Manchester 100mile Sportive ~ Done! ~ 6hours 11mins

Having been debating whether to enter this or the Nantwich Sprint Triathlon which clashed on the same day, I opted to do the Manchester 100 when I found out a few friends from work and the Sandbach Cycling club were also doing it. I entered the week before but had been keeping the training up since the Long Course Weekend earlier this year so felt good :-). We set off as a group at 7am from Wythenshawe park in Manchester with Dave (who I've previously done #3PeaksbyBike & #BikesBoatsBoots with) & Brendan from EGL and their friend Andy, Paul from Findel and Steph from Sandbach Cycling Club in glorious Indian Summer weather (if a tad chilly initially).

The route took us out through Knutsford and quickly onto the regular Cheshire lanes I now cycle frequently with the Sandbach Cycling Club... Home Ground! The route signage was good as too were the Marshall's but the pit stops left a bit to be desired! A 20minute queue for the one loo at Norley where we made our first stop and had to pay for water!? A recurring theme on the drinks at every stop!

We cycled on around Beeston Castle and through Nantwich were the route combined with the Triathlon cycle route which was also in progress and it took a bit of concentration to ensure we stayed on
the right route (many didn't!).

On through to Winsford where we stopped for another 20mins or so to attend to a mechanical on Dave's bike and then continued through Church Minshull to Middlewich (a stone's throw from where I live but 25 miles from the finish line!). Continued on through the again familiar lanes of Mobberley and Wilmslow and on the home stretch through the outskirts of Stockport and Manchester to the Finish Line.


A good group photo at the finish line meeting up with Pete from work too which was great!

All in all a good ride on a great route let down a lot by the pit stops... At the very least I'd expect free water if not some top up sustenance of cereal bars and bananas!? A finishers medal would have been a nice touch too!?

Here are the stats from Strava...