The Manchester 100 Charity Cycle Ride - 2nd September 2018
/On Sunday 2nd September I rode the ‘Manchester 100’ charity cycle ride, a lap round Cheshire starting and finishing in Wythenshawe Park in south Manchester. It is an event I have participated regularly over the last number of years to raise funds for the Christie Hospital where my late wife Christine was a patient.
I opted to do the 100km ride this year as I felt my fitness was not up to doing 100miles following a month’s lay off the bike whilst away visiting my daughter in the States. This was wise decision as I found it very hard riding with my cycling group on the 60m ride to Cartmel on the Thursday before the event having only arrived home the day before.
I had actually entered for the 100m prior to my departure and was given a start time of 7.30 am so initially I was amongst 100 milers and got into a nicely paced group but after the point where the routes split I found I was isolated and for the rest of the ride I was mainly riding solo.
At the finish I did not feel absolutely shattered but I was very tired (I think I still had not recovered from jet lag from returning home) and I seemed to have no power and unable to sustain the effort particularly on the rises and even on the flat although in the last 6m I got behind a group that seemed to be in a hurry to get to the finish and we were bowling along at 23+ mph. Overall I found it the hardest and slowest Manchester 100 I have done in a long time.
The weather on the day was quite warm even at the start and as the day progressed became increasing warmer so much so I had to discard my Christie’s logoed white top partway through the ride – hence I finished wearing a red top.
According to my Garmin the 100k was 61.2m, the ride time was 4hrs and the average riding speed was 15.3mph.
I have received kind and generous donations for this most worthwhile Charity which currently stands in excess of £250
John Laws
