Fred Whitton Tune Up - The Nearly Impossible ... Just About MAMIL Possible Route !
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- Опубліковано 8 тра 2024
- In today's video, Tony Cope aka Top Cat and Lee Baxter help me take on the Nearly Impossible Route in the Lake District - just 28km & 1250m of elevation - but nearly all of it steep... proper steep across 6 iconic climbs: Blea Tarn - Wrynose - Hardknott - Hardknott - Wrynose and Blea ...
I'd planned on having a max effort on this before my accident in May '22, but today my ambition was simply to make it up the climbs without stopping, and earn back my Lake District Climbing legs ! SIMPLES .....
Top Cat provides panache and fireworks, and Lee B provides a masterclass in calm sporting excellence .... I am away with the fairies !
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Thanks ever so much for all of your support! And whoever you are, what ever your do, please remember to LIVE THRIVE AND STAY HEALTHY !
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Chapeau, sirs! Hailing from West Cumbria my Dad used to drive us over Hardknott from the West a couple of times a year - all of us would have to get out of the car on the steep ramps just so the car could make it over! I hated even walking up those bits!
Cheers ZZ 🙏🙏 - I can imagine driving over it when you were younger was really really hard. I remember my Mum’s car struggling to ascend much lesser inclines in the Lakes when I used to go there on holiday …
Assignment accepted. Love watching topcat attack like Contador out of the saddleZ
. He makes it look way to easy
Give this route a go, 💯. I reckon it’s one of the best mini challenges there is .. certainly in the UK! I liked it so much I did it again the Friday before the Fred Whitton …. Not the best taper 🤣. And for sure - when you see Top cat smash past IRL it is really really impressive 💪
Hi Phill hope all is well with you and Jayne. Great video and perfect training for the Fred with two absolute climbing weapons. Though I do imagine they’ll be a few Yorkshire people writing you letters of complaint after you called the Lake District the real God’s Own Country 😉😂 Me I’m from Lancashire so happy to agree with you 😂😂
Hi Tony ! So sorry for the slow reply - work got the better of me 🥵. Jayne and I are good thanks and I hope you and the family are well also . Yep….. my re-designation of God’s Own County is a little controversial 🤣. Love Yorkshire though I do … I did break my back and neck there 🥵…. Look after yourself Sir !
I truly think that your beautifully articulated commentary could make the most extreme of battles feel exuberant and sublime! ✊
Neil !! Thanks ever so much for your very generous encouragement 🙏🙏 I hugely appreciate you reaching out
All the best tomorrow Sir Phillip… done the last 2 Fred’s back to back… didn’t get pulled from the ballot this year, I’m jealous of the challenge you face tomorrow but equally glad I’m not facing it. Good luck to all!
Great vid, thank you for making.
Cheers Gaz 🙏- and sorry for the delay ! Hope you get into via the ballot for ‘25 . There is no better event in the UK - as you know well !
Done this route as part of Triathlon X Half. The 1.2m swim was in the lake at Ambleside, then the bike route was pretty much what you’ve done with a loop around Eskdale in the middle, and for dessert, a fell run up to Fairfield for the half marathon section! Lovely 😎👍🏻
That’s literally insane !! Max respect for getting round that - would be right up Lee Baxter’s street - he does the fell run / mountain - lake - bike triathlons also
I love your dialogue!! Replete with top notch word-smithery :) Epic vid too as always.
That’s really really generous of you Mark 🙏 - and hugely appreciated ! I do love putting together the narration
Superb 👌🏾
Cheers Paul 🙏🙏🙏
That opening under a rainbow led to wonderful sights ! Happy to see you with a few more teeth in the cassette - you never have enough of these on those brutal slopes 😅
I laid on the rainbow specially for the video, Pierre Alain 🤣 🌈 - and for sure the easier gearing was essential for me this time around - I’d have struggled on Hardknott to complete it with a 30 on the rear 💯. Hope you and Angela are doing well and enjoying your eagles nest !
I laid on the rainbow specially for the video, Pierre Alain 🤣 🌈 - and for sure the easier gearing was essential for me this time around - I’d have struggled on Hardknott to complete it with a 30 on the rear 💯. Hope you and Angela are doing well and enjoying your eagles nest !
Brilliant video mate, glad your fitness is coming back after your accident 😊
Thanks ever so much LDC 🙏 so pleased that someone who knows the area so well likes this vid 💯🙏. And for sure KMs in the lakes provide the best fitness gainzzz - hoping to keep building back from here
It was another great vlog. I also congratulate the whole team. It was a nice climb, Phillip. Bravo my dear friend. I continue to watch and recommend videos. Excellent videos. By the way, many greetings to my sister Jane, Phill. Enjoy. I'm looking forward to the new video. #bikeracingwithoutmercy
Jayne says Ciao Atakan ! We both hope you are well and have plenty of challenges lined up for the summer. Glad you liked this one - no doubt very different countryside to Turkey - both beautiful 🤩
Another great video!
