Polypipe Building Products recently took part in the PHG charity cycle which saw them cover a 150 mile route over 2 days.
The route saw them cover 150 miles from Harrogate to Darlington through the Yorkshire Dales and back again through the North Yorkshire Moors. Cycling on our behalf was Regional Sales Manager Gary Foord and Business Development Manager Steve Heney.
This was all to support two fantastic charities, Surfers Against Sewage and the Woodlands Trust, to help the war on plastic pollution and the carbon crisis. Like many charities, they have suffered massive losses during the Pandemic and it's now time for us to do our bit to help them recover. As this article went to press a fantastic £43,798.39 had been raised by all involved!
Day One took the group from Harrogate to Catterick covering a distance of 77 miles with a 6,300ft ascent.
Here Gary takes us through the day:
Well despite all predictions, it wasn’t raining!
After a short ride we left the busy roads of Harrogate and started the day with the first 10 miles seeming just going uphill, oh and a headwind to boot!
Following the first feed station at 20 miles and a chance to warm up it was up and windy again!
Lunch was a lovely warming hotpot to refuel and ready for the afternoon session which after 5 miles started with the steepest climb of the day, over 700 feet, straight up!!! Congratulations to the brave soles that managed to keep the peddles turning.
Steve said of the climb:
Hardest hill that I have ever cycled up in my life. The wind and rain made it even more difficult and I was genuinely shattered at the summit. I felt physically sick climbing that hill with a terrible stitch in my right side and my Garmin beeping to say that my heart rate was too high. I have a personal challenge to myself to never stop or get off my bike when climbing a hill and that is still in tact... just! Those hills in Yorkshire are severely brutal so hates off to anyone who cycles there each week!
Gary continues:
Still what goes up must come down and a steep descent gave way to a more flatter terrain and fortunately a change in wind direction.
The last 15 miles hoped to have been flat but nope one more steep climb was required. That over is was time to power on home, however things take a different turn!
Racing on from a group to catch the group in front, a cross wind hit the bike and I encountered wheel wobble, next thing I know is up a bank into a tree landing heavily on my right side; few days later following a visit to A&E, I have fractured ribs!!
Still, back in the saddle, bloody, shaken but undeterred, we finish the day, tired, exhausted but in high spirits looking forward to a well deserved pint.
Day Two took the group from Catterick back to Harrogate covering a distance of 81 miles with 5,300ft of climbing:
The weather was looking ominous but still dry, it’s still windy up t’North!
20 miles and its flat (well as flat as Yorkshire can be)!
First feed station in the warmth off we go again stopping again at 36 miles at the beautiful Rievaulx Abbey for a hearty lamb soup and stunning scenery.
Off again and we welcome the rain, not heavy but the fine rain that soaks you through to the skin. The climb of the day is gentle but lasts for 4 miles and drops down immediately at 25% gradient; not for the faint hearted.
Following a couple of punctures for Steve, we arrive at our last feed stop, wet, shivering, with no shielding from the persistent wind or rain, we huddle together over hot coffees under an aluminium blanket.
17 miles to go, rain, wind so no time to delay, we race forward to get to the end, the final 5 – 6 miles off the road and onto the car free cycle and walking route as we once gain see Harrogate.
We arrive at the finish line, the light diminishing with no fanfare, no greetings and well done!! The sensible ones stay in the warmth and dry, eventually acknowledging our achievement, we do a re-run of our finish line and reach straight for a glass of bubbly and warm clothes.
2 days, 150 miles, 11,000 feet of climbing, some new friends, some laughs, a bit of pain but stunning scenery along the dales and moors of Yorkshire. This was certainly a challenge, underestimate it at your peril but what an achievement. Roll on PHG 150 2022, I have suggested East Anglia – it’s flat!
