275.75 Miles
19:58:25 Moving Time
23:07:55 Elapsed Time
11,418ft Climbed
X2 giant bowls of curry devoured at the finish!
Waking up with my alarm at 3am was actually a relief as my constant shuffling in my sleep during the night turned the light and fan on with the movement sensor. Oh well, feeling somewhat refreshed, I had a stand up wash from the sink, brushed my teeth, put my sleeping kit away and was riding by 3.37am.
Still dark, I struggled into a slight headwind along the road that runs parallel to Kielder water, one that I knew well and was pleased to be heading towards local roads.
The sunrise brought with it some drizzle and the rough Northumberland roads kept my mind occupied until I reached the military road and coasted most of the way down to Newcastle. This is where knowing the roads came to the fore as I assumed I would be tired at this point of the race, so any long descent would be well received!
Skirting Newcastle, I stopped at a petrol station for a coffee and stocked up on enough food to see me until the end of the race. I was somehow on schedule and my finishing time of 2am the next morning was looking achievable. Just the case of another 200 miles, thrown in with a jaunt over the North York Moors.
The early Sunday morning roads were quiet. I was disappointed that I passed the bus stop where I sometimes meet a group of riders I have been riding with since I started racing, just an hour or so before they met, would have been nice for a little chat.
Being only 0.5 miles from my front door was very tempting. No, the race was on and I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I popped in for a quick coffee, rules are rules.
With the next control point at Whitby Abbey, the route I planned to the North York Moors was pan flat and I knew the roads like the back of my hand, so I could switch off and just mentally ‘rest’ as much as possible while riding, so I was prepared for the final push.
Reaching the moors, I took a valley road that avoided the A road, along with a few off road sections that I knew weren’t too bad after riding an audax on them a few months before.
After a few 25% + kicks on singletrack roads, I joined the A road to Whitby for the last few miles, along with the bank holiday day trippers.
A quick ride to the abbey, a 5 minute sit dow, photo and I was off towards the last checkpoint. Body parts were definitely starting to hurt more than usual and my eyes started to drop.
Whitby 
Clambering back onto the bike, I chomped away on something edible, most likely chocolate or bread, probably both and joined the A road towards Flamborough Head.
I had debated over using this road for a long time but with not many other choices, apart from a busy cycle path or tiny roads that went down and back up from every village along the east coast, I decided to ride it. It was the quickest way, but certainly the most dangerous and nerve-racking choice. I hated every second of that road and pushed and pulled on the pedals as much as I could to get it over with as quickly as possible.
Reaching the final checkpoint at Flamborough, I was pleased to get into the cafe just before closing time, to have a longer rest, more coffee and food and to prepare for the final 100 mile ‘sprint’ to Sheffield, the finish line. I remember sitting outside looking out to sea and getting a message from a friend asking what time I think I would finish, I said 2am, thats what I had originally planned a few months back sitting at home. I better get a shift on I thought.
Planning to go in a clockwise direction meant that the last 100 miles would be much flatter than if I had gone the other way round the North. The thought of struggling in the Dales with over 400 miles in the legs wasn’t a one I wanted to live out and Im pleased I didn’t have to.
The wind was pushing the bike along flat roads, so a light pedal was all that was needed to keep up a good average.
Large A roads were quiet with it being a late Sunday afternoon and it felt as if I had them to myself. A quick check on the tracker website saw that the closest racer to me was about 30 miles behind, so there was no worry of being caught close to the finish.
The weather was warm and the sunset took me away for a few minutes. In an attempt to keep spirts up, I messaged people at home and listened to Sunday night radio to keep the legs going up and down.
In the dark I fumbled with my phone, trying to find a 24 hour McDonalds with around 50 miles to go to the finish, to fill my water bottles and to get a last feed, my appetite was still there, somehow.
The golden arched glowed from a distance and I found one on the outskirts of Goole, perfectly situated on my route and only having to dodge a car of shouting youths once! I can highly recommend it.
Leaving McDonalds at just before 11pm, left me with 3 hours to reach Sheffield 50 miles away, if I was to stick to my timings. Any normal 50 mile would be achievable in 3 hours, but add 450 miles and 3 hours sleep in the last 2 days, made it a slightly harder prospect. I like a challenge.
Most of the route back was on flat roads and with it being after 11pm, the bigger roads were quiet, so I took most of these back to Sheffield.
I was happily pedalling along at a decent pace and then my route took me near an airfield. I remember this road from planning the route and it looked like a shortcut, avoiding a major road, I went along as normal, then a car passed me very slowly, which got my nerves up a little, seen as it was a single track road and no one else was around. The car took a long time to get out of sight. Once it did, it seemed to come back into sight straight away, along with a group of other cars with their lights on, all parked up. Feeling slightly vulnerable at this point, fight or flight took hold. I turned in the road and sprinted away from the cars, along the same road I had just ridden along.
Not being sure if they were evil baddies out past bed time, some late night plane spotters, or something else completely…, Im glad I didn’t get to find out. I took the more major road, which had no cars on whatsoever at this time of night.
The miles were ticking down and my speed increased, from somewhere I was getting a 2nd wind, or 3rd or 4th. Anyway, I imagined the lights of Sheffield coming into view over the crest of each hill. Each time the lights didn’t appear, I just pushed on the pedals a little bit harder, until I was sweating and racing along the dark lanes as if it was a 10 mile TT. Sprinting out of corners, descending on the top tube and finally the lights appeared, after a few agonisingly steep hills which creeped up on me.
I whisked through the suburbs and spun into the HQ at Heeley to be greeted by Angela, Tori and an amazing man (sorry I cant remember his name) who handed me a bowl of veggie curry as big as I needed. Then another one. Thank you , thank you!
I was spent. I handed my brevet card in for the final stamp and made it at 01:58. Completing the race in 53 hours and 58 minutes, pretty much on point to what I had planned a few weeks back while sitting at home, I was pleased. I stumbled to the floor, unable to hold my head up for a photo and consumed food at a much slower rate of knots than during the race, drinking tea until I made my way to my sleeping bag.
After a long lie in, the rest of the day was spent chatting to other riders, watching riders come in to finish and ending with the finishers meal.
All in all it was a perfect event. Great route, great concept, even better organisation and the most welcoming bunch of people anyone could wish for. The 2020 event has been postponed, but will hopefully be later on in the year. It is well worth the wait!
Jordan Matthews 