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The pie’s the limit
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In July this year, Stoke-on-Trentbased rider Dan Campbell tackled the ultra-gruelling Pan Celtic Race, from the south coast of Cornwall to North Wales – and was grateful for the support of his followers, especially those who arrived with his favourite Staffordshire delicacies to entice him over the line – oatcakes and a Wrights pie
DAN CAMPELL WORDS & PICTURES
Fans lure Dan to the finish line with tasty Staffordshire titbits…
BEING A USUALLY solitary rider I’m not accustomed to roadside supporters and dot-watchers. During the four days of the incredible Pan Celtic Race I naively supposed that the people at the side of the road were there simply to wave to their loved ones.
It wasn’t until well into the ride that I realised that some of these people were actually following our progress – dotwatchers who’d turned up to cheer us on! As the ride went into day three, they provided little explosions of sunshine during dark moments.
During the ride I’d seen a post on social media of a couple who were making cakes for the riders at the finish. Being somewhere towards the back of the field, I posted a comment saying: “Save one for me!” On the last day I heard a voice in the crowd: “We have your jam cakes!” Simply amazing. But I have to also thank the couple from Stoke-on-Trent who’d been watching my dot and had travelled all the way to the Llandudno finish line to deliver Staffordshire oatcakes and a Wrights pie – true Stokie food, and a lovely touch!
So why was I, an Audaxer, having a crack at ultra-racing? The short answer is that I enjoy riding a long way but due to my weight problem I find it exceptionally difficult to arrive at the Audax finish line before the cut-off time for hilly 400km rides or greater, as I can’t maintain a high enough average speed.
This constant fight with the clock takes some of the enjoyment out of my longer rides. The key difference between Audaxing and ultra-cycling is the way the time works. In Audaxing everyone is riding against the clock, and if you arrive at the finish line before the time limit you are successful, otherwise you are not.
Ultra-cycling is more about you and your journey. There are the riders who are racing for a top ten spot, and then you have the riders who are racing themselves. There is no ticking clock, just the time you cross the finish line. So, you end up with lots of mini-races within the ultra-race.
So what was it like? In many ways the PCR is like an Audax event – self-sufficient, sleep where you want, controls and a finish line. But the race takes on a life of its own. For those who have ridden the London-Edinburgh-London event or similar, you will understand what I mean. However, the Pan Celtic Race has two controls and no food, unlike LEL which typically has a control with food every 60 miles or so. There are no “cycling trains” for riders to jump on to as this would result in disqualification. Solo riders ride alone –
most of the time! This made the human contact with other riders something to look forward to as you leapfrog your way to the finish line. This is one of my favourite aspects of ultra-cycling experience (mini-races within the race) and I came at the back of the field!
The route, which changes every year, always includes shops and 24 hour petrol stations. The only concern I had was when riding through Snowdonia National Park late at night. Thanks to my DIY Audax experience, I spent some time mapping out food stops before the race to reduce my stress levels. I always knew where my next food stop would be, and what time it closed. In terms of equipment, I took my normal 600km Audax kit but added an overnight sleeping kit and USB quick charger which totalled ten litres across all bike bags.
My Ribble Ti 105 never missed a beat and the bespoke wheelset from 23MM. CO.UK with a SONdelux dynamo hub were excellent – as were the Continental hard-shell tyres, no punctures and solid performance all the way. But I’ll take a small amount of chain lube next time.
The biggest issue was with wet feet and shoes. We had monsoon rain for three days. By the end my feet were so big they no longer fitted in the shoes, making it painful to ride. The other problem area was the top of my fingerless gloves. The dampness created a ring of fire around both my wrists from where the top of the glove had rubbed away the skin.
All the riders I met were extremely supportive and friendly. One rider even slowed down on a long climb to offer me
Pre-race… riders and supporters gather for entertainment
Flag waving… a warm welcome in Falmouth
Beside the seaside… St. Ives on a fine day
encouragement. When I was struggling with my feet, another rider rode with me for a couple of miles into Caerphilly. It wasn’t until after the ride, when I looked up these riders on Facebook that I realised that many of them were extraordinary cyclists. And they’d taken time to have everyday conversations with everyday people.
