From the very very fast to the cut off beaters most agree it’s a hard course to train for.
Hence the shocking average bike times on a near perfect day this year.
If your on feel, heart rate or watts your all over the place.
The person who I know that really excelled, apart from the winner, rode the loop 20+ times and then was sick all over the marathon.
Ride it in the dry.
It’s awful .
Hah, IMUK is going to blow your VI obsession out of the water 
Today’s 3hr 80km ride was same NP as Cotswold 113 (2hr 24mins for 90km)
Ouch!
DNS’d my last race of the year because of a nasty stomach bug making it round my family.
Did 2 run sessions last week though, good to get some speed work in.
Next time when you get there go up Drummer Lane which takes you onto Station Road.
Now that bit is steep as you get to the top 
Part of the grit of Bolton isn’t the climbs, its that it’s tough surfaces that make you feel you’re constantly working, there’s only a couple of short easy speed sections. Hence riding it this time of year maybe isn’t the most beneficial/risk reward use of time when you’re not that local. That said I recced it five times and was best thing I did.
#flat 
There is a reason for this…
…I once did my own, “local” version of Fred Whitton (158km, 2,223m elevation)
It hurt. The end.
There is nothing on earth that is ‘Flandrian style’ except actually racing in Flanders. I’m still traumatised years later. 
That’s a good 'ill that. I like the look of that one!
easy 6km at 5.00 pace today. Very stressful day at work but did manage 20mins on Zwift this evening.
Hmmm, I think we must live pretty close to each other!
Where are you guys based?
Made a conscious effort to put more strength training into my winter calendar this year (and not pointlessly peak in December, like last year).
Last 7 days:
2 runs: 11.5k hills and 3 x 2k intervals
2 Indoor rows: 5k and 3k / 2k / 1k intervals
Swim: 1.2k, easy (first swim in 3 weeks)
3 x 50 minute strength sessions in the gym
… and a very hungover 2.5k treadmill run
@Mungo2 you are defo committed to completing the climb when you get to that point as your only other option would be to fall over 
Chain snap…ouch. Not me by the way.
I’ve sailed up it twice the other time i had a standard chainset and a very low front end…!
No chance. IIRC I got close to the guys in the pic and bailed.
I was walking in cleats as fast as some were cycling…
It’s a very tough climb.
Oh Lordy !
Flying up it too!
Hope you weren’t too mashed !
That looks grim!!!
The road is so straight, so you can see the pain ahead
@Mungo2 It wasn’t me, it is a bloke I know and he is good at getting up the hills.
@Poet I am not the best climber and am usually struggling before I get to the really steep bit and it does bring tears to my eyes haha.
True, the roads and the beer are better in Belgium.
