Fred Witton Challenge

[Darryl Gunson]

Mark, Mike and me did the FWC this year. For those who don't know it, it is a hard tour of the lakeland passes with about 1000 riders. We toyed with the idea of posting a report telling all of you who missed out (or had second thoughts) what a great day you missed . However, after the ride we all agreed that it wasn't really clear who had made the right decision . It was a very hard ride . How hard? Words fail me, but here's someone - Richyboy - telling it like it was . Hilarious if not for the fact that we were there :

 

Fred Whitton 2008 - Sahara Conditions

15/05/2008

 

Driving from Kendal to the start of the FWC at Coniston Sports Centre I was really surprised to see some lads were already starting the ascent of Kirkstone Pass, this was at 6.45am! Looks like folk are starting earlier every year! In hindsight this was a fairly wise move, it was already reading 17 degrees C on my Car Temp Display and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky and not even a whimper of wind. All this at 6.45am in the UK??? - a real rarity.

We got our bikes sorted out and registered our numbers then prepared ourselves for our date with Hell. Me and my 2 good mates (Stu and Dave) were gathered at the gate entry to the Sports Centre at 7.30am. We had our dibbers ‘bleeped’ and off we went. Earlier discussions had already confirmed that we 3 were going to be sensible with the pacing, a very steady effort throughout the entire day; we had already banked on good weather so I had already covered myself with Sports Factor 50. Wise move!

Last year I had ridden around with Stu and when we were approaching Hardknott I started humming the Star Wars theme to really get the daunting feelings going. Tthis year when we were approaching Hawkshead Stu started to whistle the Theme…and we still had 100miles before we hit the bloody thing. However it does show what’s in the mind from the off with this event!

We hit Hawkshead and I always think this is important as it shows straight away how the form is. Hawkshead is not an easy climb…it's manageable in the middle 39/42 front ring but it still kicks up steeply at bits. Anyhow I was feeling well Ok and Stu and Dave were dancing here as well, not too many on the climb when we hit it, much busier last year, up and over this and onto the real fast descent into Ambleside then around the one-way system there heading for Windermere. Just before we take the left at Holbeck Lane and the start of the Kirkstone Pass Climb, immediate drop to Granny and 3rd on rear, 30x 21, I think. This kicks up sharply to start with then it levels a bit before kicking up rather steeply to Troutbeck. I could have pushed up in the 39 front ring but no way was I wasting one ounce of energy at this early stage! Dropped down steeply onto the A592 and the main drag up to the Kirkstone Pass. There’s a section here that says 16% and I again dropped to 30x21 for this small section then kicked it back to 39x27 for the rest of the climb. This was taken at a nice pace and not much passed us by. The place was gorgeous…very little cars…no wind…not too hot (yet)…feeling strong…oh yes, this is what cycling’s about! Heard a few lads behind us saying it was there first time in the Lakes and couldn’t believe they were already in bottom gear, I was fairly alarmed at that I must say, I was in 39x27 and feeling comfortable but I knew my 30x27 was the mother gear on this ride and was the gear to get me through! We topped out here and then had a fantastic traffic-free fall off the fastest descent in all the Lakes…what a speed!…we regathered around Brothers Water then headed around Ullswater…off passed Glenridden and Patterdale…I must admit I don’t like this section of road. Reason? - I just don’t! Took a left (then a non-hiding peestop) then onto the climb of Matterdale End. This was also taken with the 39x27 but it is deceptively steeper than you think and I always feel the start of this is steeper than Kirkstone. About 1km up I heard Stuboy shouting to a guy standing by the road; turns out it was his mate from work and he had brought Water etc with him. Great! I was well worried about the 50miles in heat before the first feed so I thanked him big time for filling one of my bottles up - superb!