Given Covid was impacting on everything, I was surprised that the event actually went ahead, but this was due to the determination of the PCR team. This commitment came through into the race itself. They certainly went the extra mile.
Even though they looked more tired than the riders, they were still enthusiastic and every time I met them I left laughing. They’ve created an excellent event in a great place. It caters for the hardcore riders and “weekend warriors” like me. I really do think that PCR will become an international must-do event, like LEL. I loved the start of the race and the Celtic warrior battle cry, although it was a little surreal listening to this while standing in monsoon rains!
The roadside support was also fantastic. It wasn’t until I was chatting with a fellow rider in the dead of the night that I realised these people were dot watchers. Their presence certainly helped me to stay positive when I was struggling with my feet.
I loved doing the PCR and I will go back and do another in the future. I may even explore other occasional ultra-races; they bring a new dimension to riding which I really enjoy – but Audax will always be my spiritual home!
THE PAN CELTIC RACE
The Pan Celtic Race is a selfsupported ultra-endurance cycle race through a combination of Celtic lands – Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Cornwall, the Isle of Man and Brittany. It involves a different route each year, but always tackling challenging terrains in stunning landscapes.
In 2021 the race was divided into two routes – a longer and shorter version. Dan Campbell opted for the shorter route – 852 miles through Cornwall, south-west England and Wales, starting in Maker Heights in the south of Cornwall and finishing in Llandudno, North Wales.
Dan was in a field of 36 for the shorter route – finishing 21st.
Having made the decision to take on PCR, I realised I’d need to do some targeted training. These three training routes give an insight into my fitness, or lack of it.
SEA, BEACHES, AND THE WIRRAL CIRCULAR (AUDAX DIY, 200KM)
I wanted an easy 200km ride to judge fitness levels. Having never cycled around the Wirral peninsula, I thought it would be a useful test. My cycling buddy, Sarah Roberts from Market Drayton, joined me. She is super strong, and it felt like I spent most of the ride trying to keep up.
The Welsh side of the Wirral was lovely except for a few miles around to Hoylake and the Irish Sea, where you pick up the concrete sea defence – which is nice, except for the families! The section from Birkenhead to Ellesmere Port was horrible, but there were interesting things to see along the way – including a replica of a Victorian submarine.
There was a head wind all the way back to the finish line, so I took the opportunity to apply my strategy of high cadence and low heart rate. This reduced my overall average speed, but I was feeling strong when I arrived at the finish line. However, my knees were starting to remind me that they were old and broken!
SWEET JESUS, MARY, AND JOSEPH (AUDAX, DIY, 100KM)
You might guess that I created this ride after watching “Line of Duty”. I knew that the first day of the PCR would involve 5,000 and 6,000 metres of climbing – and that most would be very steep. My White Peaks route contained lots of steep, long climbs. I assumed that if I couldn’t achieve 3,000m within 100km then I wouldn’t get through day one of PCR!
It was a dry day with a strong, cold wind, especially on the open moorlands. Some of the climbs were on the boundary of being too steep for me to ride up with a fully loaded bike. The hills were so steep my heart rate shot up to “stop now before you explode” zone! But I made a point between hills to ride slowly, to allow muscle recovery.
LAKE VYRNWY VIA LAKE BALA (AUDAX, DIY, 3.25AAA)
My next test was to check if I could complete a 200-mile ride with significant climbing (3,660 meters). This would be my last real ride before the PCR, and I used it to estimate my 24-hour mileage. I was thinking about 200-miles with 4,000m of climbing every 24 hours.
The route was excellent with virtually no traffic for most of the night and the K-light ultra-backpack V2 dynamo light was incredible. I had one of those special moments at the top of the climb, heading for Bala. The sun was rising but I could see stars and the moon. I think that moment will live with me for the rest of my life.
I increased my food intake to one Snickers bar every 30 minutes to cope with the volume of climbing. My formula for the PCR would not rely on energy gels or powders, but on food available at shops along the way. I was able to complete the 300km ride within the Audax time allowance and the next day my legs were ready to go again.
Tall order… near Crackington Haven
