into a headwind) so I’d consider a 7.30 start, get warmed up over Kirkstone then be ready to jump on anything that comes past and expect to get dropped at Honister 🙂

And the other standard piece of advice: don’t underestimate the “back straight” over the moors from Loweswater to Gosforth, it doesn’t look like much on the profile but there’s a lot of ascent hidden there and it’s very exposed to the weather on a poor day.

good lord ……… I am looking to survive make 1st cut off point and then the second…..anything else is a bonus….. can I ask is this a race or a challenge/sportive????

My registration came through this morning. Going back up to do Hardknott and Wrynose again this Sunday then start tapering off in readiness for the big day. Interesting about what time to set off, I’m after a good time also ( would love to be around the 7hr mark, weather dependant obviously) didn’t know weather to set off early and miss all the walking traffic up the big passes or go later.

Haha, I’ve just got limited time, really need to be back home sharp ish.

Interesting about what time to set off, I’m after a good time also ( would love to be around the 7hr mark, weather dependant obviously) didn’t know weather to set off early and miss all the walking traffic up the big passes or go later.

If you can make 7hrs then you’ll be ahead of the heaviest traffic on Hardknott and Wrynose pretty much whenever you start off. The downside of an early start is you could be out on your own for much more of the time.

can I ask is this a race or a challenge/sportive????

It’s a sportive but one that attracts some seriously quick riders who are keen to go hard. On the other hand there’ll also be plenty of people just aiming to complete (and rightly take pride in it) so you won’t be out of place. Good luck 🙂

thanks given a tweak to my back just completed my first ride in two weeks, injury necessitates full suss so gonna stick out like a sore thumb ………… just aiming for the first cut off anything else is a bonus.

Descents are they that bad?

First time for me. I’ve ridden more miles and more hills this year than I ever have, and I’m lighter and fitter than I ever have been and I’m still apprehensive. I’m aiming just to finish it comfortably(?) but anything under 8 hours will be a bonus.

Descents are they that bad?

Kirkstone: Very fast and sweeping, generally good sightlines but no room for error. Someone inevitably spangs themselves badly into the wall and/or oncoming traffic every year.

Honister: Steepens rapidly over the top with badly corrugated tarmac in the braking zone for the first lefthander. You can carry a lot of speed below that if you’re confident but watch for the tight right-left over the bridge near the bottom.

Newlands: Steep but straight, warp speed off this one. The long run down the rest of the valley to Whinlatter gradually losing height is my favorite section of the whole route I think.

Whinlatter: Nice and flowy but invariably has an annoying headwind that forces you to pedal against…

Hardknott: Very steep tight hairpins on corrugated tarmac, real hanging off the back of the saddle territory. MTB handling skills pay off. Double extra care if its wet.

Wrynose: Not as technical as Hardknott but almost as steep. Lower half straightens out across the side of the valley, can let off the brakes here but launched into space if you get it wrong 🙂 and watch for the blind right-left hairpin just before you reach the farm at the bottom.

Well I did my last big ride yesterday as in 80 odd miles and 8600ft. Did both Wrynose (twice, East to West then later on West to East)and Hardknott in pretty horrible conditions so if it’s bad on the day I kinda know what to expect. I just hope all the training rides I’ve been doing for the last 4 months around the Bowland fells in the wind and rain will hold me in good stead on Sunday. If it’s not it’s to late now to do anything about it. From here on in its going to be a case of steady commutes into work and resting my legs as much as possible. Good luck to everyone else who’s mad enough to do “The Fred”

did a hard 40 miler chaingang on Saturday morning and a tempoed 80 miler today – that’s my training over apart from work commutes. happy with my fitness, but not done enough climbing.
hoping for 7.5 – 8.0 hours.
it’s the weather that’s my biggest concern, and dressing appropriately, and having to carry gear when/ if the rain stops. might just go for warm and wet rather than warm and dry.

Feeling somewhat apprehensive……….

Currently looking wet but not windy. Fingers crossed for reasonable weather…….

went over Honnister 1st time on a bike Sunday lunchtime – bloomin heck it’s hard. Appalling weather at the top; wind & rain – needed a coffee to defrost my hands before going down to Buttermere with wet carbon brake levers 🙁 Best wishes to all of you this weekend!

Did the Fred last year – I had fun but was very wet and cold at the second feed stop and had to walk Hardknott due to impending cramp (and knackeredness)

Doing it again this year I have ridden more in preparation and just ordered a cassette with a bigger big sprocket and a nice waterproof gore coat

I was in Little Langdale last week and saw a notice fixed to a gate, saying something like: “Motorists! 1,700 cyclists will be using these roads on 11 May. Please be patient!”

Oh bloody hell I’ve just seen the weather forecast for the weekend. I think a new waterproof jacket might be in order 😯 Also I’ve completely failed to book anywhere to stay on the Saturday night. Is the whole of Ambleside/Keswick/Windermere going to be booked out or do I still have a chance to avoid getting up at 4am to get there from Manchester?

plenty of campsites!

this makes for uncomfortable reading.
http://www.lakedistrictweatherline.co.uk/%5B/url%5D

good article here
http://www.castellicafe.co.uk/blog/stuff-about-castelli-on-ciao-scorpione/the-fred-whitton-challenge-dressing-for-a-sportive/%5B/url%5D

Do you want to borrow a jacket? 🙂

I was in Little Langdale last week and saw a notice fixed to a gate, saying something like: “Motorists! 1,700 cyclists will be using these roads on 11 May. Please be patient!”

