Big thanks to Helen C-W for fantastic support crew duties since Friday. On my own now since midday so finding a different working rhythm and hopefully utilising the lessons learnt from the past two days.
Chilly temperatures up Rhigos and The Bwlch made it difficult to get going this morning.
Constitution Hill was bumpy as hell but mercifully short. Finally found good tempo on Black Mountain as warmer temperatures had their effect - oh and thank you to the Sportive marshal who offered me a bottle of water even though I was clearly not in his event!
Devil's Staircase was very very tough. How a man-made kilometre of 1 in 4 ends up in the middle of a forest (in the middle of nowhere) is hard to fathom. Could have done without the MGB owner's club coming DOWN the narrow hill in convoy at the same time as I was clawing my way up - their brakes smelled like they were fitted in the 60's as well...
Nice old fella and his sheepdog (Wales is full of Old Fella/Sheepdog combos) also emptied his pocket change into the RBF bucket!
A 2 hour drive didn't help the legs - although the roads were superb - but Bwlch-Y-Groes was savage. Simon gives it 10/10 in the book and I can see why. I don't think I've ever counted every single super s-l-o-w pedal stroke over what was the best part of half an hour. I thought I would finally grind to a halt but found just the right rhythm and held on albeit with legs, arms and lungs on fire. Occasionally glancing down at the metres on the Garmin computer does sometime help. Little by little etc.
Ffordd Penlech was ridiculous. 40% at one point - which needed Track start power just to avoid keeling over - but only 300m long. Just as well.
At the top of Bwlch-Y-Groes
er....top of Rhigos...!
Inside Team 100in13.com
The Bwlch
Constitution Hill
Bwlch-Y-Groes
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