British Heart Foundation (BHF) Randonee 2010
Event Report - June 26th 2010

Well I’ve completed the South Downs way in a day. 11.26 cycle time 13 hours overall, water and stops took more time than expected but given rather warm 25 degree temperatures that was understandable.

On the Friday prior to the event I drove down to Eastbourne finding the finish and getting a parking space right next to the sports hall - result. Off to the station where a total stranger walked up and asked if I was doing the ride, he was doing the 35 and wished me all the best on the hundred, he didn’t know how people could do it. I thought whilst stuffing pasta down my face on the train maybe I'm doing something rather special, mind you the other passengers may have thought otherwise as I didn’t have a fork!

5.07am, the alarm hadn’t gone off but luckily a train went by the hotel and woke me up. Into cycle gear it was the day I'd been prepping for. Picked up by my ride partner Jim we were soon at Winchester station car park bikes unloaded and a quick cycle past Alfred's tower to the BHF start at Chilcombe. Registration was over in a flash and we started pedaling up the first incline.

The riders start to split over the first few miles though its never congested and groups form, a farm Land Rover comes past kicking up loads of dust and we gain another ride partner Matt who stuck with us for the rest of the ride. The bit to QEP is considered by most to warm your legs up and it does just that.

The ride we had emailed to us went the old route to Winchester hill, but there was a surprise in that we did the new route.
This is a bumpy horrible bridleway to a set of steps just before the top followed by a really steep ascent of about 50 yards. Everyone had to dismount to do the steps so carried on up this little incline before remounting.

After Winchester hill there is a lovely descent down to the trout farm where if you have time its worth a peak at the size of some of the fish by the bridge, or even a bun or coffee from the shop if time is not of the essence. The next bit is the first hill that requires a bit of effort. Its the rooty climb to HMS Mercury, which was thankfully dry and easier to cycle up than my last damp encounter. This is followed by a fast descent down Butser and into QEP a moment of real fun once through the gate half way down.

While only two real hills have gone you are always either climbing or descending and this trend continues, but you will wish they were all as kind as the steady ascent out of QEP, which is 3/4 of a mile of gentle height gain. Matt says Morning to everyone, he says he's on a mission to make mountain bikers acceptable, and he finds if you say good morning first it tends to stop grumpy people moaning, which was true for the rest of our ride.

After Qe2 its rise and fall to cocking nothing major apart from one quite sharp incline which adds to the cumulative effect of this ride. The descent to Cocking was fast and very dusty. Cocking has a water tap, to top up water for electrolyte and a chance to shove my head under it to wash off dust and cool me down, as the heat is now starting to get up big time. The hill out of Cocking is a steady up and once again its back to the rise and fall that is the downs. Harting comes and goes luckily the route does not go up and over as that does look steep! Bignor is steep at the start then levels before continuing up, I was surprised to see some riders already opting to walk, must have been the heat.

I handle all the climbs by thinking of the major ones and ticking them off in my head as they come and go and Amberley mount is the next. To get there though you have a wickedly fast descent down to the river Arun big grin factor, where just after crossing the river we find another tap. Amberley starts with a little road work followed by a gradual climb culminating in a sharp ascent just when your legs wish for a down or level. It is possible (I climbed it last time) on 1/1 but by halfway up the mount itself, i decided with the heat and the distance to do, a walk would be better, so gave it best this time.

Next up is more undulating riding which you can actually enjoy a bit even though it will be gently sneaking energy from you body prior to the slog that is Chantonbury. This climb is around the 50 mile mark, but from Amberley to devils dyke seem to be where people have their black spots in this ride, and this was true for Jim. We missed the diversion and ended up crossing the main road before getting down the gears and up Chantonbury, its not a nice climb as the track is bumpy and rough with lots of rain gullies in the chalk. Once up on top the views make your legs forget the hill and the next bit of ridge is a pleasant cycle.

Matt had two hills on route he didn’t like and we about to meet one, the climb from the river Adur up to Truleigh hill, it doesn’t stop but the first bit is straight and boring, I just thought gore hill coming out of Amersham to Beaconsfield and it was easier. Once past the open hill climb it was just pedal on the gradual up to Truleigh.

I had incentive though Truleigh as it was our lunch stop and I had 4 mini pork pies to demolish. Unfortunately I had found I couldn’t eat the flapjacks I'd brought with me as they were too dry so I was living on energy gels alone. I tried several time to eat the flap jacks but just couldn’t, a lesson learnt but on the ride was no time to learn it. However I loved my mini pork pies and another wash underneath the water tap.

