In 2015, I hadn’t ridden up Box Hill in some 29 years, so there I was on an early Friday morning, where I’d usually be getting ready to head to work – panniers etc - I instead slung the saddlebag on and off I went. Through Esher, up Oxshott, yes I was being one of the weekend wheelies – but on a Friday!
Heading out of the burbs on a sunny weekday morning is wonderful. The majority of traffic is heading the other way and those going your's seem to be more relaxed as they note the ever-growing queues the other side of the dotted lines.
I was only ever really going out for a couple of hours but as I hit the Leatherhead bypass, I had butterflies and it wasn’t just the hurtling down at 40mph that was causing it. Could I get up Box Hill? If I couldn’t get up Box Hill, how on earth could I even think about Leith Hill? I have done some hills before but there is something about those two, which made me gulp.
As I looked up at the south face of Box Hill, I took a deep breath. I'd walk up that hill with the dogs, I’d bombed down it on a sled, and yes I had cycled up it when I was young.
For the experienced cyclist, they saw this…
That’s not what I saw…
Pushing onwards and upwards, I heard the tell-tale click of someone who could afford better shifters. Looking behind, swish, swish, swish, swish, four club riders sped past me as my legs span and span hoping to keep up my own momentum.
I looked up to see them disappearing round the bend of the first Zig, thankful that they would probably be in the fast set rather than my probable start group.
As I turned the bend to head towards the Zag, I felt the presence of another rider – seriously, when roads are quiet you do sometimes get with the Jedi in realizing someone is approaching - amazingly, I could still talk.
“Mate, I’d overtake me if I were you,” I wheezed.
“I’ll try, but I’m not that much faster to be honest,” he wheezed back.
Liar.
He passed me and headed up the long stretch to the final Zag, his legs pumping as he occasionally stood up to gain speed. A few minutes later he was gone.
I on the other hand was down in the granny gear, pedaling merrily away, looking at the sights around me in the hope of distracting myself.
Round and round span my legs but strangely, as I headed around the Zag, I realised something – I’d done it. Without stopping, without having a heart attack, without wheezing like an asthmatic in a marathon, I had got up Box Hill.
I had beaten one of the hills that I feared. According to Strava, I had averaged 8 mph.
With a steady pace, I was top of the world.
Of course, there was still Leith Hill to come….
Training ride 10
Distance: 30.3 miles
Average speed: 15.7mph
Elevation: 1.528
Total distance so far: 317.2 miles
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