Dirty Reiver 200km Cycle

Of all the paths you take in life make sure a few of them are dirt

During my teenage years, my family used to bring the caravan up to Kielder Water during the summer holidays. I would spend the days volunteering in the water sports centre in return for the chance to muck about with the sailing gear. 

My prevailing memory of that vast, rugged, Northumbrian wilderness was managing to capsize a Wayfarer, and my sister somehow scrambling to sit on the keel as I was dunked into that never-warm water. And the midges. 

But I have emerged from a Newcastle-sized mobile reception blackspot with new memories and a self-congratulatory pat-on-the-back, having completed the Dirty Reiver, the leading gravel cycling endurance event in the UK. 

The 200 kilometres of off-road varied from wide fast fire tracks, to washboard sections strewn with ejected water bottles, and a couple of tricky mud trails. It was also a course that exemplifies the saying that what goes down must go up. 3,750 metres of up!

Strava Flyover

Day of days

I had stayed in one of the on site wigwams the night before and woke to a cool but calm day. 

After a large bowl of porridge at the event village, it was time to get prepped for the start at 9:00am. What sun there had been early in the morning disappeared into the gun-metal sky. 

Start line ready

I found the first 20k astonishing. There were punctures, mechanicals, and accidents left, right and in the ditches. Fortunately, my set up ran without issues from start to finish and, inevitably, the field thinned out after the first feed station. 

I had been told that ‘fuel in equals miles out’, so I settled to a steady pace and focussed a lot on eating and drinking enough. The third quarter was my toughest section, as long climbs, exposed trails, and the struggle to eat combined to test my resilience. 

Overall, I took 11 hours and 3 minutes with 10hours and 4 minutes in the saddle. I finished with 1% of stamina remaining (according to my computer) but my heart rate didn’t exceed zone 2. So, for my first ultra- distance event I’m pretty happy. 

Share your courage

The 870 Squadron motto comes from a Robert Louis Stevenson quote: “Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others.”

Truth be told, I was pretty worried about taking on this challenge. My training suggested I would be “70%” ready - whatever that meant. I was doubtful - or maybe just uncertain - about my endurance  

It was sharing my journey with you, and each generous donation, that helped me embrace my own courage. 

Chatting with other riders throughout, each talked about the option of bailing out onto the shorter 130km route. It was like a mental escape valve but, when it came, the choice to continue was an easy one. So, thank you. 

A metaphor for life
The road less travelled 
A long day out