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On June 26th
2014 I was lucky enough to successfully complete my very first Everesting, 15
times up the highest road in the UK, Great Dun Fell. 140 miles and 31,234ft was
enough to claim the hill before someone else beat me to it. It had taken over
15 hours and was a day I’ll never forget, however, it was also a day I was in
no hurry to repeat. Cycling is all about suffering! Well ok maybe not “all” about suffering (we all have those days when the sun is shining, the gentle breeze is on our back and the whole thing seems rather enjoyable) However, the more we push ourselves, the more it eventually starts to hurt. The only problem is that we forget all about this suffering almost as soon as it’s over, we can be half way through a tough event thinking to ourselves “there is no way I’m riding this again next year” “in fact I might even sell my bike” then by the time we’ve made it home, the pain is forgotten and we’re ready to sign up all over again. Less than 24 hours after completing Dun Fell, I was sharing ideas with my partner Mairi for a second Everesting. As I cautiously approached the subject, Mairi gave me an initial look as if to say “have you lost your mind!” thankfully this was soon followed by acceptance, and then even encouragement.
Choosing the
climb wasn’t actually such a tough decision, after doing the highest I figured
it was time to have a go at the hardest. Arguable the toughest and most feared
climb in the UK is the legendary Hardknott Pass in Cumbria. The Romans build the
original road back in the 2nd century, this linked the
coastal fort at Ravenglass with their garrisons at Ambleside and Kendal. During the Second World War the area
was used for tank training, this completely destroyed the original track. When
the war was over, it was decided the road should be repaired. Only this time it
was given a tarmac surface, this provided the first ever direct motor route
between Eskdale and Ambleside..jpg)
As you
approach the climb from Eskdale you’ll see an old fashioned red telephone box,
next to this is a sign warning you of 30% gradients ahead. The climb raisers up
through some trees and over a cattle grid, it’s not long before you are faced
with a number of 25% switchbacks. Once you’ve tackled these the landscape opens
up, and on doing so reviles why people fear this climb so much. In the distance
the summit is almost visible, but before that are more sets of switchbacks,
only this time steeper than the first. The final hairpin is a savage 30%, and
is followed by a steep drag that only eases off once you’re near the top. The
total ascent is around 970ft with a summit of 1,289ft, the pass would need
climbing 30 times to reach the 29,029ft target..JPG)
July 20th
2014, 4.30am and I’m on my way over to Hardknott. The forecast is a warm 19c
with a light westerly wind, perfect conditions for an Everesting. Being
slightly paranoid I use my phone to check the Everesting website, the last
thing I want to find is that someone has claimed the hill the day before I try
it…. they haven’t. By 6.30am I’m parked at the top of Hardknott, bike out, gear
on, and ready to go. With my Garmin started I begin descending, the mist is
lying thick in the valley below, and that’s right where I’m heading. I’d
ridding up this side of Hardknott several times but this was my first time
down, it was a bit of a shock! I could remember the road surface being rippled,
quite bad in places, almost as if the tarmac was slipping down the hill. Riding
up this was never very pleasant but going down was even worse. The worsted affected
areas were the steep sections, it felt like hitting a whole bunch of small pot
holes which made controlling the bike somewhat of a battle. About half way down
I passed a rider coming the other way, and a little further down the hill,
parked at the side the road, was a campervan “He’s up early, I wonder if he’s Everesting” I thought to myself, in
what was more than likely another moment of paranoia. The descent took between four and five
minutes, any quicker would have been getting dangerous. After I’d rattled my
way down to the bottom, it became pretty clear the descents weren’t going to be
much of a chance to rest, but anyway I’d started now so it was time to think
positive and get on with it.
I began
tapping on the pedals and soon hit the first set of switchbacks, spinning a
gear was almost impossible (even with the 11-32 cassette I’d fitted earlier in
the week) I couldn’t see the summit due to the mist, but after a brief
“levelling out” the next set of switchbacks popped up in front of me. One set
at 25% followed by another set of 30%, I wouldn’t say I was struggling but it
was far from easy, I continued up the steep drag and eventually made the top. No
sign of the cyclist I’d spotted earlier “told
you, you were being paranoid” I thought to myself. The climb had taken
14m35s, which seemed pretty reasonable to me. The roads were damp so I clung on
to my bike, and began the twisty descent back down to the bottom.
I was
feeling good so just kept on knocking out the reps. hairpin after hairpin I’d
make my way up, followed by that rollercoaster run back down again. The day was
getting lighter and the mist beginning to lift, now only the summit was left
covered. As I completed my 8th ascent, I’d been riding for 2 hours
50 minutes and had climbed around 7,700ft. That first ascent of 14m35s had now
slipped to 16m13s, not bad I thought but getting gradually slower. Every other
rep I’d briefly stop at the car to take on fuel, it was one of those sticky
humid days, so keeping well highdrated was going to be important. My stops would
only take about 30 seconds, and meant not having to carry any heavy liquid/food
on the bike, a nice little bonus on such a steep climb.
Heading down
to begin number 9 I spotted two riders coming the other way, and on passing
each other I got a bit of a surprise. The guy in front was wearing a grey and
white, Hells500 cycling jersey. The Hells500 are the Australian cycling club
who came up with the whole idea of Everesting, and I knew these jerseys were
only available to people who had completed their own Everesting. Going too quickly to stop, I continued the
final couple hundred yards to the bottom. I was keen to know who he was and
what he was doing on this climb, I started rep nine with a little more urgency
than the previous eight. He was already negotiating the first set of hairpins,
I had to jump out the saddle and really stamp on the pedals on order to gain on
him. My climbing heart rate had been sitting somewhere between 160 and 175bpm,
this was higher than I wanted but difficult to avoid with the steep gradients.
