Sean Barker Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 The Fred Whitton Challenge is one of the most popular sportives in the UK and is also famed as being particularly difficult. Riders rank it alongside European events such as the Marmotte in terms of difficulty. The Fred Whitton consists of a 112 mile sportive around the Lake District, starting at Grasmere and taking in climbs of Kirkstone, Honister, Newlands, Whinlatter, Hardknott & Wrynose passes. This is a very tough route and going on rider feedback the hardest one day ride in the UK, the event includes all the Lakeland passes, one with a 30% gradient and this comes at 98 miles. This years event is on the 10th May and as always is sold out well in advance, however two Saracens will be taking on this gruelling challenge, our very own John Cartwright and Richard Fisher. Richard is a veteran of this challenge having completed it last year in a creditable time of 11 hours and 18 minutes and 11 hours and 39 minutes in 2013. For John it is a voyage into the unknown. Here is a link to the official page The Fred Whitton Challenge Good luck guys Here is a video of the Hardknott descent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Whoa chaps!!! Gluttons for punishment!!! Wishing you both the best of luck in this event! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leigh Posted February 18, 2015 Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 Men in white coats may be calling soon to take you away . Actually just envious just reading it exhausted me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Barker Posted May 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2015 As mentioned in the cafe on today's club run our two bold cyclists were out today on this gruelling ride. Richard and John let us know how you got on when you get a chance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted May 10, 2015 Report Share Posted May 10, 2015 I can give a full (speedy kev style) report tomorrow, I only have my phone with me. In summary it was **#*!*&# hard but very enjoyable despite not so nice weather. I managed to finish in a little over 9 hours, not sure about Richard, I saw him cycling to the start but not after that. I'm going to the pub now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Barker Posted May 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2015 Well done John. You have my total respect. Looking forward to tomorrow's report Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Ok here is the ride report (bit longer than I planned but at least I have something to refer to when I erase the pain from my memory and start to contemplate ever doing it again!) Fred Whitton Challenge: Ride Report 10th May 2015 112miles 3950 metres ascent Preparation To ride the FW I had to enter a lottery in early January, my name got picked and I paid the £50 entry fee. In late March apart from a few commutes and the odd club run my time in the saddle was limited so I decided if I was going to survive it I better put in some serious miles in April; so as training I did a few rides including the two Saracen 200km permanent audaxes (cheers Sean) and rode the Kidderminster Killer route with a friend (who also managed to get an entry for the FW). Start I travelled to the Lake District (staying in Ambleside) on Saturday so registered for the ride the day before (got a goodie bag: inner tube etc). I had originally decided to cycle the 4/5miles to the start in Grasmere but I woke to rain on Sunday morning and not wanting to get wet before I started drove to Grasmere just after 5.30 to avoid the inevitable queue to enter the car park. Riders can start anytime between 6-8am but there is a cut off time 60miles in @ 12pm so I decided to play it safe and ended up setting off @ 6.15am. There was light rain when I started and the forecast wasn't brilliant so I choose to go with long trousers, soft shell & overshoes. Part 1 to Buttermere Feed Station (50miles) Only had to wait a few mins to go through the start barrier, few miles of flat road (for the lake district anyway) to start with before the first major climb up Kirkstone pass. Fairly long but easy climb up to the highest point @ 454m. We were greeted at the top by a small crowd clapping, cheering and ringing cow bells! This was a common occurrence throughout the day at the most accessible summits and vantage points and really did give the ride a great atmosphere. Also, after slogging up the umpteenth Lakeland pass wet, tired and generally losing the will to live, to arrive at a summit to hooters, bells and cheers of encouragement was enough to put a smile on anyone's face! Also the Marshall's were fantastic, offering advice (on the dangerous bits), stopping traffic and giving us all encouragement. The Kirkstone descent is supposed to be one of the easiest but to act as a reminder that every descent should be taken cautiously in the wet I did see a young lad being treated at the side of the road half way down after coming off. Through Patterdale (past an old women in her dressing gown in her front garden clapping us past!) and a climb up to Matterdale End and to the A66 to Keswick (30miles). I obtained various bits of advice before the event, one of which was to get with a group on the A66: I did tag on to a group but picked the wrong one as they were way too quick for me and to try and stick with them would have been foolish. There seemed to be many pelotons of riders all wearing the same jersey who came past me at high speeds. Through Keswick and down the Borrowdale Valley to the first serious (25% gradient) climb of the day: Honister pass. Having completed this one a few times already I knew that the first section was the really steep bit and that after this it got better, I cycled on up past quite a few pushing their bikes (thinking: yep in 5hours that's prob going to be me). At this point the rain was on and off but on the descent of Honister it got a bit heavier and at one point (towards the bottom) I thought I was going to be blown off of my