Mallorca 312

The Mallorca 312 is the largest cycling event of the year on the paradise island. I noticed that it was happening 2 weeks before I set off to Lisbon so decided to enter and do the 167 Km route.

The photo (left) shows Me & Grace waiting at the start line wearing The Road To Lisbon kit for the very first time.

In training for it with friends I noted that I could manage the course in the required 7h 45m but only with the minimum of stops. My last training run was 7h 26m of moving time but actually took 8h 57m to complete. This wouldn't work on event day as there is a "Broom Wagon" or "Sweeper Bus" trundling along at the minimum required rate to finish on time. If the bus catches you then you're out!

I had a plan, comfort stops only! To keep these to a minimum I decided not to drink much water before the event and only enough to keep me going during it. Rookie mistake ..... I was flying for the first 26k on the flats from Playa De Muro past Pollensa and to the start of the first big climb - Coll De Femenia. I raced up that in record time and then up the Puig Major (Mallorca's highest peak). I was feeling great, cycling my best ever and really enjoying the closed roads and the company of over 6000 fellow cyclists.

Then it started, climbing to Deia from Soller my back began to seize up. Severe back pain like I hadn't experienced in years. My legs were cramping, both at the same time. I had only ever had cramp from a stationary position, never an athletic one and never both legs at the same time.

I was crawling up the slopes and trying to alleviate the back pain and the cramps on the downhill parts. I was panicking a bit, should I stop? What's wrong? Will it go away? What if I make it worse? Lisbon is less than 2 weeks away.............. Eventually I stopped between Deia and Valldemosa.

I thought that a rest and a good stretch would help. I couldn't stretch, the pain was even worse off the bike than on it. With only 8 Km to the refreshment stop above Esporles I got back on Grace and crawled along. Everyone and I mean everyone was passing me.

I had realised by this point that I was cramping due to lack of fluid so had started to drink little and often. Breathing as deep as I could to get as much oxygen as possible. Oxygen & water are quite simply the most important things you can put into your body.

As I dismounted at the refreshment stop I heard a familiar voice calling "alright big man, how you doing?" It was a cycling friend of mine Gary Miller. As soon as he realised I was struggling he offered up an Ibuprofen which was very gratefully accepted.

We were 94 Km into the 167 Km route and almost all of the climbing was behind us. By the time I had descended into Esporles the pain killer was helping my back and the cramps were less frequent as I began to re-hydrate.

Now I knew I was finishing if the sweeper bus didn't get me! I started to push on again through Santa Maria, Alaro, LLoseta (no time to stop at the last refreshment point). Through Selva and around Campanet I was now on auto pilot. The last 20km were torture, straight into a head wind. I just put the hammer down and went as fast as I could sustain. Now I was passing people again. That helped keep me going, each new group in front was getting chased down.

Finally the built up area of Playa De Muro offered some shelter from the wind and after 2 Km of winding through the streets there it was ............... the finish line in sight!

A feeling of overwhelming relief ran through me as I crossed the line 20 mins ahead of the deadline. I knew I could have done it much faster, I knew I had made some rookie mistakes but I had forgiven myself those and learned from them.

I was a 167 FINISHER!