Polka Dot Challenge - 17 June 07 - Gang of 3 tappin it awght up t'Winnats
We were not so much tappin as grinding ... Jude, Martine and Mike all rode the Polka Dot Challenge - a ride over all the major climbs of Derbyshire ..... The 100 mile route includes 8 major climbs – Cat & Fiddle (7 miles), Long Hill (3 miles), Chinley Head (1 ½ miles), Chunal Head (1 mile), Snake Pass (3 miles), Winnats Pass (1 mile at 25%), Axe Edge (2 ½ miles), Gun Hill (1 ½ miles) plus every little bump in the tarmac felt after the 90 mile mark! The stats read .......

• 0 x punctures
• 0 x walkers @ Winnats!
• 1 x bee sting
• 3 x duvet covers ... sorry t-shirts - only xtra large by the time we got back
• 2 x sore behinds (Mike claim his was in fine fettle)
  
• 12 x bananas (between 3)
• 7.16 x hrs in saddle
• 25 x percent gradient @ Winnats Pass
• 100 x miles on the clock (but our computers all said more)
• 2300 x metres of ascent (Snowdon x 2)
• 3300 x Kcal burnt by Martine (or so my heart rate monitor said!)
  

and the location for more pain!! www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/BC/lei/temp_calendar.asp

Manchester 10K
Mike, Martine, Jude and Glynis (white wavers), with pink girls Julie, Jo - all did brilliantly in the M/c 10K(May 20th). Amazingly neither Jo nor Julie were escorted from the start for running in the "wrong wave" - despite massive anxiety by some! Pre race accommdoation was excellent - thanks of the city council!

There were PBs - Mike (running for only 9 mths came in at the head of the gang ... probably down to his smooth "go faster" legs since Mallorca), Martine did a minute under last yrs time (with a promise to herself she did not have to take another minute off next yr!), Jude was flying as usual; Glynis was 53 mins WITHOUT training and Julie, having been liberated from the pink wave managed a PB. Top prize goes to Jo who got round in style.

Liz and Dave supported the team and told us tales of lots of finishers throwing up on the finish line ...... none of us resorted to that!!! And Glynis provided fantastic soup in Chorlton to replenish our tired bodies ...

Hope you have all signed up for the email alert for 2008!