Ok so a bit of a wrap from the ride on the weekend.
The story starts about three months prior when I decided that I should start to do some training specific to the event. What was needed was basically time in the saddle for the ride, it wasn't particularly hilly with just a few smallish climbs in here and there but what it was without question no matter the conditions a long day in the saddle.
So yeah I upped my riding over the winter and rode rain hail and shine, even in the wind and that's the important part. I despise the wind as a cyclist but as an outdoor sport it happens that wind is part of the game, more on this later.
So to the day, my big mate (I'll call him this as that's what he his, one of my best buddies who after letting himself go a bit is getting back into cycling years later from being a competitive cyclist) picks me up at 4 am for the drive to Melbourne about 60km away for the start. I greet him with two freshly made cups of coffee and all my gear and bike that we load into his car. Straight away the discussion turns to the weather, the day has been forecast for extremely high and damaging winds with gusts up to 120km/h. Surely we couldn't be that unlucky and it turns out we weren't, the strongest gust was 102km/h.
The first pedal stroke was just outside the CBD of Melbourne at 5:30, a glimpse to the sky for any flags and even at that time of the day the wind could be seen but due to being sheltered by the buildings not felt. The first indication the wind was going to be strong was going over
this bridge just outside the city as we were getting buffeted around.
The next couple of hours was pretty plain sailing with a tail wind that was starting to gather momentum.
At about 80km into the ride on roads I know very well in my home town things were about to get serious.
My big mate and two others split from a large group who were riding the 210km course not the 250km we were doing, that split meant a ride in cross winds for around 10km before a turn into the wind. As we left the group a guy within it yelled out good luck guys it's time for you to work. And work we did, a turn into the wind about 5km later was horrendous even after the cross winds, at that time it was about 50km/h strong.
We rode on until making the rest/ferry stop where the crossing on the ferry is to be made before riding back around the coast to Melbourne. Both Mrs Shaun and my big mate's other half were there to meet us with food supplies. The big mates other half at that stage commented "you guys are absolute nuts, I'm indoors worried about the house getting blown away and you are out there riding. Nuts but it takes someone special to do it". Those last few words gave me a bit extra to keep going. The ferry crossing went surprisingly well as I had been worried for months I would be sick but wasn't. Getting off the ferry on the other side was another story.
We were met by announcements that the next 3km were particularly open to gusts of wind and they weren't wrong. It became a battle to stay upright in the cross winds and at on stage I was in a group of about 20 when a nasty gust hit and took down a couple which meant about the next 10 going down also. Somehow we both just missed it with the guy directly in front of me going over his bars, a quick check and of the others and we were away again.
The next 80 or so km's were into a pretty constant head wind between 50 and 70 km/h with some nasty gusts thrown in. During this time we were sand blasted from the coast, dodged fallen riders, trees and rubbish flying around. My big mate also at times started to really struggle and all I could do was encourage and ride by his side. Normally 30km is no big deal and about an hour of riding but with the wind it was 2 hours and a big deal.
In cycling they have a thing called a sag wagon which picks up riders along the way who for whatever reason can't go on. With about 15km to go we stopped at my big mates request so he could stretch a bit, upon going again and after a km or two the sag wagon stopped just ahead of us to pick someone up, I turned and looked to mate and without having to ask he said no ****ing way I'm finishing this now. That right there was the moment of the day for me and I rolled back to him and said "just sit behind me on my wheel we've got this, remember the deal at the start was whoever is the stronger on the day rides to the other guys pace and helps him".
So we duly rolled in across the finish line.
A few pics.
This is were the big fella started to struggle, about 80km to go into the relentless headwind going up a bit of a hill. Note the rather choppy normally calm bay in the background.
Only about a km to go with the big fella on my right shoulder looking pretty happy with himself.
Last corner, we've got this.
Were we along with every one else that did it nuts?
Hell yeah but I'd do it all again.
A few stats from the day.
Avg -
Max
Speed: 25.6km/h - 55.8km/h
Heart Rate: 140bpm - 178bpm
Cadence: 73rpm - 121rpm
Power: 98W - 701W
Calories: 3,871
Temperature: 15℃
Moving Time: 9:50:50
Without the wind as a guess 1.5 to 2 hours could probably be dropped from the moving time.
On the power stats, I have a power meter on my bike and an insight to power and the wind.
Two examples both just me and my mate riding side by side with no drag reduction on flat road.
Tail wind, 55km/h cost me about 65 watts which is basically turning over my biggest gear with not too much effort.
Head wind, 15km/h cost me about 300-450 watts depending on the wind which for me is unsustainable over time. I can ride at 170 watts pretty comfortably for an extended period of time.
The sad part is any time we were going downhill with a decent chance to try pick up the speed it was just too windy and dangerous. Oh well next time.
! 250km and those conditions. You’ll be able to drawn on that experience for a long time to come. Really glad to hear you didn’t get caught up in anybody elses accidents either, that would have been a real bummer.
