Race Report: Hell of the Ashdown 2012 (100km route)

I had a certain amount of trepidation going into this sportive. As I said previously I had a bad experience in 2010 with this course, and because of that I've always had demons to clear.

I signed up in November last year when entries opened - my friend Chris signed up too, and we secured the same start time of 09:02am. There are two route options, a "100km" route (actually 106km), and a "50km" route (actually 53km) called "Devil's de Tour". Chris and I signed up for the 100km version, and Mrs fancied taking on the challenge too and, seeing as this was her first organised bike event, she opted for the 50km route (her race report is here on www.totkat.org). A good plan - Chris had done the same thing last year.

My car is "in the shop" and so I have an enormous Audi A4 Avant of boat-like proportions for the week as a loaner car. It swallowed the bikes and associated kit like they were a small snack.

You could ship freight containers in this thing - I love it!

We signed in and relaxed with a cup of tea ahead of our start time. 9:02am came and, after a quick commemorative photo, we set off.

Chris (L) overloading the CCD with his jacket and me (R) posing ahead of the "Hell"

Chris and I had agreed before hand that we weren't going to race each other, we'd play it by ear and if one of us naturally pulled away we'd just roll with it.

Right at the start there's a massive hill - don't let it knock your confidence, it's short and sharp and soon over, then it's into the ride proper. I was a little restricted on the flat and downhill due to having a faulty front mech - I couldn't move onto the big ring at all, nor could I use the smallest cog on the cassette. I knew previously that I had been having some gearing problems, but thankfully, it being more about the uphills than the fast rolling flats, I wasn't too crippled.

First lesson: Always check your equipment well in advance of the event.

The first 30km flew past, and we made it to the first of the two feed stations in what felt like no time. There were two climbs I remembered from both years as being Big Climbs that Deserved Respect - the first was encouragingly named "The Wall", and came just after the stop. It's quite distinctive as you round the corner at the bottom and see it stretching up ahead of you into the sky. On the climbs, Chris was pulling away from me - he had a wider ranged cassette so he could stay sat down and plug away keeping a good cadence while I ran out of gears and needed to get out of the saddle a bit more. I caught up over the brows of the hills though, so we ended up staying together the whole way round.

The first feed stop

Second lesson: Think about the gearing you will need in advance, and make sure you've selected a cassette with an appropriate range (and appropriate chainrings to match).

The Wall, despite its imposing name, wasn't the mountain I remember. I felt quite good on the way up, and had plenty of energy left for the shallower climb that ran on from the top of the steep section - overtaking a dozen or two other riders on the way and catching back up with Chris.

It was disappointing not to have the high gears I needed to really take advantage of the rolling ups and downs, but with some occasionally comedic high cadence moments I don't think it held us up too much. I flew up the hill I remember walking up near to tears two years previously, and we made it to the second feed station in high spirits.

I knew it had taken around an hour and a quarter the last two years from the second feed station to the finish, and there was only the mighty "Star Hill" between us and completion. Again, I had this obstacle pretty much the size of Everest in my head, and was amazed that I just dug in and rode up it. I put in a couple of higher cadence out of the saddle moments, but most of the rise was sat down, plugging away, and overtaking people. What a different experience to the last two years!

Spot the comedy cadence and rest stops

It was a bit lumpy

We finished and rode over the timing mat at precisely the same time in order to get an equal time - though it transpires that Chris must have crossed the start mat a second behind me, as he ended up one second quicker! Bah!

I finished 369th out of 956, one place behind Chris, in a time of 4:37:31 - absolutely smashing my 2011 time of 5:23:27 (a 46:56 improvement) and 5 hour target. My secondary objective was to break into the middle third of finishers - as it was I was 39% down the field, so very nearly made it into the top third!

Obligatory finishers picture with Chris (I'm not sure why he was pulling a funny face!)

I'm really very happy about the result, even my most positive estimate put me at 4:45:00 - and I know with a bit less hanging around at the feed stations and having all my gears to hand (or foot) I could knock another few minutes off the time. So I think next year's challenge is to break 4 hours.

My bottle full of gels was an interesting experiment. I didn't get sick of the taste at all, but the liquid was a bit too viscous to eat easily through the bottle nozzle. With a bit of adjustment I think it could be a winning formula though, and certainly an order of magnitude easier than fiddling with individually wrapped gels.