Mille Grazie Theo 🙏🙏 - very kind of you Sir !
Great to see the vlogs back and looking forward to seeing the summer content!!
Cheers Mike 🙏🙏. Massively appreciated Sir - just edited and released the Fred itself, and more to come
This was an unexpected Thursday treat 😍
So sorry for the slow reply Katie ! Thursday is my new Sunday in the summer …. albeit the pace of my editing is more than a little galacial !
Good vid, brutal ride!
Cheers Mike 🙏🙏 - much appreciated and a properly intimidating segment !
Brilliant video Phil! Good luck at the weekend!
Cheers Michael - a little slower than hoped!
Fantastic video Phil 😎👌🏼 i really enjoy your uk hill climbing endeavours!! good to see Lee & Topcat back in the vids aswell! all the very best for The Fred 👍🏼 ill be sure to get my self a brew and biscuits to watch the video😎👍🏼
Cheers Rich 🙏🙏 That’s really kind of you to say so ! And for sure I loved filming Lee and TC - to see their contrasting climbing styles and the fitness and pace is incredible . Fred was lovely thanks - but failed the sub 7 hrs ..
I've done "the fred" 3 times now. But never done hardknot or rhino's from the "wrong" side. Hats off fella. 😊
Cheers ! Too too kind 🙏 I reckon Wrynose from the longer side is a bit tougher than the full fat Hardknott ..
@@BikeRacingWithoutMercy especially if you factor in the ramp from little langdale or Blea Tarn which are effectively part of the full Wrynose experience. . .they soften the old pins up just enough to leave you grimacing on the final Wrynose ramps...
@@Nosh_Feratu 💯 Blea Tarn then Wrynose and back is my personal favourite Lake District ride - and for sure Blea is something to drain the energy a bit - before the unrelenting ever steepening gradients of Wrynose 💯
@@BikeRacingWithoutMercy haha yes, I must have at least 15 'favourite' routes in the lakes now, and every time i ride there I add another. I ride a lot in the Dales too (I live down the road in Forest of Bowland) but the Lakes is just that bit more special to me. No other place like it in the UK, magical.
Love the videos, awesome work sir!
@@Nosh_Feratu thanks 🙏 - plenty more to come. And also for me the Lakes is my Nirvana 💯
Well done guys and good luck for the Fred Phill 💪
Cheers Lee 🙏 - sorry for the slow reply … work has been max max max ! Was a decent event .. albeit didn’t manage sub 7 !
That Topcat and Lee are an alien species lol how the fuck can you do surges like that on those ramps which I would be off the bike and pushing ha!!. What a performance by you as well!. You lot will cream the Fred lol. Fantastic video that shows us mere mortals up!!. Well done.
Cheers Steven 🙏🙏 they are indeed alien species and on a natural preparation of fast twitch fibre !! Literally that how TC rides every climb !! Thanks for your kind encouragement - a pleasure to make this vid. I didn’t manage sub 7 though … but still fantastic event to take part in 💯
Thank you for a brilliant vid ahead of the Fred Phil. Nice to see BRWM considers tapering woefully overrated....dai...
🤣💯Ian !! Text book taper for sure this segment …. A little rash to ride this segment again, the Friday before the Fred…. But trouble is I don’t get to enjoy the Lake District enough …… so a shame to waste it ….
The level of concern would be off the scale for anyone going hill climbing with those 2! 😂 Good luck in The Fred Phill, I’m certain you’ll smash it.
Cheers Ian 🙏 it’s a very intimidating series of ascents so I really didn’t know if I’d still be able to climb them … level of concern was indeed at a peak! Lee and TC are on another level of sure 💯🚀
I was sweating just watching 😉
🤣 yep - it’s not trivial 💯
Very nice Phil. I still have my Fred Whitton Castelli jersey in the plastic wrapping unopened from years back.
Can you please do a vlog where you do the usual cold coffee routine in the morning, do any hard work out, could be hill repeats on Swains Lane or any decent ride really. Then you get back and eat a Pasteis de nata, AKA Portuguese custard tart? With their signature flaky crust and sweet custard filling they’re world-famous, and incredibly delicious.
Thanks bye. 😊
Cheers Adam 🙏 - I too always keep my event jerseys in the wrapper ! Bringing back an old school training video is a grand plan, Sir …. save one small problem…I don’t like custard … can I have a Bakewell Tart instead ? 🤣
This is almost masochistic. Well done lads
Yep - not at all trivial Valiant ! Intimidating to the max 🤣🚀
Some strong riders there 😮, looks like you’ll have some decent weather this weekend, fingers crossed for the sub 7 🤞
Chers Alan 🙏 - and sorry for the delay. Life got properly busy . Amazing weather for the Fred - perfect for a max effort pace …. But I didn’t manage the sub 7 🥵
Quality!!!!