This latest little effort pushed it to 189bpm, far too high but I caught the
rider around half way from the top.
I said hello
and pointed out his jersey, I mentioned Everesting and he told me he’d had a
failed attempt today “On Hardknott?” I asked “Yes” he replied (turns out maybe
I wasn’t so paranoid after all) He told me he’d started at 4.45am and completed
two reps, he’d then decided against it as the descents were just too
challenging. He’d been back to his B&B for some more sleep, and a full
English breakfast, and was now just heading out for a ride. “Have you ever
Everested before?” I asked “Yes I was first in the UK” He replied. It was at
that point I realised who he was, Pierre, a French guy who had completed the
first UK Everest back in March this year. Pierre had commented on my Great Dun
Fell Everest on Strava, however I’d never actually met or spoke to him. I introduced
myself and I think that was the moment, Pierre realised I was Everesting too! I
explained it was my 9th rep and we chatted our way to the summit. I’m
pretty sure we were both a little baffled by the coincidence, but never the
less very pleased to of met each other. “It’s
all yours” said Pierre, he wished me luck and continued on his way.
My encounter
with Pierre had given me a good mental boost, and at 14m12s that 9th
ascent was also my quickest (although I did wondered if I might pay for this
later) I climbed up for my 10th, then 11th, 16:08 and
16:37. As I started number 12, I’d been on the go for 4 hours and it was
starting to feel hard. I remember thinking that physically, I felt similar now
to after 20,000ft on Great Dun Fell, but so far I’d only done half of that.
There was just no rest bite, no sooner would I reach the top it would be time
to hang on for dear life back down again. My ascents slipped to over 18 minutes,
13, 14 and 15 all went the same way. This really was hard, just short of 6
hours and it was 15 down 15 to go. I couldn’t get my head around doing it all
over again, and knowing I’d only slow down further wasn’t helping. My descents
were also gradually getting slower, the constant heavy breaking was effecting
my grip, and I had to back off a little in order to control the bike. I needed
to remind myself that no one was forcing me to do this “ignore any pain and
focus on the good bits” I thought to myself.
I ignored the pain in my knees and enjoyed the sun that kept bursting
through the clouds. I ignored that even the soles of my feet had started to
hurt, and stubbornly tapped out a rhythm regardless. 
With a lot
of ignoring and a good bit of encouragement from passers-by, I’d made it to
number 18. My partner Mairi and Dad Paul were waiting at the top, they’d driven
over to show their support, and after 7 hours in the saddle I was more than
pleased to see them. Mairi helped with the feeding and my Dad joined in for a
few reps, it wasn’t getting any easier but it was heading in the right
direction. I finished number 20 and was still managing the ascend in around 19
minutes, I was two thirds done and 8 hours had passed. Only 10 more times up
this damn hill and I’d be finished, only thing is I was slowing down, and this
could mean another 5 hours. I just needed to keep riding, keep climbing and
keep descending. My times slipped a little further, my fuel stops were also
getting longer and more frequent. Half way up my 24th I met Pierre
coming back from his ride, he asked how I was getting on and joined me back up
to the top. It was another welcome distraction and he seemed sure I would finish
it now, hopefully he would turn out to be right, I shook his hand and off he
went.
Pierre might
have been confident but my body didn’t seem to agree with him, running on empty
I grovelled up the climb 3 more times. My 27th ascent was the
slowest of the day at 22m31s, I had that feeling you get just before you hit
“the wall” and grind to a halt. I’d been trying to keep to a good pace all day
and time wise I was doing ok, only down side was the extra effort had made it
harder to eat. I’d usually have the odd gel with my food when riding this hard,
but I’d skipped these as I didn’t fancy anything sweet. I stopped at the car
for 5 minutes and made sure I had plenty of high energy fuel, gels and drink,
it wasn’t what I fancied but I needed it. The short break did me the world of
good and I set off down again, by the time I started number 28 I felt
noticeable better. Of course my legs still hurt, as well as other parts. But no
longer did I feel I was about to bonk, plus, I only had 3 more to go.
For 11h40m
I’d been fighting with this hill, I’d clocked 78 miles but more importantly
26,200ft. It had been a tough day but an enjoyable one, there’s something about
these long rides that leave you with a lot to think about. You’d think that
simply riding up and down the same hill all day would get a little dull, but
not so. It’s all about a bunch of small targets in order to reach one big one,
combine that with support from friends, family and passers-by, seeing the sun
rise then fall as well as everything else in-between and you have all the
ingredients for a far from dull ride..JPG)
Anyway this far from dull ride wasn’t yet
over, and so I tackled the climb 2 more times. I reached the summit with a 17:03
then a 16:48, I was back in the zone and ready to climb for the the 30th
and final time. Trees, cattle grid, hairpins, and so on. The adrenalin took
care of any pain as I forced down the pedals, final set of hairpins and on to
the home straight. One last push and that was it, finished, done, Everested. The
30th and final climb had taken 16m31s. I’d covered 85 miles and
climbed 29,129ft, my finishing time was 12h42m. I leave
Hardknott with no intentions of doing another, but then to be fair, I had no
intentions of doing this one either...
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