Share.

24 Comments

  1. Congrats with your daughter! Having children changes a lot for your fitness. For me it also changed my mindset from chasing a specific goal to just being happy with finishing an event 🙂 .

  2. So much kudos or chapeau to you fella! Becoming a dad is an amazing unselfish act you and fiancée have done, you look so much leaner than those ZRL days 😊 and even with your cramp you got round 10mins quicker than me on The Fred. Glad you still gave it a go and those mountains are not going anywhere soon 😂😂. Take care and will look out for your online rides and further yt videos.

  3. I think you underestimated it and hadnt really done your research there!

    You'll be back……Dad bod beckons first though.. Yeah.. It's a thing!

    Anyway, congratulations on becoming a Dad. It's the best thing ever. All the best.

  4. This is amazing that you have adopted a child, congratulations to you both 👏🏼
    I was thinking of doing the Fred but I done (and crashed) at the Dirty Reiver this year and then I’m doing the Stone Circle in June. You will be amazed that you don’t actually have to do loads of massive long rides to be able to do an endurance event, doing threshold and VO2 training to aid recovery for the climbs, loads of carbs and Z2 the rest of the rides 🤜🏼🤛🏼

  5. Congrats on completing the Fred!! Been there as well, i started around 0620. I didn't dare cycling in shorts and short sleeves. My strong advice to you is, if you are planning to do fred next year, is to focus on training in your z2 heart rate. I am also the father, and have a very limited time, so for me mainly z2 and heavier intervals once a week. I was very much surprised during my training for Fred, that Shibden wall and Trooper Lane (both in Halifax) were fairly easy after extensive z2 training.
    The struggle took me by surprise – i did not expect it to be that steep and long. This was also my 3rd attempt of hardnott pass, and surprisingly, for the first time, I didn't push the bike. My gears were 11-34 , 34-50.
    The right preparation on the day before is very crucial, so don't forget the right fueling. I hope this experience did not put you off and you will do fred next year!!

  6. Might seem strange but you can also have too low gears, so you lose momentum and end up falling over or you have to get off and walk. I’ve done Hardknott, Wrynose and Struggle many times, both directions, as part of triathlons.
    1:1 gearing ratio is plenty low. You should be fine with 34/34.

  7. Cramp at half way!! you must have been loving life 🙂 I'm actually in this video pushing up Hardknot. I'm 97k and had a 36-36 is my excuse. Well done on completing it

  8. Great video and "good effort" for completing the ride with that cramping problem, mentally very tough. Much more interesting video than all the elite riders flexing as yours is much more like most cyclists experience. Around 85% of competitors get off on the ramp in the middle of Hardknott during the Fred Whitton (I've stood and counted them whilst taking photos there for hours) – and I've also done this event a few times now.

  9. (Dreadlocked guy that said hi). Was great riding with you briefly on the last home stretch mate! I also had to push the bike up some of Hardknott and Wrynose, so I wouldn't feel bad about that! We finished, that's what matters. This was my first Fred, and I said I'd never do it again, but I'm definitely going for it next year to slay the Hardknott demons.

  10. Congrats on the family 👍 and well done on getting around the FW. Re: cramping – you didn’t mention where, but if it’s calves worth looking at moving cleats rearward (all way back) to take load off them. Other thing, may need to up the Magnesium, particularly if salty sweater. Anyway, good to see you back, and congratulations again

  11. Great video! I too completed the Fred this year (my first)I’m commenting because I have had a similar journey …… I’m a dad of 2 daughters aged 5 and under, so like you my training was limited to 4 – 5 hours max a weeks with just 2 x rides of 4 hours in my whole 4 month block! The Fred was magnificent and brutal! I live in a very hilly place with lots of climbs to train on but nothing like that! I left and finished a bit before you so didn’t see you, I got cramp on Hardknott and had to push the last couple ramps, how you finished that ride if you were cramping on Honsiter is quite the mystery – Massive kudos to you, that’s some mindset! Good luck for your next effort and with being a dad 😂!!

  12. Congrats on the adoption of your daughter. Good job finishing a tough ride. All the best in the weeks, months and years ahead. Was excited to see a new video from Jarrod. Take care.

Leave A Reply