Elevation - The Great Shakespeare Ride 100km

I started working for the Shakespeare Hospice in Spring 2018, and I really was sprung straight into supporting the Great Shakespeare Ride event. It really mattered to me a lot to promote the event as best I could, because I was learning about the amazing care and support the hospice provides, the sheer number of volunteers involved and how appreciated it is by patients and families going through really difficult times.  I wanted to get fully on board to do whatever I could, and especially to raise awareness of the meagre funding the hospice receives from the government. In fact, the contribution is 7%, the lowest in England, which is a reason that fundraising through events like the Shakespeare Ride is vital.

Chrissy and myself from our Summer Fete. 
Chrissy manages the Hospice at Home Team..
a dedicated group of qualified nurses and staff that run
a 24/7 service to support the families and patients.
I have huge admiration for Chrissy and her team.

It had been a tumultuous lead up to the race and the training had been testing.  A couple of weeks before the race, I'd cycled in close thunder and lightening and through heavy flooding in Ettington.  This resulted in a puncture right on Walton road where the Great Shakespeare ride would start!  After another puncture, I discovered my whole tyre needed changing.. and it really concerned me that it could happen again. When you run, you don't have to consider that much...you grab some trainers and go!  A big cycle ride needs reliable equipment or bike mechanic skills!  I felt more confident once I was 'kitted out' by The Giant Store in Leamington with spare tubes, a pump and tools for worst case scenarios!  It was also reassuring that there would be mechanical support at the race.

August 12th arrived, with rain forecast all day following weeks of blazing sunshine.  Although the weather might put off some people, the car-park on the grounds at Walton Hall was certainly looking very busy, unsurprisingly given we had over 400 entrants for the event.  I had nightmares about my leading out the 100km ride in the rain and I thought I might fall down a pothole in the first few hundred yards, but thankfully it was better than I had imagined. The rain was light and I was able to take off my rain jacket to display my Shakespeare Hospice jersey, with my name embroidered on the top, especially for the lead-out.  Our CEO said some kind words of encouragement and we were off... although I was glad people were not far behind me and overtook me early on as I soon needed to pull over to put my wind-stopper back on as the rain was lashing down and I needed to rendezvous with Tim, to ride on together.

I knew the route was going to have some big hills and it was going to be the longest ride I'd ever done.  It was actually a lot more challenging than I had anticipated! The ride flowed out eastwards towards Pillerton Hersey and Kineton on lovely, quiet, traffic-free lanes.  This was quite familiar territory, only living five miles or so away from Walton Hall. We joined the B4086, before turning southwards towards Radway and more quiet lanes with glorious views, albeit slightly drizzly.  We were on the Tysoe Road and could see Edgehill ahead... we were heading for our first really testing climb, Lady Elizabeth Hill. There was a sign preparing us for the challenge that lay ahead...and my God it was steep!  I pushed and pushed and made it up to the top on my small chain ring and largest sprocket (lowest gear on my trusty Cube bike!) I was absolutely determined NOT to stop on any hills that day...so this particularly gear was used multiple times!

My Strava says it all - Elevation!

We carried on to Winderton and a couple of big decents that tested my breaks in the rain! There was another climb up through Aylesmore and up Castle Hill to Upper Brailes.  There appeared to be a number of 'odd' looking folk around.. but realised there was a town festival with human sized scarecrows scattered around!  One I had seen wearing a high viz had really confused me as a motionless marshal...maybe I needed a gel, so out on Holloway Hill, I fuelled up on a rhubarb and custard Torq.  Even this could not have prepared me for the next challenge... the Sibfords!  Sibford Gower and Sibford Ferris, which are separated by Burdrop. On Strava, this is affectionately called, 'Burdrop's Big Balls Bombhole' (read that carefully). This was simply ridiculous... I was so close to swearing having switched gears at warp speed from dropping down and holding on the breaks for dear life, to quickly pushing up an epically steep hill, as a small boy on a push-along bike looked on ...so I managed to turn my rudeness around to a 'Well done' to him!'

We headed on towards Hook Norton, which was very surreal as I had raced in Hook Norton, along the same road in blazing sunshine the previous Sunday!  There was huge relief in the form of a very impressive food stop, manned by the WI at Hook Norton village hall.  It was lovely to take the weight off, check the tyres, guzzle down flapjack and exchange glances of kudos from other weary and hungry cyclists...all grateful for a pit-stop!

Out of Hooky to Rollright... and another testing hill where I regretted all the sandwiches and cake I had just guzzled. My digestive powers were strong though.. and despite some hammy burps, I pushed on and was relieved by another steep decent into Little Compton before another steep climb and another drop into Barton-on-the-Heath.  This was a roller coaster of a ride...up again to Wolford, a big dip and then another climb to Todenham.  My legs were on fire...but felt stronger and stronger somehow. Another steep hill up to the A429, where another friendly marshal saw us safely across to continue up to Paxford.  More climbing afoot at Ebrington was interrupted by another well-earned food station and cup of tea. At this point, the 100 mile leaders were starting to arrive and I was in awe that they had survived almost 90 miles already. There were only 17 miles left!

Another post-nosh climb and then more climbing.. and a bit more... then the best decent of the day on Nebsworth Lane down to Ilmington (big drop on the elevation image to the 50 mile point) and a very familiar view to the left from many a Tempo Ilmington series race!  The decent went on and on...  and it was a quiet, traffic free road which allowed the brakes to come off and the shoulders to relax. Out to Wimpstone and then Alderminster, where there was more climbing up the New Road, although nothing like the previous climbs.  Heading on to Loxley and to Wellesbourne where the race was nearly over, I was so grateful to have made it without skidding on a steep decent on road debris, with tyres and tubes intact and not lost somewhere deep in the Cotswolds. Walton Hall was getting closer and my legs still worked... somehow!

My personalised jersey and medal - just above the medal I received
in 2012, on the GSR 40km ride...my first ride event.

As the music from the Tempo finish arch greeted me along with cheers from colleagues in the Fundraising Team. I slumped on my handlebars and happily made my way to the post-event massage area.  My shoulders were really aching but a fantastic sports massage student from Worcester Uni, sorted me out. I felt accomplished, exhausted, proud and thankful to have been on such a Great ride, with amazing support...what an experience!

It is always difficult to know what to do next when you feel you have accomplished something so mighty.. any ideas or suggestions welcome?

Oh and you can still donate money to my Just Giving Page which is here - Ros and Jayne's Page