Off again and soon afterwards this climb starts to relent then all off a sudden you’re in ‘great cycling’ spirits again…up through lovely countryside and small hamlets. Us 3 were cruising up here…all in good spirits. It's got a great descent before the rise to the A66 and Stuboy flew passed me on the descent and I though he was gonna get it with a oncoming car…that man just likes to descend FAST….up the rise to the A66 with the sound of the lass with the Cow Bells and other well wishers – great stuff! Onto the A66 section, not much chance of group formation here, there weren’t as many people on it as last year so we 3 headed along at speed. I was feeling strong and was pounding the gear but Stuboy chastised me and remembered me “ Nice and steady bigmanâ€. I agreed I was getting carried away, so we did a good run down here, which is just as well as it’s the most horrid part of the entire route…I HATE it….huge big cats eyes (which my bro found out all too soon are dangerous) and massive artics flying past you…oh, I really hate this part. Anyhow after an eternity we came to the Roundabout which signalled the turn-off into Keswick…glad we were off the A66! Into Keswick and usual madness with cyclists / cars / traffic lights, etc then off around Derwent Water…

We had just got out of Keswick when I heard “alright Big Richy?†- turns out it was Ashley Crozier(ASH68), I’d ridden with him on the Ryedale Rumble Reccie and also a FWC Reccie only 3 weeks beforehand…real nice lad…had a wee blether…but we were approaching Seatoller and I just knew I wouldn’t see him after that, so I bid farewell to Ash as the 3 amigos pulled in to do our final ‘nervous pee’ before the oncoming trauma - and this was going to be even worse than normal due to the incredible temperature that was building up in the valleys. The sun was now out in full glory and it was stifling hot for the time of day.

Me/Stu and Dave are no stranger to Honister Pass but it still gets the sphincter going and is a horrific climb IMO (2nd toughest on the FWC). Into the small white village and onto the immediate 20% slope onto the pass proper – SOS, 30x27 engaged, now to test the motor! Dave and Stu were just in front of me and we were already in that ‘steep pedalling mode’, turned the corner for a slight relent –18%? I took it fairly gingerly here as I know it goes up like an elevator before long. I saw the start of the really steep sustained ramp which goes all the way to the cattle-grid. I could see through gaps in the trees the lines of riders/pushers going straight on up! And it was crazy to see, as it really outlined the road and showed how fantastically steep this mother really is. It was nice being in the trees for the shade but it was so still and the heat was still there, my legs barked in defiance at the gradient and I was in my usual steady steep mode. It really is a killer section here, there’s not much steeper but as you can see the whole steep road in front it can mentally hurt. I clambered myself to the cattle-grid and felt huge relief in the drop in the savage gradient. I must have been feeling not too bad as I immediately hopped into a bigger gear (30x21), Stu and Dave had taken a fair bit of time out of me here and were around 100 meters up.

The heat had started to become unbearable and this where I really started to see the effects of this unusual weather system! I hauled myself along the flatter section and got myself prepared for the last 20% drag to the summit - wasn’t looking forward to this but it turned out to be not too bad at all. I regrouped with Stu/Dave at the top and we started the most deadly descent in all the Lakes/ We all knew the score here and were very careful. No matter how many times I descend this it always shocks me the way it just drops off - scary steep! You can get some speed here if not careful and then out the blue you hit a sharp right turn over a Bridge which has caught a good few out over the years.

We descended and rolled our way to the first feed at Buttermere. We were happy with our pace and all 3 of us were feeling good…so far so good! At the feed I headed straight for the water cart. I got both my bottles topped up and immediately I drank one straight down – the whole lot. I was getting very concerned about the heat that was building and knew to take advantage here. I had many flapjacks and morning bars - no bananas on offer which was a pity - also put some flapjacks/bars in beside my Torq Bars/gels which I had brought along. I knew from here to the second feed was going to be an event in these conditions so I stocked accordingly.