Cheers Beeee To THE BBBBBBBBBBBBeeee !🙏
@@BikeRacingWithoutMercy Phiiiiiiiiiil. You smashed it!
Hi Philly! So spectacular views all around! ❤Dream Kaka sounds like the secret ingredient for cycling superheroes😂 Just realized that MAMIL stands for 'Middle-Aged Men in Lycra' and not mammal = wild cyclist🚴
Hi Olga - and sorry for the delay! Have been maxed out the last weeks . For sure the Lakes is my favourite place to cycle ! My number 1 MAMIL destination ! Hope you are well
@@BikeRacingWithoutMercy
The Lakes sound like an amazing place to cycle! I'm glad you have such a beautiful spot to enjoy. 😀Hope you're doing well too!
I'll be at the fred too Phil, good luck and go well! Equally excited and trepidatious! Hoping I can keep feet off the ground on my 36:30
Nice one Richard - how did you go? In ‘21 I was strong enough to do it with the 30 on the rear…. This year 34 - and it made the difference between me riding up vs walking 😅
@@BikeRacingWithoutMercy Well done! I was loving life til my rear hub went on newlands and that was my day done sadly! a long walk then to braithwaite in cleats and a lift back to grasmere (thankfully). I'll have to come back, maybe with the knowledge to get a 34 on the back!
@@richardjellyman2457 ohhhhhh noooooooooo ! Sorry to hear that - and for sure you’ll notice the benefit of a 34 💯
I still think Wrynose is tougher than Hardknott....there are breathers in Hardknott, and you can flatten out the hairpins at least somewhat. . .Wrynose is just relentless, no let up and no way out. . .also my personal fav (second only to Birker Fell!)
I’m in total agreement with you Nosh - 💯. Wrynose just keeps layering on the challenge barely any let up . And also my favourite climb - I once made a video on this exact subject - starting with Blea there is no prettier outing than Blea - Wrynose - Blea …. Beer !
Brutal bit of riding! Video from the Fred coming up Phil ?
A tough old segment for sure ! And yes John - literally just released it. 👍
Really great to absorb this video Phil and the main climbs, some of those descents still wet 😬. I'm also hoping to go sub 7 elapsed (6.45 last couple of tries, missed "elite" by 5 minutes last time😭). Hopefully see you on the course and say hello! Still debating whether to leave at 6.30 or wait for Kendall CC posse at 8 🤔
Hi Kion - sorry for the slow reply. Work got the better of me. How did you go ? Elite 🤞. I failed sub 7….
Plan your retirement up north, Phil. You’ll never regret it if you want to ride outside frequently. North Yorkshire👌. Lakes only 1hr drive. Pennines/moors/dales accessible from your doorstep. From Paul Ingram. Good luck with Fred.
Cheers Paul 🙏 - the North is indeed the perfect retirement location . To have all you just mentioned in east striking distance would be nirvana ! Hope you are well
Great video but Yorkshire is number 1 for me (bias of course😂).
🤣🤣Ethan !! Yaaaarkshire is indeed stupendous !
To think this comes at the end of a 100 miles in the fred whitton 😢
Yep - it’s a mad mad proposition either way 142km and 3000m elevation already in the legs - always CHAOS . And this year Hardknott didn’t disappoint 🥵💯
Sorry Phil, but God's own County is Yorkshire (and I'm not even a Yorkshire man!)
Yes a tad controversial of me, Simon ! But having broke my neck and back in beautiful Yorkshire … I’ve decided to re-designate 🤣
Not a "scoan" it's a sconn !
🤣🤣🤣 - I’m a soft southerner !
Nice one Phil Lovett! Wondering what your gear setup was for that climb?
Cheers 🙏 - 36 on the front and 34 on the rear 👍
the question is if wordsworth was around now would he be mamil-ing up and the lake district peaks with coleridge and handing his gopro footage to dorothy to upload?
🤣🤣🤣FFF - William would be riding a titanium bike adorned with daffodils with Coleridge providing a lead out in the valleys, and filming from the front on the climbs. They would then return to Dove Cottage where his sister would help them craft a sublime UA-cam video (for his channel ‘Prelude to Fred’) portraying their Excursions in preparation for the world’s greatest MAMIL event ….. ohhh yes cycling poetry it most certainly would be !
Try doing them on 42x21----.
If that’s a 42 on the rear and 21 on the front … I’d say that’s a plan and a half 💪💯
If that’s a 42 on the rear and 21 on the front … I’d say that’s a plan and a half 💪💯
I wish I had TC’s afterburners 😢
Me too - and to see them IRL is incredible, that boy can rip into a steep gradient 💪