Great Dun Fell Audax

Cycling

Jul 10

A test of the mind and the legs

Summary

If you are going to succeed at any type of ultra-distance, not only do you have to physically prepare, you have to mentally prepare too. It is said that nobody plans to fail but plenty of people fail to plan. I had it in my head weeks before. I knew the importance of fuelling properly, with an emphasis on hydration and obtaining the right balance of fats/carbs/protein in food. Going the distance was hard, really hard; I knew it was going to be, but that’s what life is about. Doing things you are uncomfortable with, being out of your comfort zone, pushing boundaries and making something out of it. As easy as I make it sound, it really wasn’t. I trained hard, which provided me with crucial ingredients to help my body adapt to hours in the saddle.

The Ride

The route I chose took me through the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, over Fleetmoss, up Great Dun Fell and back via Settle and Lancashire. My main focus was Great Dun Fell; it is Britain’s equivalent to Mont Ventoux and highest paved road. With a length of 4.5 miles up hill and an average gradient of 9%, it almost broke me, especially after 80 miles. Every pedal stroke became harder and harder. I was going slower and slower and as I started to fatigue; it was here that I had to rely on my mind to push me through.

Meanwhile, after Great Dun Fell, I can only describe myself as being in an almost flow state. I was purely focusing on pedalling, covering the miles, and rolling through the landscape. I was tired, sore and wanted desperately to stop. However, I found it was my resilience and determination that helped me to finish. I was shattered, but ecstatic to have covered such a great distance on my own.