The 100 mile weekend for PSCC

The Pelsall social cycling club 100 mile ride weekend has now come and gone, leaving a trail of lactic acid and heroic stories in its wake.

20 brave souls set out from HQ at the old house at home pub in Pelsall. The elite T1 group, with their steely resolve and questionable sleep schedules, opted for a 7:30 am start. The slightly-more-sensible T2 group chose an 8:30 start, while the vast T3 peloton departed at a respectable 8 am. T3 was the largest of the groups and were ready to refuel like it was their job, with three strategically placed stops along the way.

Stop 1 at 29 miles was at the Dragon Soul bikers cafe in Newport. It's a great little cafe, well stocked and run by people who are surprisingly pleasant, considering they have to put up with sweaty cyclists. The prices were so reasonable that I almost got a skull and crossbones tattoo as part of a bikers' initiation ceremony, but I figured my cycling shorts were a big enough fashion statement. Sadly, the T2 group, in their infinite wisdom, managed to navigate their way past the cafe and missed out on this wonderful, and potentially life-altering, service.

The ride out to Newport was probably the easiest part of the ride for everyone. It was slightly downhill overall, which made us feel like champions, and we had fresh legs, which felt like a distant memory by the end. The next leg from Newport to Whitchurch proved to be uneventful, a pleasant break from the usual bike-related drama. We moved in a nice, compact formation, a testament to our teamwork and the fact that no one wanted to get lost.

Alderford lakes were absolutely swamped, with crowds queuing up like it was a sale on new bikes. Luckily for us, the cafe is on the outside of the fence, so access was easy and service was quick. T2 and T3 met up here for a brief 15-minute reunion before T2, ever the overachievers, moved on. T1 had been in and out like a flash, after suffering a couple of setbacks that reminded them they were, in fact, human. One rider had a sudden, unplanned dismount after hitting some sand, and they also had to deal with a puncture. Later in their ride, the 'man with the hammer' (exhaustion, for those who aren't familiar with this terrifying figure) descended upon them. But, true to the spirit of the club, the team came together to assist the suffering individual back to HQ.

The ride from Whitchurch back to Newborough, about 30 miles, was through some of the most stunning countryside, which we were too busy sweating through to truly appreciate. It was to be the toughest part of the route, with the heat taking its toll on everyone. A supplementary stop at a Tesco's for some fresh water was an absolute necessity. At Newborough, the Red Lion farm shop awaited. We consumed lashings of ice-cream in an attempt to cool down for the final 20 miles. It was a race against the melting ice cream, a challenge we all took very seriously.

The last 20 miles was on familiar territory, and included the dreaded Hilton road climb with just six miles to go. Riders by now were suffering from multiple issues that arise from taking part in endurance events like this. We were sore, we were bleeding in some cases, we were beaten, bruised, and ultimately, we were indefatigable.

To round off the day, 100% of participants made it back to HQ. That's right, 20 riders, 2,100 miles covered, 4 punctures, one dive off, several bikes upside down, about a gallon of ice-cream consumed, and 20 individuals who have something no one can take from them... a brilliant sense of achievement, and possibly a few lingering aches.