I was particularly pleased about my heart rate - the majority of the time was spent in Zone 1, with 55 minutes in zone 2, and just under 7 in Zone 3. This means for the most part I was well under my functional threshold which means I have more "in the tank" to commit without crossing over into a level I couldn't sustain for an endurance event. This is what endurance training has given me, and proves that I am building a good aerobic base. There's a lot more work to do, but - just like my recent 5km PB - it's a great motivator to see real results-based evidence.

HR plot - lots of Zone 1 (under 152bpm), this is a good thing

Mrs had also done amazingly, and smashed her target with an amazing 02:26:14 finish. She was second female (the margin was under 2 minutes - she's blaming chatting at the feed station for that!), and beat most of the blokes too, coming a stonking 4th overall! Check out her position in the results table here.

My Garmin plot for the event is here.

Finish picture with a squeeeeee-ing Mrs

I got some odd looks when upon finishing I ran into the cafeteria, changed my shoes, and ran out! The 15 minute run I'd been advised to tack on the end was a real eye-opener. I remember the leaden legs I had at the Thames Turbo races last year, I had no experience of running off the bike at all. I'd by lying if I said that my legs were feeling fresh as I ran out - but certainly the long runs and brick sessions had helped. I kept cadence high and form good (and pretty much sweated to death due to running in bib-tights and two tops on the hottest day of the year so far).

A few of my favourite photos from the event, taken en route by Sportivephoto Limited.

Event photos, a couple with Chris, and one with a cheery wave for the camera

Am now very happy, no longer scared of the Big Hills, and actively looking forward to next year and the sub-4 hour challenge!

Official documentation!

Thank you Catford CC for a wonderful event, friendly and welcoming atmosphere, and brilliant marshals.

The first event on the 2012 race calendar

Tomorrow is the first event of the year, "Hell of the Ashdown" organised by Catford Cycling Club. A choice of 55km or 110km sportive in and around the Ashdown forest (in, around, and crucially up and down). It's all about the hills.

For the revised 2012 route there are 8 major climbs on the 110km route. Taken from their website:

1. Cudham Test Hill – New in 2009, this literally gives a short sharp shock in the first mile or so. Don’t worry if you have to walk the 1 in 4 stretch at the top because in any case we ask you to dismount to turn right at the T junction.
2. Toys Hill – You'll need to settle in for this 2 mile steady grind.
3. Up to Mark Beech – A new one for 2012
4. Forest Row to Ashdown Forest Heights - Another 2 mile steady slog up the same escarpment as the Wall
5. "The Wall" - This daunting climb was considered so hard that the Tour de France gave it a miss when the stage went over the Ashdown in 1994. On the Ordinance Survey map it’s steep enough to warrant a 'chevron' on two stretches. Although Kidds Hill is 1.5 miles long you will climb for a total of 2.5 miles to the summit of the Ashdown Forest at King's Standing.
6. "Nouvelle Col de Groombridge" - A new addition to the HOTA which we have just discovered. This narrow lane soars skywards seemingly forever.
7. Bayley's Hill – New in 2009 it replaces Ide Hill. We are not surprised if you've never heard of it because it's wisely shunned by those in the know. The quite lane starts on the low levels of the Weald of Kent and arduously toils up for about 2.5 miles, easy at first but it gets steeper until it rears up to crest the North Down’s Greensand Ridge.
8. Star Hill – 'The sting in the tail'. This is the one everybody talks about as it is a vicious climb coming towards the end of a gruelling ride.

I'm excited about this event. It's the first "proper" event since I've started the Ironman training. I definitely feel fitter and faster, and so I'm intrigued to see what difference that makes on the clock.

I've entered the 110km route in the last two years. It used to be held on the last Sunday in January to make it a real winter test, but the bitterly cold and icy days they had in 2009 and 2010 meant that from 2011 it was moved to the last Sunday in February. I can definitely agree that 2010 was a true winter day of near Arctic proportions!

