The Shape of Things to Come

We have known the route for some months now and for many we also broadly knew the terrain, so it will come as little surprise that the details released this week of the Ride-London-Surrey 100 route include some testing climbs along the way.

The new Participants Map provides a little  more information about facilities, some indication of the mile markers and the like, but still doesn't include the full road route.

But most obviously they seem to have omitted signs for any of the Pubs!

Oh well, perhaps they will have a bar open at the end of the Mall, for when we finish ;-)

Rolling countryside of Surrey and Berkshire

Bank Holiday weekend, so the weather was not fantastic, but I think we had the best of it this morning.

Myself, fellow RideLondon100 pedaller Nigel and friend Andy headed off on a blustery thirty odd mile ride through the rolling countryside of Surrey and Berkshire this morning.

While not sprinting along, and despite my severe lack of miles in recent months we kept a respectable pace throughout the morning. 

But as we were drawing toward the end the breeze increased to the extent that I actually had to pedal downhill a couple of times! 

One of the more notable things about the ride was the state of the roads; quite clearly Berkshire spend more on them than Surrey...

Return to the Saddle - Training Ride Accomplished!

Saturday morning eight-thirty and we are ready for a first ride since my disastrous outing in February, but it feels good to be back on the road.

Heading off feeling fine, it takes a little while to get back into the rhythm. Despite some sessions in the gym to keep a degree of fitness, riding a real bike on the road is different and the muscles really did feel like they've been neglected for too long!

My trusty stead was all checked over and ready to go, and having returned it all seems in order; only damage from the accident was a bent dérailleur hanger and some cosmetic scratches.

Well thirty Kilometres [~twenty miles] and the legs are saying enough; but it was a good start and with some determined effort in the next few weeks I very much hope to be back on track.

But as the Virgin Giving page counter says - only 72 days to go and  they will disappear very rapidly, I know I've a task ahead of me!

Fingers crossed for some decent weather over the next few weeks.

Back in the saddle .... Well Briefly!

Despite having bought myself a new bike [Jamis Xenitrh Pro Di2 at the end of the 2012 season, with the weather being what it was I'd not been out that much between December and February. But with the arrival of a few pleasant days in Feb, and my latest challenge afoot, I started my preparations and headed off on a couple of short rides.

Unfortunately, on the third of these early morning forays into the Surrey countryside I lost the front wheel on a corner, only about twenty minutes from home, and I'm still not sure now if that was ice or oil? But whichever the result was a call to my wife, once I'd collected myself from the road, asking her to come and get me - Not to go home, but off to A&E! It was more than apparent this was not just a bump!

Damaged, but it did the job!

And I was correct. The x-rays confirmed that for the first time in my fifty years that I'd broken a bone, well two actually; a fractured shoulder blade and fractured collarbone. 

Result; training placed on hold and eight-twelve weeks with my right arm in a sling, and some serious discomfort. But at least I'm glad to have been wearing the right gear. Even if it's now only fit for the bin, it did the job when I needed it... 

Well here we are now ten weeks into that recovery, getting better but fed up of the indoor cycling machine I've been using to try an maintain some level of fitness and about ready to get back on the road. 

And as if to encourage me back out on the road, my new event cycle jersey has just arrived sporting the EIKON logo.

With several of my like minded colleagues raring to go for training rides - I am, if with a little trepidation, feeling the time is right and about ready to go.

Stay tuned for updates!

RideLondon-Surrey 100 My Next Challenge

The Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 is my next personal challenge. 

Following on from my successful fund raising last year [Sixty-five Miles, Funny Trousers] in support of Eikon. This year I wanted to extend myself and so decided I would up the stakes and duly signed up for the London-Surrey Ride 100 event taking place in August.

I will be riding it for the personal challenge and also with the aim of raising as much money as I can for a good cause. 

Once again I'm supporting The Eikon Charity  

The Route

Starting at the new Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, then following a 100-mile route on closed roads through the capital and out into Surrey’s stunning countryside. 

The route encompasses some leg-testing climbs through the Surrey hills along large parts of the route made famous by the world’s best cyclists last year.

But I'm already looking forward to the finish along The Mall in central London, shortly before the professional cyclists race in the inaugural Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic on a similar but even more demanding route.

Nightrider 2012 - Out of the grey, into the clear night

Somewhere in 2012 the time continuum had a blip because '78 days to go' suddenly became THREE, which turned into 'The Night' and off we headed.

With bike serviced, lights checked, kit packed and everything double/triple checked... it was here, and ready or not look out London here we come!

The weather for June was foul in the week leading up to the event but by some divine intervention [Thank you, again - prayers answered!] the clouds cleared and it turned out to be perfect; clear skies and little to no wind as we arrived at Crystal Palace, and remained that way throughout the night.

Our group of riders, supporting Eikon, set off at 23.10 to the enthusiastic starting orders of Chris Hickford, founder of EIKON, and a person whose infectious laughter and huge smile put everyone in good spirit and ready to go.

The group set off and a pace just a little too quick, immediately proven by us missing the first turn by some few hundred metres and having to double back - an exercise that would be repeated more than once before the night was over.

So off we went riding through London's dark streets, down toward Greenwich and then heading into the city and around Canary Wharf's deserted streets before doubling back into the City and around St Paul's, past the Emirates stadium and up through Hackney toward Alexandra Palace.

Probably my favourite moments were crossing Tower Bridge, just because it's so iconic, looking back over London from Alexandra Palace where the dark night sky and lights created such a fantastic scene.

Even with a few minor deviations from the route [signs were not always easy to spot..] meaning we completed more than the obligatory distance, the climb to Alexandra Palace at the midway point and the climb back up to Crystal Palace at the end, we finished a little before 5am, which given the traffic in town was respectable.

Navigating our way back though Camden and Regent Street among the revellers who were queueing to go into clubs at 3.30 AM on Sunday morning for something undoubtedly alcoholic while we were swigging energy drinks, was certainly a interesting experience...

Around 4:15 the dawn was starting to break and the bird began singing as we made our way back past the Oval and onward to Crystal Palace, where a well deserved mug of tea and bacon roll, provided by our supporting EIKON team was perfect finish.

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and the training rides certainly proved worthwhile.

In the end I got very close to my target and overall the group raised around £17,500 [100 percent of which will go to EIKON] so we're very pleased with that.

Your contributions helped to raise a fantastic sum that will go to a very good cause, thank you all.

Now what shall we do next...

Nightrider 2012 - Funny Trousers!

Not being as young as I was - and certainly less in body than mind - I set about taking on a few training rides in the months leading up to the event; I donned the Lycra and set off on a few ten, fifteen, twenty and thirty mile rides. 

More effort needed I thought, so I set about a few more regular rides, a few more inclines and generally upped the exercise with a determination that I would enjoy the actual ride when the day came.

One weekend as my grandson got out of the car and I was about to set off for a ride in my "gear' he proudly pronounced, upon  spotting me, 'Those are funny trousers granddad' to which my wife could do nothing but laugh at the three years old's observation! 

One day he'll be old enough to understand that sometimes comfort comes at the expense of fashion....

Anyway, I thought I was progressing rather well until taking a ride out in the Surrey Hills with a couple of my more experienced colleagues, see picture, where upon one of whom shot off up the first steep hill like a 'mountain goat' leaving me puffing and wheezing like an old train!

More effort required I think.