Onward to Devils Dyke and you see the finish, it’s for the 65 milers, they ask the question.... are you continuing... the answer YES, I haven’t started this to do 65 miles, I'm going to Eastbourne. There are now in my head 4 major climbs, but you have to get to them and there are some stiff short climbs during the next bit that don’t count but legs have less energy now.. Then you hit a nice stretch of chalk track the SDW but beware, the SDW sneakily turns right and drops to the A27. This junction is so easy to miss as it looks like the track goes straight. Luckily we know this and so didn’t waste energy retracing steps from Lewis!!

After the A27 you have a long haul up to the top but before that is a nasty bit in the woods I've yet to master, its only 50 metres or so but the steepness and the turns see me loosing grip and then having my 3rd and last short walk. I actually found the long haul up to the top quite nice as I had a rider in front an just sat behind not allowing the competitive side to come out, so got to the top without seeming to expend energy. The ridge riding of the next bit is..... fantastic and really enjoyable. You know 3 major hills now to Eastbourne as you drop Southease and Itford farm.

Trouble... Jim suddenly states his blisters have burst. It seems his liners have rubbed him quite literally raw on his butt (i'm a saddo and still ride with road shorts). Its 3 miles down hill to the checkpoint so we go for it, I have some melonin pads but it may need something else. At the check point Jim see FA peoples and I fill up with water. They patch his bum up with melonin pads and I say okay its time to go, so start off. Unfortunately they have changed the route and I take the new route and then wait as I see I'm not being followed. Back down and I cant see Jim so guess he's taken the old route after speaking with the Marshalls.

Once more I start Itford hill trying to catch him back. Half way up the mobile goes and he's down the bottom still so I say meet you at the top.

Itford climb is not steep just a long long grind (Matt's second dislike) but once up at the top I hop off and settle on the old Fort type thing and just listen to the sky larks while waiting for Jim and Matt. It was a special moment as most of the day I spent looking at chalk, flint, roots and grass while climbing or checking the track while descending for the line and flints - 100% concentration. I Just sat there and really enjoyed the remoteness of this hilltop until I was rejoined by Jim and Matt.

More undulations follow, for me the next hill is the one I'm not fond of and the one that I think that once done the SDW is cracked, so we drop down to Alfriston ready for the penultimate climb. At the checkpoint I gratefully accept from the marshalls some fruit pastels and I cant wait to start climbing.

From the road its a rocky rooty gully with several steps which is reasonably steep but thankfully in the shade, with a gate at the top. Once through the gate its a long chalk climb where you have to pick the line for grip and you will get battered by the Sun as it reflects off the chalk track. The track gets steeper towards the top but I know it finishes shortly after the left turn at the top. I'm determined and nail it, its the worst hill for me in my mental preparation and I've dispatched it and I'm not knackered.

For me now there is one more hill to take you into Eastbourne, its Jevington. Well yes it goes up its stony to start with, but out off all the hills and all the distance you don't really notice it. By now you can smell the finish so you just pedal.

The last few miles to Eastborne you can really let fly, finding lumps and bumps to get a bit of air and generally playing as there is nothing that’s going to stop you. Careful now there are cars sharing the roads in Eastbourne, a cheer goes up from all those waiting, I don't care I've never seen them in my life – its appreciated. Jim and I acknowledge to each other what we have done.... then we cross the finish line.

I finished but didn’t really feel elated - I just felt well that's the SDW in a day. I wasn’t sore, I wasn’t knackered, and after a shower I was clean and refreshed ready for the drive home. It was difficult still trying to eat but I worked on that with the help of a pasty!!

As a ride, what do you need to do it:

1. The desire to challenge yourself to do the ride, it is tough but it is doable.
2. You need to ride from the start without the competitive side engaged
3. Preparation you need plenty of hill work and spin up them rather than power, my prep was about right, aim for
150-250 miles a week and log it so your know, they don't all need to be off road.
4. Test your gels AND food on a real ride, I failed on the food as the bars were too dry, but pork pies were spot on.
You do need some real food at some point in the day, to break up energy gels.
5. If you want to do it in a day, then I suggest having ridden the whole route before over a longer period. You know what to expect and that really helps mentally. The bikedowns website is also useful to refresh the route in your head.
6. Get in some longer rides before hand to shake down clothing and see where your at. I found the BORS was great as it undulates, not as much as the downs but at a few weeks before it was an ideal test.
7. Learn where the water points are, we were unsure at Raleigh and some kind rider sent us past the point to the very top, climbing track already climbed is not advisable.

Would I do it again, maybe, well probably, and in a way I would like to do it on my own to get a good overall time.
Stopping for three people to fill water you can easily loose 10 minutes at each stop.

Would I suggest anyone else do it - YES - if they have the desire it is a fantastic ride and once done you will eventually realise it is an achievement, its still sinking in.


 

 

Event report written by "george" one of our regular forum members. Our thanks go out to George for supplying us the event report, and our congratulations go to him for completing such a grueling ride.


 
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