Ullapool Beag 25th September 2010

"Sounds like a plan to me!" I heard myself saying to my mate Sue as she coerced me into doing I swore I'd never do in my life - enter a mass cycling event. I'm still not sure how she did it but on Friday 24th September I found myself in the Argyll Hotel in Ullapool halfway through a giant glass of red wine enjoying Gypsy Joe playing and almost agreeing it was a Good Idea.

What did I think of my first ever Sportive? To gain full effect, go and sit on a kitchen knife in a force 9 gale and read on dear viewer...


Hills. Lots of them. Never ending. Continuous. We have collectively decided that Ullapool is simultaneously 3000ft above and at sea level. That is the only possible explanation for the fact that we went uphill from Ullapool early on Saturday morning (with slight hangovers having been out till 11pm the previous evening) and came uphill to Ullapool on Saturday afternoon some 65.5 miles (105km to you foreign readers ;) and 7815ft (2380m) of ascent later.


I knew I could do the distance. My longest ride so far is 84 miles on my own with iirc 3000ft ascent but this was going to be double the ascent and more... in a word arghhhhhhh. Hills are ok. Like lemon meringue pies, I even enjoy them in moderation but too many can make a girl a bit queasy. However continuous hills (or lemon meringue pie) and headwind not so good. Hills, and the descending thereof, with no brakes (I'm writing a strongly worded letter to Shimano after this!!) also not good but I have now broken my downhill speed record which was, well, life affirming at the time especially considering some of the stories we heard after about people who came off descending at speed...



Professionals at work...we hadn't even left at this point..

 













Sue and I made a girly-wirly pinkie pact right at the start when her husband (who's a roadie machine) persuaded us to enter it, to cross the finish line together. She's only been road cycling for a couple months, but I swore I would not leave her behind even if it meant towing her. We also swore not to do this as a race and pile on the pressure and so stopped to take photos and stuff and admire views and passing men in lycra. Her husband Terry and his mate Ron were doing the Ullapool Mor (130 miles with 13000ft of ascent) and James (also Terrys mate) did the Beag like us (though being much faster, thinner and taller - oh yeah, and better - shot off like a thing possessed leaving us wondering if a pot of tea and a scone might be a better idea)

Pretty much as flat as it got. Can't complain about the views though..

The weather was cold but dry and had it not been for the headwind, especially coming round the backside of Stac Pollaidh, it would have been perfect cycling weather. We rode alone so none of that group riding angsty malarkey. We had no punctures and Sue's chain came off only once. The views were spectacular as you can imagine. Ullapool and Lochinver were second home(s) to me in the early noughties and it was great to be back.


Fit men in Lycra. Always good.





















HM Coastguard were the safety team and I have to say to the two who kept following us and who had obviously laid bets on whether the giggling idiots were going to finish or not ...."ner ner ne ner ner". And thank you for cheering us on up the final hill. There were a lot of great people involved and the marshalls and food-stop folk really kept the mood buoyant. Thank you to Hands On Events who organised it and every single person who helped. Especially Aunt Edith at Lochinver :)

An Teallach...sexy

We finished in 6:30:05 (me) and 6:30:09 (Sue) and it was the best feeling in the world. I know there are some of you who do this every month and for longer distances in half the time and with more ascent but I'm chuffed because in one ride I got over my fear of Getting A Shit Time in a 'race' and not giving a hoot about it and also facing major hillage.

Baosbheinn...sexy

We all went out to the Argyll again for food after showering and Martin Stephenson was playing. 4 carafes of a nice red were quaffed. I can highly recommend the Argyll Hotel for entertainment and food. Its rocks. Literally. I can also highly recommend the B&B we stayed at but I'm not telling you where that is in case you steal our room sometime :)

Slioch - the sexiest of them all





Coming up the hill from Inverkirkaig

I can also highly recommend Sportives if you haven't done one yet. Now if you're like I was a week ago - sitting there thinking "yeah right matey" - just do me a favour and sign up anyway. You will feel a bit sick, your stomach will turn inside out, you will wish death upon whoever convinced you to enter but you will not be disappointed.

Gairloch

Came home today via Laide and Gairloch, the sun splitting the sky, the mountains all pointy and sexy and had it not been for my crushing hangover ........

Ah well, roll on April and the start of the 2011 Hands On sportive season :)

6hrs 30 later (or 4:37 for the taller lankier ones..)...tired but reeeeallly happy!