This was it, the big one, Ride London. The one for all the swearing, the knee and back aches, the one for all the mileage and mechanicals.
But first I had to get there.
On the Friday I had spent far too much money on the cycle show are registering for Ride
London but at least I was well stocked for Sunday.
Popping down to the station, I bumped into an old friend of mine who was also doing Ride London but who baulked at the idea of cycling to Queen Mary’s where we both had rooms for the night.
‘I’m doing 100 miles tomorrow, I ain’t adding six miles to that,’ he said not too unreasonably for a man who had only bought his first road bike a few months prior.
He and his group changed to the Overland at Clapham Junction and I headed to Waterloo and from there a nicely paced ride first up to London Bridge then onto Mile End.
The room was basic, the bonus being it was a room with wheelchair access so it was pleasantly large.
Meeting up with some colleagues, two of us decided to carb build. Five pints and a burger later it was time for sleep.
A hot and shallow sleep later - I never sleep well before the day - I was up at dawn and eating my porridge…and soon after drinking my coffee out of the rinsed pot as I realised there were no cups to be had in the student building.
Not long after checking out, I was at the Olympic Park. I had booked because of its location but forgot how close it was.
One of my colleagues had asked me how to get there the night before. I said: ‘Turn left out of Mary’s and straight down…or follow the cyclists.’ As we waited to turn into the Mile End Road, they both realised what I meant with the two-wheel hoard heading to their destiny.
After the hour wait in the pen, chatting nonsense with fellow riders, reassuring the first timers, we were off - to Waterloo. Oh Dear God in Heaven, could we not have had something better than a Eurovision winner. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind Abba but after an hour wait, I wanted something to get the blood moving.
Never mind, we were off.
A few weeks before I bought a sensor computer to make sure I didn’t push too hard when setting out - after a few miles at around 25mph, I realised that plan hadn’t quite worked out.
Moving at pace through the wide streets of East London and the Dockland, through the Lime House Link, there were few cyclists to overtake me as I stuck on the right hand side, surprisingly comfortable with the pace I was doing.
Through Tower and onto Embankment, push push push went my pedals, and before I knew it we were heading up to Trafalgar Square - I’d done the first ten miles in 27 minutes.
Split 1: 10 miles - 27:03
A couple of internal swears at slower cyclists drifting into my path and then I was bolstered by the Bloodwise mob cheering at Green Park.
Through Kensington and my first bar of the day. Once replenished, it was the sprint out of London.
Last year a car drove straight through the cones at the Three Kings, West Kensington causing about 20 of us cyclists into emergency stops but there were no dramas this year. Up over the Hammersmith Flyover, into Chiswick and up Sheen Lane to Richmond Park.
Now I’m not bragging but I powered up the slope, overtaking all that were in front of me to the extent that I had someone say I almost lost him up the hill as he tried to tow me, I admitted that I was somewhat of a local so knew the road very well.
Split 2: 19 miles - 24:45
I had done 19 miles in 51 minutes and the legs still felt fine. In fact Strava recorded I did Tower to Richmond in just over half an hour - try doing that on the commute!
Split 3: 27 miles - 17:10
Through Kingston where the early birders were heading back in, the barstewards, and over the bridge. It had taken me an hour and eight minutes to get here from the start.
The mileage just floated away, occasionally someone would join my back wheel, sometimes I got hold on another until I overtook them. Out into Surrey, I didn’t stop at Hampton Court, I had enough fluids and certainly enough food.
By Molesey Cemetery, I saluted as my granny, mum, sister and brother all lie there and, I have to admit, a lump came to my throat as I wondered what they would have thought of all this.
At Weybridge disaster almost struck. A group called the Reggies had been chain ganging in and out of the traffic and one clipped their team mate who came down in front of me. I was pleased to find my disc brakes worked extremely well and I hopped onto my feet in a non-stylish endo but avoided being totalled.
Not wanting to be near the Reggies again, I passed them downhill at Brooklands - strange how they didn’t give way to faster riders as they expected everyone else to - and left towards Byfleet.
Over the M25 and out of London, an ambulance came speeding past, not giving a clue as to what was waiting ahead…
Split 4: 38 miles - 35:23
Eagerly awaiting my first stop at Pyrford, I came to my first stop and dismount. Someone, somehow, had managed to crash and was being treated by the said ambulance. Pleased about having MTB shoes, I walked past then headed to the first water stop.
A banana and refill later, I was heading towards Ripley…and my second stop. This one was predictable as it was on Church Street, a downhill chicane that has caught out many a rider and sure enough another one was down being treated.
Past the Augustine Abbey ruins and through the village, I keep a nice pace up until…yep another stop.
This one was very confusing. The cyclist seemed to have totalled on the small humpback bridge just at West Horsley. The wait and congestion compounded by the ambulance parking on the bridge leaving only space for one at a time past the scene.
It was here that I caught up with a colleague who had started earlier than me and she said: ‘Well bang goes five hours.’ Five hours? I had no idea what pace I was doing but it seemed like it was good going.
