On Saturday 21st June Rosie set off with 9 cycle club friends (Bia Cycle Club) to attempt to beat the sun. Starting from Minster on the Isle of Sheppey as the sun rose at 04.40am and riding 205miles (330km) across England to Weston super Mare in Somerset before the sun set at 9.40pm.
Part of an organised event of 1038 riders, Rosie undertook a 16 week training plan starting in March involving an increasing number of miles on the bike every week, rising to 180 miles a week at the peak. She regularly took part in local Audax events covering up to 200km in a day. Here is her account of the day:
The start line was very busy on the day and we crossed the line at just after 5am on one of the hottest days of the year. Temperatures were due to hit 32 degrees. We were riding supported by 2 partners of our team and prearranged stops were planned, to fill water, toilet breaks, refill food supplies and to stretch. These stops were for no more than 10 mins allowing 30 mins at Bramley for lunch. There was also 3000 metres of climbing to do.
We started off chatty and fast, but during the hillier section around Newbury, we all seemed to be struggling with the heat and the climbing, so became much quieter. Working as a team, we had to stay together as much as possible to benefit from the draft of the leaders and take our turn at the front. Mentally, it was very very tough, especially if you were at the back during a climb and losing ground. By Pewsey, a few were suffering with painful feet due to the heat and had to plunge them into cold water to relieve the pain.
Thankfully, we stayed hydrated and luckily did not suffer as some did from the sun & heat (10% of riders did not finish at all). We realised by Pewsey that we would not make it by sunset, we would miss it by approximately an hour. That was fine, to do the distance on the hottest day was an achievement in itself!
We descended Cheddar Gorge amongst an illegal car meet and experienced some very frightening close calls with cars being driven at high speed up and down the gorge, back firing, burning rubber, causing acrid smoke, and this was in the dark by this point! Once through the gorge safely, we had two more climbs before finally hitting a headwind as we did the last 3 miles into Weston arriving at the Grand Pier at 10.45pm. It was the toughest, longest ride I have ever done, but I am so proud to have kept going despite some very low points and to have made it all the way from East of England to the West in one day on a bicycle!