bike by some pretty nasty cross winds but I clung on and made it to Buttermere in one piece, where I stocked up on food and drink (bananas, flap jacks, sandwiches were on offer). I didn't stay too long as I knew we have a pretty steep climb straight after the feed station (Newlands pass) and didn't want to cool down too much. Part 2 to Calder Bridge Feed Station (83miles) The Newlands climb wasn't too bad (20% towards the top) and the descent was perhaps the most enjoyable of the day (provided you remembered to slow down for the 2 hairpin bends) and I arrived in Braithwaite 4hrs after starting feeling not too bad. Next was the Whinlatter pass, the top of this resembled a scene from the tour de France: there were hundreds of people at the top cheering (cow bells & hooters) making a great atmosphere, the only thing missing was someone in a skin-tight devil suite waving a pitch fork running alongside us! I polity declined a women handing out jaffa cakes at the top (bad mistake) remembering I still had a flap jack in my back pocket, however when trying to eat it a few miles later I fumbled and dropped it! When the FW is discussed the 6 major climbs (K/stone, Honister, Newlands, Whinlatter, Hardknott & Wrynose) are always mentioned but rarely the lesser known ones like Fangs Brow and Cold Pike. It was at this point I started to run into trouble. If I had to describe what 'hell on a bike' would be, for me it was 'Cold Pike'. Rain and a viciously strong headwind on the most exposed part of the route coupled with the fact that I was running on empty (after the flapjack incident). I was only 6miles from the next feed station but had to stop to retrieve my emergency energy bar from my saddlebag. I got to Calder Bridge after 6.45hrs feeling not so great. Part 3 Calder Bridge to finish (112m) After a decent break & lots of food at the FS starting up again was the only time I felt cold since the start. However if there is one positive to doing a sportive with an insane amount of climbing it's that you rarely have chance to get cold because there is always a climb to warm you up! So I was warm again before long. Also the weather improved for the last 30miles of the ride. Cycling along the Eskdale valley you can see Hardknott pass rise before you, I also knew what was coming as I had cycled it previously on a week's holiday to the lakes in March. It has 30% gradients in places and kicks up steeply straight away. I set off with the intention to try and cycle it all, but I think I knew I would struggle with 95 miles in my legs. As it turned my potential suffering was cut short as after the first steep bit I had to dismount as I got cramp in both legs. After some stretching I got back on the bike for a bit but decided it would be better to walk the steeper sections. I took the descent slowly: you are braking virtually the whole way down, at the bottom my hands ached so much I couldn't squeeze my water bottle! A short flat bit along the valley before Wrynose: not as hard as Hardknott but still pretty steep. I managed to get most of the way up but had to walk the last bit. Another really steep descent where you can pick up too much speed if you are not careful. Really pretty wasted but almost finished! A topic of conversation between riders after the event was the 10miles to go sign: there was actually 15 left, so the last few miles seemed to go on forever. The thought of finishing gave my legs a bit of life and I finished the last few miles quite strongly. Total time for the ride: 9hrs 9min Lucky I had the car as I could change into a spare set of clothes (I was soaked) so I could enjoy my post ride meal (provided) in comfort. To my surprise my friend finished only 35mins behind me (9hrs 46min) so we enjoyed a post ride beer and discussed the horrors of the day! All in all the toughest day I have ever spent on a bike but also the most rewarding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedy Kev Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Nice one John C I now have Sportive "and" reportage envy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Barker Posted May 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Brilliant report John. I'd like to tell you it has inspired me to have a go but you have completely frightened me off! Any news on Richard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Any news on Richard? According to the results page Richard did not finish. There were times recorded for him at Buttermere and the top of Newlands but not Braithwaite? I just hope he missed the cut off time or decided to call it a day and that nothing untoward happened on the descent of Newlands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisherr Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Hi guys, Sorry for the radio black out. Unfortunately a piss poor performance from me....... I started off a bit later than I should have done and got to the cut off point at 12.05 so the marshals would not let me continue.....the irony being that I then had to ride 20+ miles from the cut off point to get back to Ambleside. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Barker Posted May 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Really sorry to hear that Richard You seemed to be doing so well after coming back from a particularly nasty virus too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisherr Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Thanks Sean, Chapeau to John. I think we should/could get a few more Saracens into the event next year - I certainly have unfinished business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 Phenomenal report John! Absolutely love the gritty details! Massive amounts of respect to you dude, and to you Rich - you're both legends for even putting your names into the draw!!! 9 hours on the bike.... to use Owen's words, that is 'next level'!!! Well done dude, was thinking about the both of you that day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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