Please God let this be the weekend that Andrew Frankel has chosen for a quiet getaway in Eskdale…

Do you want to borrow a jacket?

ha! I’ve been hoping up until now that my soft shell would be enough… I might take a trip to a bike shop tomorrow and buy a proper one – it’s either that or my £30 North Face mac/ bin bag.

packing up tonight and off tomorrow..back and neck injury flared up big time target is first cut off in time

so please wave at the rider on the most inappropriate bike and possibly the widest handlebars in the challenge

good luck to one and all

ps bjj andy w possibly you may have passed me in the trough…been an intresting winter for us

Don’t compromise on clothing. It’s a long day in the saddle and it’s better to overdress than risk it. A LOT of riders were caught out last year, me included, and I’ll be taking a proper waterproof jacket this time.

Look for a group to latch onto on the A66 to Keswick and through to Honister, but don’t be cheeky, take your turn on the front unless you’re spent!

Hardknott is ridiculously tough when you’re reasonably fresh but after 100 miles it is so much harder. It’s almost comically hard – I’ve managed to ride up both times but barely faster than walking on the 33% bits. Remember to smile (grimmace) for the photographer 🙂

Good luck everyone, I’ll be on the tatty Allez with full mudguards.

went over Honnister 1st time on a bike Sunday lunchtime – bloomin heck it’s hard.

Local fell runner, in his sixties set out to do Honister 100 times in a year. 136 at last check apparently.
I’ll be watching from the front window in the village at the bottom of Whinlatter. Weather not looking helpful.
Good luck all.

I’ll pop up to Winlatter pass and cheer you all on rain or shine. I’ll be on/with a red On-One singlespeed.

I like riding the passes but not disciplined enough to train enough for the Fred.

boxelder is the fell runner PB?

GLA and respect to all that complete it!

Billy B

The first riders just going through Lorton now, having done the Honister, Newlands, Whinlatter schlep.
Hardest bit to come in some ways. They look chilled and tired. Only 25 miles ’till they arrive at Hardknott……

Well it hardly rained – wahoo.
Got round in 7hr28m. Not too shabby.
Honister and Hardknott were horrible. Incredible but horrible. Especially Hardknott with cramp in my hamstrings.

7 hours for me, got to be pleased with that. Had a massive bonk at about 100 miles, head down coasting along, could barely pedal! Picked a fine one for my first 100 miler! Awesomely my Garmin decided to bonk right after me! Thought the weather was pretty decent, never felt cold and actually got a sweat on when the sun came out!

Anyone else get stuck on the field? I had to get pushed out haha! Stupid **** woman trying to get into the car park could see I was struggling in the mud desperately trying to hold momentum and get to the hard stuff but no, she couldn’t possibly stop and let me craic on.

I thought I was a goner after Hardknott/ Wynrose but after a brief spell of not being able to turn my legs I smelled the finish line and pushed on – it helped that the marshalls were saying ‘3 miles to go’ when there was 6 miles to go.
My sister got stuck in the field and had to get dragged out by a a tractor – I think there will be quite a bit of that…

Yep, probably about half! I was desperately looking for a tractor, just got home on time for the Mrs starting work!

Ah yes, the “3 mile to go” was when I bonked, when I seen the actual 3 miles to go my heart sank! Might have been OK with one more gell/banana!

Hardnott/Wynrose was just brutal! I just kept my head down and tried to keep the pedals turning, think if I’d looked up I would have sat at the side of the road in tears! The descent between ’em is bloody horrible too, first time I’ve had arm pump in my triceps(???)/on the road bike.

Lovely day, despite the forecast. Achieved my goal of no dabs on the climbs, and pleased with 8:26 given my lazy approach to training. Top organisation, bad crash on wry nose descent, poor fella was airlifted, fingers crossed for him, didn’t look well…….

first time I’ve had arm pump in my triceps

yeah that wasn’t nice. not being able to brake too hard as your arms hurt so much and not wanting to go too fast because of the corners and bumps…

bad crash on wry nose descent, poor fella was airlifted, fingers crossed for him, didn’t look well…….

saw a guy with a bloodied nose, maybe this was another one.
hard to concentrate after 100 miles and straight after the hardest climb.

Is that the one after Whinlatter? Seen a guy wrapped up lying at the side of the road, hope he’s ok and it was just a precaution.

Dobbo – Member
I’ll pop up to Winlatter pass and cheer you all on rain or shine. I’ll be on/with a red On-One singlespeed.

Saw you today, I was on a white sensa and shouted : “Are you a single tracker?”
Had a great day, well apart from coming off just before the last feed station. Front end washed out but no real damage done due to it being relatively slow speed. What did nark me though was people who wouldn’t take their turn on the front. After the descent of Kirkstone all the way to Honister there was a group of around 15 who just sat on mine and two others back wheel. The headwind on the A66 was quite bad and there was only three of us prepared to share the load 👿 pissed me right off. After the Honister climb I just pressed on on my jack jones. What did surprise me though was the standard of some of the riding. Now I’m certainly no Bradley Wiggins (I only started road biking in earnest 12 months ago) but out on the roads there wasn’t a lot of warnings (car up/back, pointing to the floor to warn of dangers ect) other than that I had a great day. Well organised, fantastic support around the course with on the whole car drivers who showed good patience to 2000 bikers on those narrow winding roads.
When I signed up for the Fred I set a time of around 7hrs so coming in at 6hrs45mins (42nd apparently) I’m over the moon 😀

News of the injured News and star website