Off we set with 2 heavy water bottles for the IMMEDIATE slopes of Newlands Pass, take a right and bang - 18% gradient, 30x27 again, steady pull up here, the body shocked at going from eating/drinking to severe effort…upwards this mother goes but after the gradients of Honister it doesn’t feel TOO bad. It then levels and your faced with a gorgeous panorama, but it was very hazy and heat was incredible. It was hardly noon and it was already a furnace. So many were suffering on this climb... seen so many walkers... much more then last year... the heat was taking victims. The climb after the flattening then heads for the summit in the usual Lake District uncompromising manner - straight on up! Hard and relentless this section is, I’d say always kicking around 15-20%. I was steady here, feeling not too bad at all. Stu and Dave were just behind me…I knew this with the heavy breathing;-) It's one sore haul this and make no mistake it's one of the tougher climbs on the Challenge, and for the ‘cherry on the cake’ it kicks to 25% round a sharp switchback to the summit. Stuboy came past me here but we all virtually summited together! Dave looked in good shape (he never moans), Stu just hates Newlands directly after the feed, last year this is where he started to Bonk and I knew it was in his mind…he told me he didn’t feel too good on it again and thinks his body doesn’t cope well with feed stop and then such a sudden effort. I know many riders like this but I seem to cope with this Ok. I seem to feel stronger after a rest and fuel-up. We dropped very steeply off this and it was great to feel all the buckets of sweat cooling us right off with the speed and believe me, this is the only time I felt any wind when going above 20mph, apart from that it was one big muggy humid oven.

After a bit of bobbing and weaving we entered into Braithwaite, sharp left then straight onto the cooler shaded forest climb of Whinlatter Pass. I think every year this climb gets steeper! It's not a steady ‘alpine’ climb as described, it start off very steeply ~ 16%…and goes on for a fair bit, it then relents but there’s a middle section that must be 18% for ages. I was in 30x25 here, and the devastation we witnessed was incredible, many, many lads struggling to get the smallest gear round! Real suffering! The heat was taking this event to a different level entirely. I was feeling good here but I’m bloody glad as that climb’s really hard, it's got many sustained steep sections and it goes on for ages. We turned a corner and I could see the last steepish ramp to the top where crowds of well-wishers were gathered. Felt good here but I still needed my 30x25 for this last ramp, and I was out of the saddle! Many good words of encouragement here from many spectators and the usual cowbell ringing again…so nice!

We started the descent of this and it wasn’t before long that we were back in the full blaze of the burning ball in the sky. Jesus, it was getting scary! We started the West Coast part of the ride and was I not looking forward to getting to Cold Fell for that ‘permanent’ breeze off the Irish Sea, but it was 20-odd miles before I got there! I really like this part of the ride, beautiful and very traffic free. It’s the unspoken part of the Challenge but believe me it's jam packed with sharp rise and falls.

We were still feeling Ok and our plan of steady pacing was reaping rewards, I knew I was way stronger than tons of other riders and it was comforting as all through the ride up till now Stu was whistling the bloody Star Wars theme, and I just couldn’t get Hardknott out my head. I honestly feel that bloody climb forbid me from fully enjoying myself through the entire first 100 miles.

We started the climb of Fangs. This is signalled with a long steep (18%) straight, you then turn a corner and it just goes straight on up even steeper for quite sometime, 30x25 for this part. I was feeling very comfortable but this reduced many riders to their feet, and I thought to myself “If this is what's happening at 70-odd miles what’s going to happen at 100 miles on Hardknott, and then Wrynose?†I pushed up here and Stu and Dave were not far behind.. Stu had a game plan and that was ‘steady’ and no pacing from anyone else was going to budge him – clever! We really worked well together and were always looking out for one another, and I reckon that’s a smart way to tackle this ‘most difficult’ challenge, it makes it more bearable and comforting.

