Windsor-Chester-Windsor 600

Last weekend saw me complete my third Super Randonneur (SR) series! In the audax world of cycling, an SR series is considered the 'gold standard'. It consists of the BR(M) series - 200k, 300k 400k and 600k events, all completed in the same Randonneur year. I completed my SR series by riding a 600k event, namely the Windsor-Chester-Windsor 600.

GPX track log of WCW 600

• I cycled this event with Chris Hodge, who just happened to live in Windsor.
• This was Chris's furthest bike ride to date.
• Chris and I are both Super Randonneurs!
• Chris lives near Maidenhead. We passed Maidenhead Aquatics on route. Maidenhead Aquatics was nowhere near Maidenhead.
• I am from Studley village. We passed Studley Wood golf course on route. Studley Wood golf course is nowhere near Studley.
• Dr Phillip Whiteman manned a control in Belbroughton. He remembered me from the Snowdrop audax.
• I felt quite rough for the first 100k. It was like I was on a drug and alcohol detox.
• We cycled through torrential rain. The rain started at about the 200-300k mark. The 300 - 500k mark was sincerely vile weather-wise!
• We saw no badgers despite passing a sign-post indicating 'badger'.
• We were not the last to finish.
• Some folk did not start and some folk did not finish.
• Event was well organised.
• We sleep for about 2 hours max in one of the controls.
• Chris was snacked up and made sure we both ate every 25k! 

• We finished the event with just under an hour to spare.
• I punctured once.
• My tyre deflated after being filled with gas.
• I don't think any women cycled this event.
• I doubt I will cycle this 600k event again.
• We did not push our bikes up any hills.
• I took Chris out of his comfort zone and insisted we sleep (power nap) inside the entrance of a church. We both slept. The prayer cushions made ideal pillows. On awakening, I noticed we were sharing this entrance with a nest of birds. I thought the birds were house martins, Chris reckoned swallows.
• My poor bike's bottom bracket was as dry as a bone and my saddle had no flex. Chris's bike was all good except for a dry chain (he used dry lube instead of wet).
• We were treated with some fast descents, long roads and a tail wind during the last 100k.
• My knee hurt some, on 2 occasions during this adventure. Neurofen eased pains.
• Post event and my thighs hurt some.
• My Mavic shorts fared as well as my Assoss.
• Mud-guards would have been a good idea!
• Cycling caps are the way forward.
• We missed being 'pulled along' by Ron on this event.
• This was not an overly hilly event, though some hills got me out of puff! We cycled over 4,300 metres of climb.

  

  Hilliness profile for the WCW 600
  
  

  
  

  Completed the week by cycling another work and back commute.  Have now cycled 6,139k thus far this year. I guess it's time to start winding down... Or planning my next big adventure... Ha!