One of Britains hardest sportives

Summary

Ride the struggle are events organised around the area of Yorkshire. The routes are designed to push riders out of their comfort zones and above their capabilities. They are brutal but beautiful events, and not one for the fainthearted. This must be the hardest sportive I have taken part in.

The Ride

I didn’t want to go. I felt fatigued and was quite happy being at home, and if I am honest, I couldn’t be bothered. I knew it was going to hurt, but the shame of failure would have hurt more. I just didn’t feel mentally motivated. However, I am so glad I forced myself out of the house. I would have been kicking myself if I didn’t even have a go.

The event itself starts at Ampleforth Abbey in North Yorkshire. The Abbey dates back as late as the 18 century and is home to a community of over 55 monks who seek God according to the Gospel and the Rule of St Benedict. It was a stunning location for the event to be held at. However, I can only describe the ride as a physical and mental test. With gradients of up to 33%, it tested me beyond my limit. It was constant. I was almost crawling up some sections, close to the point of falling off my bike. My lungs could barely keep up. All I could do was creep forwards, one pedal in front of the other and push on. Throwing copious amounts of bananas, Soreen, and energy gels into my mouth. The importance of fuelling regularly was crucial if I was going to complete such a brutal event.

I find riding great distances is relatively easy on the flat. However, adding steep gradients into the equation can become an almost impossible task. And North Yorkshire added just that. At the bottom of each hill, I felt as though the world was closing in on me. I could almost always see the summit in front, but it never seemed to get any closer. It just became steeper and steeper. I never knew what was coming next.-‘When will this stop?’ ‘This is stupid now; I can’t keep ongoing’. ‘Yes, I can’. ‘Just one more hill and that’s it.’ ‘I have to eat now.’ ‘Remember to keep drinking.’ ‘Don’t push too hard–It was a constant battle in my mind.

Nonetheless, I carried on. But with 20 more miles still to go, out of nowhere, heavy rain plummeted down over me. I was still high on the moors and could barely see. It soaked me all the way through. Gingerly, I descended slowly back to the valley below, where I followed the main road back to Ampleforth Abbey. It was still extremely wet, but the sun began to shine through. It was such a contrast to the weather I had 5 minutes ago. I had a round 5 miles left and felt a sense of relief. It was almost over, and I can confidentially say it was by far one of the hardest rides I have ever taken part in. Eventually, I rolled in, where I was given a medal and a pat on the back.

The struggle was real

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