I cannot describe the temperature in words or phrases…It would burn a hole through you, and it was still getting hotter! We skirted over the lovely fell roads which Fangs turns into and then dropped steeply onto the straight roads to Ennerdale Bridge. Immediate left in Ennerdale for the climb of Coldfell - at last I would get a cooling breeze! We sawn the line of riders/walkers heading straight on up. It's fairly steep this climb to start off and I was back in my 30x25 for the steady steep drag up to the small wooded section, I took a bit of time out of Dave/Stu here but like I say no one was going to get paced too fast. I then dinked into my lowest gear 30x27 for the little steep 20% section up to the cattle grid. You’re then on a shallower Fell Road. Got a bit speed here but there's still one steep section before it fully relents. This climb was killing guys. I even tried to talk with some “Nice Bike. Where are you from? Do you like the route?†etc, but I swear some were just so destroyed that they didn’t even answer. It was as if someone had loaded some with tranquillisers then put them on a bike and they just wandered onto the course. Zombies!

I seen guys who had phoned their girls etc and were throwing their bikes into the backs of cars. If ever ‘carnage’ should be used it was here on the 2008 FWC - it typified the meaning of the word!

Not long before the big easy drag up to the top of Coldfell….but where was the cooling permanent wind? I’ll tell you where – NOWHERE!…it was absolutely scorching without even a whimper of a breeze…this is near unheard-of…I was so glad I had drank so much at the first feed…I was now nearly out of water but I’d been sipping constantly, as well as eating constantly. There was a very thoughtful lady handing out water-bottles at the top of Coldfell and Stu and Dave took one. I never as I knew it was only really a descent down to the second feed at Calder Bridge, but I did end up sharing a bottle with my mate Stu - more water = more sense! We descended very quickly off this (through dangerous hairpins etc) and not before long we were at the second feed. Again I just drank gallons of water/orange diluting juice, stuffed my face with sausage rolls (nice change). More flapjacks (I was starting to struggle with these due to the amount I’d been eating), and alas bananas! Went to do a pee in the toilets there and there were many guys running the cold tap over their heads - I understood big time. But I had other things on my mind now…all what was racing through my head was…oh no, only 10miles until Hardknott! And even though I felt very strong I knew this was going to be rather special in this ever-increasing heat!

I had been sharing my ZYM tablets with Stu/Dave - supposed to ward off cramps - dissolved them in the water/orange juice, started the emotionless ride out of Calder Bridge heading for Gosforth, up that long slow drag on the main road before the descent into Gosforth, straight through Gosforth for the Death March. But the Death March took on a new meaning - I'm pig bloody sick of feeling so scared - we were dreading the ascent of Badboy since Matterdale. Irton Pike was taken easily, but it destroyed most riders I saw. After this it just gets personal doesn't it? Stu started putting on the anchors and mentally preparing himself. Dave stayed with Stu, but I just headed on at my pace. I was totally sh*ttin it. Even though I'd did a clever ride that stretch of road mentally kills you. Only one guy passed me there in the full 6 miles. I saw the phone box, looked up and not one (NOT BLOODY ONE GUY) on his bike!!!!! Just went for it... Well, I cannot put my experience into words, it was desperate... however I had strength and I clambered from one passing place to the next. and the lads pushing (around 80 on the first section alone) were so encouraging towards me, so many phrases of " F*ck me... on you go", "Great Effort", "Make way for this hardened soul"... all I could do was grunt in reply. The effort required for me to haul myself up that first absolutely dreadful section was disgraceful. Got to the 'flatter section', this was even worse than the first steep section, I swear it!. It was a furnace. God knows what temp it was, I was nearly shaking, emptied half a bottle of sticky juice over my head! Looked up and saw what was coming, started to have moments where I didn’t know where I was or what I was doing. Crazy! The self-doubts were on red alert, I was entering unknown territory, reaching reserve levels which should only be used in life or death circumstances. A car had bumped on the chicane at the start of the second mega-steep section. I had to take the inside lane, f*ck me that must be 45%, my legs near caved in with cramping. I managed round to the sharp right bend onto the steep 35% ramp, made it up that no problem! Then the last 2 ramps to the top were achieved more on 'home beaconing' than anything else, even the last gentle ramps to the top were desperate. At the top I just had a few minutes to myself. I got my photo taken at the top punching the air but deep inside I wasn’t Jubilant at the success, I was disgusted! Too hard. I also had a feeling of 'enough!' Stu crawled his way up a few minutes later and I asked him if he got up. Stu-boy hadn’t the energy to reply, the fella just slumped off his bike against the rock face and couldn’t even talk to me for 2 or 3 mins. First thing he said "F*ck this Rich, that’s just out of order, hardest climb I've ever did, never been to the places I've ventured climbing that!", "I'm not doing this sh*te for a while now, bloody Hardknott. I've had enough of that climb and the FWC". Why was it we both felt the same even though we got up? Stu said "Rich, I was watching you on the climb and if you had got off I was getting off, I was actually wanting you to get off but you just kept going and going, then up the b*stard section, then off you went for the top and I just thought - Oh no, I'm going to have to do this as well." Dave had cramps on the start of the second steep section and the poor fella was forced to a standstill. Me/Stu were the only 2 to make it on the climb when we experienced it. Dave arrived around 5 mins later and he was disappointed to have gotten cramps, he wanted to clean the climb but it was made just impossible with cramping.