In 2010 I had my only real experience of "bonking" (the cycling equivalent of "hitting the wall") - I ran completely dry - it was one of the most horrible experiences I've ever had. I couldn't get up any hills (even a slight rise) and was so weak that I couldn't keep the bike going in a straight line on the down hills. This kicked in after about 5 hours in the saddle. I sat in a car park by the side of the road and gave up. Tried to call Mrs (or Miss, as she was then), but there was no reception. I felt sorry for myself for a while and realised that if I didn't get my arse into gear I was going to be stuck in the car park for the rest of my life.

After hauling myself up, I was amazed to find the next feed station literally (and I mean literally) around the next corner. I stocked up on hot sweet coffee and the wonder that is Mule Bar, and rode the final hour to the finish. I learned a lot that day, I've never been on empty before, or since, and I never want to repeat the experience.

In 2011 I had a pocket full of Power Bar products so I could fuel on the bike (or by the road) and performed much better. I also stopped at the first feed station (I hadn't done in 2010, a really stupid and junior mistake, and the primary reason for my energy depletion later).

This time, I'm trying an idea for Ironamn fuelling - to put a load of liquid gels into a drinks bottle. You need to use thin liquid ones like the Science in Sport ones below, or the High5 IsoGel, otherwise the mixture is too thick to get through the nozzle.

Save time, pocket space, and stickiness!

There's nothing fiddlier whilst cycling than trying to extract a gel from your pocket, unwrap it, and consume it without dropping any rubbish. This could save a huge amount of time in an Ironman race, so it's a good opportunity to try it out.

12 gels fit, almost to the from

The bottle feels oddly heavy, and I'm pretty sure it's going to be very weird "drinking" the gels, but let's see how it turns out.

Heavy duty bag, perfect for car boot protection

We also took advantage of a good accessories sale at Evans and picked up a couple of soft bike bags - total bargain at about £35 each - 10% off total for two items, with 15% off if you buy 3 items, so we got two of these and a £1.99 water bottle. A bargain for saving the interior of the car!

This was the last two years' performance:

This year, I'd like to get sub-5 hours, but there is a different route so let's see what happens. Finishing in the bottom fifth (80th percentile or below) is a pretty poor show too, I'd like to be in the middle third (33-66%), but there are some kick-arse cyclists that do this every year, so let's just see how it goes.

Oh, and just to make it fun (and more Ironman relevant), I'm tack ing a 15-minute run onto the end as soon as I finish!

So that's it, all ready for the morning. I'll let you know what happens...

New Year's Day parkrun Quintathlon

I've become a bit of a parkrun fanboy of late.

I signed up way back in 2009 I think, but it took far too long before I ran my first (I so wish I'd done that sooner) - in fact, I was in the US on business and my Mrs got bored and went and signed up and ran one. Well after that I had no excuse.

My first run was Wimbledon Common, my home run, on April 24th 2011. Then, I was up north visiting my Dad. I'd just picked up a new car and fancied a drive. A trip over to Hull seemed like a good idea, so I thought I'd take in Hull parkrun. And lo, my parkrun tourism career was born. I decided a good challenge for 2011was to be on the "most events" board - you need a minimum of 10 different courses to get on the list. Just about crept in by completing Richmond Park on New Year's Eve (including a flat out sprint in the last 50m with a lady I'd been battling for 3km - one of my most memorable races!).

So what next? There's been a lot of discussion lately about parkrunning on New Year's Day, kicked off by Danny Norman and the Marathon Talk team (Tom Williams and Martin Yelling) on The parkrun Show. The challenge was the triple run of Bushy Park starting at 9am, Nonsuch Park starting at 10am, and Riddlesdown Park starting at 11am. The conversation crossed over to Facebook, and became a frequent topic of discussion in my house. 3 park runs; 3 hours. You're on.

I thought a nice addition would be to make it more "spirito di parkrun" by cycling between the stages. Me and Mrs set off for a reconnaissance mission last Tuesday. Cycled to Bushy Park from home, then rode from there to Nonsuch Park (36 minutes) and on to Riddlesdown (another 36 minutes). The traffic was absolutely terrible, and we weren't really going for it - so I reckoned you could tick them both off in 30 minutes on much quieter roads, leaving the other 30 for the 5km run plus shoe change, bike unlock, etc.