And it was just as well, as the waits had cost time…
Spit 5: 48 miles - 01:06:09
The mighty Newlands awaited. And I breezed up it at a mighty 8mph, cheerfully telling people that the flat was false and there was one wee ramp to go - then my phone rang.
Now I have an ageing father and a daughter who has impeccable skills at getting damaged thanks to her dyspraxia and invisible cats, so fearing the worst, I pulled over, pulled out my phone, only to hear: ‘Get a wiggle on Wooks’…thanks John!
A lovely and speedy descent down, through the lovely villages hugging the A25 and onto the gentle climb to Holmbury St Marys where my computer made for its escape - or suicide bid. With the grace of a hippo in a tutu, I sprinted through a gap in the cycling to rescue the device then sheepishly headed down to Leith Hill.
Split 6; 56 miles - 27:06
And another queue. Don’t get me wrong, some of the Ride Captains were great, others…
'Walk on the left,’ said this one imperiously as he looked to rescue his timings.
‘Everyone is walking,’ I said pointing ahead.
Suitably embarrassed, he started doing some work. Some bright spark listened to our
suggestions of staggering us out and soon we were all riding up Leith, though now it looked like six hours was going to be hard to hit.
Now Leith has consistently been my bugbear but at at a comfortable 6 mph, it felt like all those morning climbs to work had helped.
A slightly dangerous downhill back to the A25 - seriously, sort the potholes out Surrey - before my favourite part…the descent into Dorking.
I love this road. Smooth, fast. I was down into the drops, tucked in and on my own on the right, hitting 48mph.
Split 7: 64 miles - 42:01
Bombing through the lovely town of Dorking and their amazing locals, all cheering us on - including a giant cock (no not that kind!) - I was soon at Box Hill where the moment I feared happened; cramp.
After initially trying to ride it out, I hopped off the bike and did some stretching, thanking concerned passing cyclists and soon I was back on the bike, spinning merrily up the hill, offering encouragement to those who were starting to hit their walls.
A second water fill and my now customary ice lolly and I set off, avoiding the pile up at the Headley rise where the steep ramp takes cyclists by surprise as they are totally in the wrong gears and I was soon down the Mad Mile and into Leatherhead.
Split 8: 75 miles - 54:57
Out of Leatherhead and soon over the Bear ramp, I hit my first traffic measure in Oxshott where they were letting cars go across. Through to Esher, I wasn’t going to stop at Sandown so I could get some speed on, only for someone to cut in front off me. Again thanking the gods of disc brakes, he apologised profusely but to be honest, it was my fault and I told him I should have called my position. No harm done and a minor scratch in my speed, I headed towards home.
Split 9: 81 miles - 20:20
This stop was my last and also the hardest as it is at the end of my road, But it is also the nicest because there was my little bear waiting with my replacement bottles and a wee treat in the form of my wife’s Malteser Cake. A Type 2 waiting to happen, I eagerly ate it and, after a virtual hug (sweats, my daughter isn’t stupid), I was off back into Kingston and yet another traffic stop.
Heading onto Coombe Lane, I hit cramp again. Another short stop to stretch and then the last major test, Wimbledon Hill.
Split 10: 89 miles - 22:33
The hill is a short sharp climb, made worse by being at the 90th mile. But the crowds going up are amazing and I was soon at the top, willing the lurking cramp to behave.
Taking it easy through the village and downing plenty of fluid, I was back at pace with the gratefully received downhill into Putney.
Split 11: 94 miles - 22:46
This was it, the home stretch, through New Kings Road and onto the Embankment.,
Unlike previous times when the day had stretched enough for me to be on my own with my thoughts, I was thankful that there were other riders around so I could just pace it out with them.
Another welcoming sight was heading round Parliament Square where Bloodwise terrified all those around them by going ballistic as I passed - thanks guys!
Onto Gt George Street where a marshall warned repeatedly of the upcoming turn - to which I said “I know I used to work here’ - it was onto Horseguards for the changed route as they turn Admiralty Arch into a hotel. I made easy work of it then onto the Mall and the finish and to the smile of my wife waiting at the Victoria Fountain (and eventually the recovery pack of milk, bananas and crisps after I got my medal and bag).
Finish: 100 miles - 17:27.
Official Time: 06:17; Strava: 05:47
Yes the waits were annoying, yes I worry about the route with the numbers and the skills of riders and yes, I do think there could be better ways to use my Sundays.
But I have raised over £600 for Bloodwise, Over £22 million has been raised in total at Ride London for charities up and down the UK and thousands of cyclists got the chance to ride through London without having to worry about Audis, or White Vans or Black Cabs.
Oh and on moving time, I finally beat 6 hours.
Can I just say thanks to all those who donated, shared my FB posts, shared this site, and read my witterings and people can still donate, just hit the button!
Will I do it again? Well….
Ride London
100 miles
Average Speed: 17.2mph
Elevation: 4,234 ft
Total miles: 958.4 miles (give or take)
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