So I did the Welsh Velothon on Sunday, a 140km cycle and two mountains, on quite possibly the hottest day of the year or at least it felt it when cycling up the Tumble and Caerphilly Mountain! But I didn’t stop up the mountains but did have to make use of the water/food stops!!!
Wow cycle up that!
The mountains were amazing. When I saw the Tumble from a distance and knew I was about to cycle
up it, I have to say excited nerves kicked in. It was 5.1 miles of climbing and I felt so chuffed when I got to the top, sweat stinging my eyes, but I felt so strong – there was nothing in my mind but excitement about getting to the top without stopping.
What’s that noise?
And at one point I could hear this strange sticky noise, I asked the cyclist behind me if my back tyre looked alright, he said it was fine and then I realised that it was the rubber getting sticky on the roads where the road was that hot!
It was an amazing event – a closed road race, which was fantastic, and the public support was incredible. Thousands of people out supporting the event. People spraying hoses over the roads to cool us down, filling up water bottles and handing out food, suncream everything that was needed on a intense, long, hot cycle ride.
And I can’t thank enough the Dad and his two little girls who filled up my water bottles and gave me a packet of Haribo sweets just before Caerphilly mountain.. Those sweets got me up there, perfect timing! Chip time (including stops) 7hrs 20! Riding time about 6hrs 20..