The day would really be 5x 30mins effort. Run, cycle, run, cycle, run. The ride to Bushy Park to start, and home form Riddlesdown are not time bound, and so don't count.

Full of Porridge and a bit nervous (today definitely felt like race-day) we set off for a gentle ride to Bushy Park (11.8km, 34 minutes, 270 calories), locked the bikes near the finishing chute to minimise extra walking, and set off for the start.

parkrun #1, Bushy Park, 23:57

An accidental event PB for Bushy Park to kick off the day. We started on the dot of 9am thankfully, and I tried to take a solid stable pace. Set off a little fast and consciously slowed down during the second km to a steady pace. I let myself get overtaken and didn't try to catch anyone's heels - today was not a day for the red mist to descend. I lost the Mrs within the first 50m, a casualty of my overzealous start!

I finished, got bipped, and followed my transition drill. Jumper on, change shoes, helmet on, a quick gel, unlock bike, lock in bag, bag on back, gloves on, set off. Rode quickly, but not flat out, to Nonsuch Park. The route was quiet and fast, uneventful apart from an annoying headwind that kicked in after crossing the A3. I got to the Park at 9:54 and quickly transitioned again, and jogged down to the start. After a race briefing (enough already, let's get started!) we set off at a couple of minutes after 10.

parkrun #2, Nonsuch Park, 25:45

A slower run here - mainly due to the muddiness of the course. I last ran Nonsuch on their first event back in September, it was a lot drier back then. I tried to make good time, but was feeling it in my legs. Maybe the sprint finish at Richmond yesterday hadn't been such a great idea!

I finally finished, had another quick transition, and set off to Riddlesdown. By my watch I was leaving at gone 10:30 - it was going to be a mission. The route to Riddlesdown is hillier than that from Bushy and I could really feel it in my legs. I tried to save something for the end but was very aware of the ticking clock.

When we tried out the route we went to the wrong bit of the park. I revised the right route last night, and so that was the only unknown bit. I hadn't catered for it being 5km longer and having a 14% incline at the end! Eventually I arrived at Riddlesdown Park, it was 11:18...

parkrun #3, Riddlesdown Park, 31:12

I threw my bike down, dumped all my stuff on it, and asked some nice volunteers in a tent where the start was. Riddlesdown Park is the only one of the three I haven't done before. They pointed over a field and said the event was starting late - I may be in with a chance! As I summoned all my strength to run to the start I passed groups of people, all shouted encouragement - and in the distance I could see a stream of runners heading over another field - I'd missed the start! I ran on over anyway, being directed by marshals, ran right through the start gate, and onto the course - I'd made it, I was on my third parkrun. OK, so there was nothing in front of me but an empty field and a tiny marshal in the distance, but I was off! By my reckoning I missed the start by about 5 minutes, so I set about trying to catch the pack.

If I thought Nonsuch was muddy, I'd seen nothing yet - this course was unbelievable! Really challenging under-foot, and good fun though. I caught the tail enders after about 2km, and by the finish had worked my way to 143rd out of 176 runners. I estimate my actual time was about 26 minutes, but given my tardiness at the start I can only claim a 31:12.

Today's parkrun quintathlon took 2:46:31, I covered 46.45km (15km running, the rest cycle transfers), and I burned a monumental 2,403 calories that I will very much enjoy replacing with left-over Christmas foods and a juicy roast pork belly for dinner.

Me and the Mrs took refuge at a nearby pub for a (non-alcoholic) drink, mars bar, chips, and parkrun cake...! We trundled home (19.4km, 50 minutes, 433 calories) in the heaving rain, and got in at just gone 2pm, absolutely soaked to the skin.

So what the hell has all this got to do with Ironman and my goals for 2012?

Running is mentally and physically my weakest discipline of the three. Historically I have been injury-prone, found it hard to progress, and generally not enjoyed it. The parkrun events have helped me to love running, strive to improve, and the freely available in-depth stats appeal to my OCD side (I log absolutely everything!). It's amazingly inclusive, pays no attention to your absolute ability, but encourages you to push your own boundaries challenge your preconceptions. Since I started I've knocked 2 minutes off my 5km PB, now 23:08, and I don't think my Ironman run would be possible without the positivity I get from parkrun.

I'm a parkrun fanboy, and I love it!