CW5000 February challenges - your progress

Our February challenges for the CW5000 riders were scaled back a bit due to lockdown restrictions and a long range weather forecast promising snow and bitterly cold winds. Riding 100 miles in a week and doing a ride with 2,500 ft of elevation were the targets, and once again the emails started arriving straight away.

Stephe Fletcher had completed both before 6pm on the very first day. "After finishing my distance training for the day I scanned my emails and discovered the February Challenges. Ride 100 miles in a week, tick. Do a ride with 2,500 ft of elevation, tick. So looks like I’ve completed both challenges by accident."

Stephe lives in Cumbria but is virtual training around Norfolk in preparation for the Round Norfolk Epic in June. A 200 mile event around the Norfolk Border. Virtual training was definitely the way to go for the majority of you judging by your emails this month. Not surprising with the weather we've had.

>>>> It's never too late to join the CW5000. Sign up and count all your miles from Jan 1

Gethin Howells braved the elements, tackling the Welsh mountains throughout the month; "I massively overshot the target for the Feb challenges" He wrote in the Facebook group. "Had my biggest week for a couple of years, including four rides with over 750m of climbing." Do we sense another Everesting challenge this year, Gethin?

The climbing challenge created a problem for our riders in the Cambridge area. Peter Joyce clocked 43 miles one day, but riding the lanes south west of Cambridge he still only climbed 1,270 ft. "The challenge is going to need some proper planning. I think it's going to be loops of one or two local slopes."

But while everyone in the UK was learning to deal with a week of temperatures staying just below freezing, Canadian rider Scott Duncan took it to another level. Temperature in Regina hit an incredible minus 29. But that didn't stop him from going out. Albeit with a little something extra in his bidon.

Kudos to Nicola Sampson who emailed on February 7 to say; "Completed both challenges this week. I was really pleased to manage them in the same week as my birthday, when I finally became a pensioner and got my bus pass!" Congratulations Nicola!

Meanwhile, Jon de Beaux made a mistake we can all sympathise with; "So I may have accidentally ordered a new bike yesterday." he posted. It happens, Jon. It happens. And Ray Herbert came up with a novel excuse for putting off his turbo session when his cat went to sleep under his bottom bracket.

Editor Simon Richardson is planning another Zwift meet up early on February 27. The ride will be a loop of Watopia's Muir and the Mountain loop which gains 2,500ft of elevation and ticks off one of the challenges. Look out for an email with further details, or join the Facebook group for an update nearer the time.

The good news is the 2020 CW5000 medals were also delivered after a painfully long wait. What with factories closing down, production being scaled back, staff on furlough, blocked ports in the UK and new paperwork needed at the ports we sometimes thought they'd never arrive. Thankfully they have, and judging by the pictures posted on the CW5000 Facebook page, you're all pretty happy with them. As for 2021 medals......... watch this space.

We've now closed orders for the CW5000 jerseys. Milltag have put the order in with their factory and will keep us updated with their progress. We look forward to seeing the pictures of you all out riding in them.