The Solstice 100 Mountain Bike Sportive

I'm writing today's blog basking in the glorious aches and pains you get from completing a hard cycling challenge. Yesterday four good cycling friends and I took on the Solstice 100 Mountain Bike Sportive. This was a 100 mile ride on a combination of surfaces including: tarmac, gravel, mud, forest trails, killer grass, bouncy rocks and five fords!

Here's a link to the event: https://www.mtbepicsuk.co.uk/events/

My day started with a ride to Kettering at 5.20am. You might think this was a bit mad before a 100 mile ride but there was method to my madness. Firstly it gave me the opportunity to taunt Andy and Chris for making me ride to them BUT most importantly I hadn't had time to test ride my bike and I wanted to find any niggles before we got going. With bikes in Chris' van we set off from Andy B's to meet Andy P and Mark C.

First shout out goes to Andy and Chris at C&D Cycles for preparing my magnificent Forme Calver. They have gone above and beyond to get my tubeless tyres set up just right and those tricky SRAM gears are tuned to perfection. It's a great bike and performed excellently, despite clogging the cogs with grass (sorry Andy, I didn't break it honest!) 

The Sportive started from the Pomfret Arms in Northampton. It was quite an atmosphere to start with around 200 riders and an eclectic collection of hardtails, full suspension and our collective weapon of choice the CX bike. I also bumped into an old friend and colleague Brendan. He was making his first attempt at this distance

In perfect weather we set off along tow paths to head out of Northampton. The swan was not impressed!

I'd say that the perfect bike for this ride does not exist. We certainly had an advantage on our CX bikes on the road and smoother off road sections. There was such a variety of surfaces and terrains though that a MTB would be better sited to and some downhill rocky sections which would be a lot of fun on full sus but a bit tricky on our skinny CX tyres and rigid frames. Early into the ride we encountered a recently mowed field full of upside down bikes. Not really picking up on the problem we obliviously rode on and then all had to stop as the grass had wound round our cogs...oh...that's what was going on!!!

There's one of the types of surface

After a hill that seemed to go on forever it suddenly became obvious that we were leaving Northants  and had arrived at burton-dassett-hills-country-park. This was our first food stop and it was very welcome indeed. We loaded up with bananas, nuts, haribo etc and refilled our camelbaks. 

Andy P eloquently described this as a stone tower!

Picture taken by the fabulous ladies managing the first food stop

I couldn't resist this

Here's some more idea of surface variety

On the way to the tower above which is actually https://www.hooky.co.uk/our_pubs/castle-inn-in-edgehill/ we had a great time in some surprise woodland trails. I think we had our first tumble (Andy P I think but the memory is a bit blurred!) The other thing was I had my first hint of my old nemesis cramp. 

This has to be special moment of the day. I nearly hyperventilated when I arrived at the scene to see Andy P desperately pulling at his front wheel which was buried in the mud. He described the event as receiving a warning from Chris...then his front wheel planted, his bike went up at the back, he miraculously unclipped and sort of run off the front of the bike.

We were a bit behind so missed all the action due to the rocky descent where Andy P had thrown up a  rock which knocked Andy B off his bike. I then cramped and also fell off...much to Mark's amusement! This was just one of those sections where were definitely on the wrong bikes! The video below has some footage from the grass incident and some from the stuck in the mud section. It also has to be said that Chris was by far the most accomplished off road rider. He's the only one who didn't take a tumble and was usually fastest down the hills!

We went through five fords in total. Some were the typical ones on tarmac roads and others were boggy fly infested stink pits.

After around 50 miles my cramp became a real problem. I'm not sure exactly what the issue was but my best guess is that a week of home improvement and no cycling is not good preparation. Everone had a plethora of advice about drinking more, having a gel etc. Andy B questioned my saddle height and adjusting this a few mm higher actually helped for about 15 miles. Then my legs weer just gits. ONe minute I'd feel strong and then suddenly I was paralysed by cramp. The others were very patient with me but the truth is I held them up and we'd have all finished at least an hour earlier if my legs hadn't let us down.

Kindly we had an extra stop at this pub. I really needed it! We also discussed how tempting it would be to settle down for the afternoon and book a taxi to get us home!

posing plonkers

Just a lovely shot

This is not a shot of Andy P post tumble...he's just very relaxed

As I said tumbles aplenty! I had a high speed fall going down a track. I just clipped an edge and lost control. Luckily it was a soft landing and I just have a graze on my elbow and hip. Mark was less lucky and has holes in his club jersey. At the same time as Mark's crash, Chris B had our only puncture of the day...if you don't count Andy B's leaky tubeless issues! All of this happened after our final food stop at 82 miles. Everyone was tired at this point...we ate loads drank loads and then instantly started talking about food and drink. A pint and burger at the Pomfret Arms was calling us!

We set off again and it was with some relief for me that we made it back to the towpath on the Blisworth arm. My legs picked up for a while until we left the canal and entered Hunsbury Park. With less than two miles to go my legs then decided to misbehave again. I had the indignity of Chris  pushing my bike up the hill whilst I did that highly amusing shuffle that is the only thing that eases cramp at times. 

Some more classic bikes at the Pomfret Arms

Finally we were back at the pub where the pint and burger were very very welcome! 

Warning: There is some swearing on the following video. Do not watch if you are sensitive to colourful language

Some big thanks need to go to MTB Epics and Northants Outkasts MTB for organsing such a great event. The course was brilliant, a really well linked clever mix of surfaces. They said "see you next year when we left and I'd say that's likely!"

My biggest thanks go to my ride companions today. A great bunch of blokes on a great day's cycling!

Happy Pedalling