We descended off that, ambulance ushering someone away at the bottom. At Cockley Beck I felt strong, started the gentle rise onto Wrynose, 39 front ring, no problem - UNTIL a tightening in my right inner thigh, cramp, then left, then front thighs, then calves... Oh my God! Had to stop. Dave stopped with me (Stu was trying to bathe in the stream at this point;-). Dave took massive cramps and fell off his bike, we had to take the bike from underneath the poor fella, recovered after 10 mins then whipped up Wrynose easily? descended very carefully off this and Stu's chain link snapped! (shows what Hardknott and Wrynose do to a chain). At Fellfoot we repaired the chain then got dully soaked with the thunderstorm, and I didn’t give a jot about the lightning, in fact we all laughed and said â€that'll be the icing on the cake... getting struck with lightning†I hate to think what would have happened if I'd went out too fast and then hit Hardknott? The rain had made the roads very slippery but it was a welcome relief to get a good ol’ soaking after our expedition round the Sahara Desert.

We made the last ‘most unwanted’ climb up to Colwith Brow, then after a right turn we dragged on upwards for what seems a very long time before the final downhill section back to the finish at Coniston. Back at last! Time = 8.56. Goal managed for Me and Stu – no stopping or walking on any of the climbs.

It's as simple as this for me - the FWC is the toughest bugger out. With hot weather it entered into Continental category difficulty. 1 month ago I was cycling in snow/sleet with full winter gear on, last week was the first time I did a big run with shorts on, and then today we get 80 degrees/97% Humidity, calm full scorchio. Too much on the system to take. I'll defo be given it a bye for a while, and a year will not change my mind. It's too hard too early in the year, maybe once every 3 years would be Ok, but not every year. Stu and Dave want to do the Ryedale Rumble next year, and the White Rose in a month will be brilliant, and at least with that one I'll be able to enjoy myself, no f*ckin Hardknott waiting to destroy the inner core of my soul at the end!

Legendary event, Superb Organisation, brilliantly sign-posted this year, I was on great form for 95% of the entire run and we had all rode cleverly but the ascent of the incredible Hardknott Pass made this the toughest day ever in the saddle for me, how can one climb change so much? Long live the FWC!, just I’ll live without it for a bit!

[duncan thomson]

err, it was a bit hot then

 

sounds very hard, well done all finishers

 

duncan

[Frank]

Now that does sound like a day to remember - or forget!

 

Seriously, the FWC sounds so difficult that I'm happy with my decision not to enter it . So congratulations to Darryl, Mark and Mike for getting through the day relatively unscathed (okay, maybe mentally scarred) and conquering the beast .

 

Superb effort guys.

 

Frank

[P McDonald]

Wal

 

And you did this voluntarily ??

 

well done guys, sounds epic

 

PMcD