Things started looking up about 2 weeks before the event - I got my bike back with 10 days to go - new front forks Thanks to Canyon UK (eventually) and time for a couple of rides to make sure the new forks weren't leaking and that I felt comfortable riding my bike.
I also got my broken garmin replaced (another story) and added OS maps via a memory card to improve its mapability!
Then I looked at the weather forecast - thunder storms and 20 mph winds with gusts to 35mph - after all the hurdles so far I wasn't going to let that stop me, however, I was also incredibly relieved that Emily, my partner, had agreed to come and be a support crew, and this meant that we could stay in Illy (the ford transit we converted to a camper van) rather than pitching a tent each evening after the ride in the rain.
Campsites booked for the night before and the final night, a few days at work booked, camping at the event sites on the ride nights sorted - off we went.
Registration at Whitehaven was OK, although as usual at events I was slightly (OK very) intimidated by the very fit and sorted looking people, much more serious bikes, and the ratio of blokes to women - 281 registered for the event, 23 of which were women and my anxiety about poor training and being rubbish reared it's head for a moment, until I reminded myself that I do this for fun, so after sausage and mash at a local pub we drove to the campsite and had a rather fitful nights sleep at a great spot in shocking weather
The following morning it was up at 5:30, quick overnight oats for breakfast, kit decisions and a nervous drive to the start. The weather forecast was still shocking but not quite as wet as day 2, I went with long sleeve top, waterproof shorts and jacket and then had mixed further anxiety waiting to start assessing everyone else's kit, but still managed the obligatory wheel in the sea on one side of the UK at the start - to be repeated on the other side at the finish.
The first day may have been one of the hardest days cycling I have ever done - it was windy but mostly dry, it was 64 miles of which about 60% was off-road including some walking routes that were so steep I had to carry my bike on my shoulder to be able to scramble up and down some of the tracks. I was so pleased to have done some MTB specific skills training as whilst having the skills would be a benefit, at least having been on some tricky terrain, understanding a bit about descending and occasionally managing a rear wheel lift when appropriate (failed miserably on any manuals / front wheel lifts) was really helpful. With about 20 miles to go I texted Emily to say it was hard, but then I got my second wind and whooped with glee when I crossed the finish line of day 1, firstly to have made it and secondly to be the third women in so far that day.
I managed 64 miles, Whitehaven to Shap with 7979 feet of climbing in 6:59 ride time, 7:21 including the food stop. As it stayed dry I also managed some photos and have also included a couple of proper event photos too!
The scenery was amazing travelling through the lakes national park
After a shower, massage, stew and dumplings, wander into Shap, a beer, lots of fluids and chats with fellow cyclists admiring the van whilst waiting for everyone to finish (some took 11+hours) it was bed by 9pm for a serious sleep until 6am ready for day 2.
Day 2 dawned less well from a weather perspective - windy and wet, but apparently an easier day route and hills wise!? Apart from photos at the start there is a paucity of photos for day 2 - it was too wet to keep taking my phone out, and Emily went off for a walk with a cousin so I arrived at the finish solo for a shower, massage and some grub all sorted before she got back! There were still a lot of hills, bit more road, no bike hiking but persistently brilliant scenery. I chatted with a few of the same riders as the day before - amazing how that happens when there is no fixed start time - and was generally surprised that my legs felt a bit tired but not nearly as bad as I expected.
67.4 miles, Shap to Northallerton, 6253 feet of climbing, 6:20 ride time but about 6:45 total time with the stop which was at 42 miles rather than the advertised 34 which makes a surprising difference when you are hanging on for the stop (and the loo!).
Good day, hard work, another massage, sausage stew, wrap, no beer and bed again at 9pm.
Day 3 and the forecast was sunshine - waterproof shorts but no waterproof jacket, phone available for photos and we're off. Allegedly this is the easiest day - I beg to differ. About 80-90% was offered including some more bike hiking - there is nothing quite so demoralising as being overtaken uphill by an old bloke walking his dog whilst you try to push a bike up a hill on really tired legs - still I wasn't the only one. The riding was brilliant, I have a nutritional (given you can have a mechanical I will take this one) in all the bumping and descending my food fell out of my pocket and my gel flask leaked - I was very pleased to see the foodstop at the advertised more or less halfway point and filled up on cheese roll, crisps, cakes and took bar, gel and haribo for the final leg. I rode more of this day on my own, but again met a few of the same riders at points as day 1 and 2, but felt like I was really flagging towards the end and started singing to myself "10 miles to go, 10 miles to go, dooby dooby dooby dooby 10 miles to go" (my sister would be proud) counting down every mile until the end! The mental arithmetic involved on keeping going - you've done a 10th, now a fifth, now a third, now over half way, now you've done a quarter of whats left after the stop, now a half, now over 3/4 total etc. etc. I played good samaritan and rescued someone else timing chip - allowing them to get a final time and not pay £35 for the loss and avoided any falls although my slightly weak left hand (more later) made that more of an achievement than it sounds.
At the finish I was knackered, but had managed a few 10 miles to go, almost there texts to Emily so she was there, at the finish, capturing the moment on video and Facebook!
59.6 miles Northallerton to Scarborough, 6325 feet of climbing, 6:12 ride time, about 6:30 with stops.
So after the wheel in the sea, a shower in the local swimming pool, a bit of walking around, clapping and cheering other riders in and a giant portion of fish and chips we drove to a local campsite and I finished the three days with a beer - I have never been so physically tired!
The Crossing is the hardest cycling event I have done, it is the longest cycling event I have done, and it is the only MTB event I have done (so far). I didn't fall off, I tackled more mud and descents than I ever have before and didn't ache nearly as much as I expected. I had a few scrapes and am recovering from a cyclists palsy (compression of motor branch of the ulnar nerve in my left hand) which has made my hand a bit weak and feel slightly odd for a few days, made changing gears on day 2 and 3 something I had to think about a bit more, but 5 days later is almost back to normal - although I haven't ridden yet to test it out!
Would I do it again - not sure, I might consider it when I am a better MTB rider and have done more training, I will, however, do more MTB events, more MTB riding and look at doing some bikepacking and I would thoroughly recommend RatRace events in general.
So how did I do overall - well I completed the three days in under 21 hours, I think I came in 39/281total riders, I was 22/102 in the Veteran 40 category and possibly the third women - although I have some work to do to get higher (first in 18 hours, second in 19 1/2 hours then me!).
Despite the less than perfect preparation I am really pleased that I went for it anyway, went with the mindset of enjoying it, keeping going, not pushing madly AND that I had the Emily and Illy support crew.
Next..........!!
