Alarm at 4:30!! To be out and on the road to meet up in Beckenham with t’others at 6!
Quite a few of us there for the Tunnell express to Greenwich. Unfortunately it rained on the way, but had stopped by the time we got there so we all got to stuff a wet rain jacket in our pocket, urgh. Fortunately the weather looked as though it might not turn out too bad and was fairly warm.
We all rolled in to the “pen†together, including Paul and Nick (unofficials) who just acted like they were meant to be there and there was no problem. Up to the start line and we were welcomed by the friendly smiling face of Kieran. Top work mate getting up at that time to help out.
We all started together, but Paul and Toby quickly started to slip round other riders and set off on a mission, never to be seen again today.
The bit through London was quite messy with lots of stops (yes we did) at traffic lights, and none to scenic surroundings. David Lombari and I pulled away from the others after a little while, but we saw them again at the first feed station. We’d stopped to top up water having drunk a bit getting up to London and using energy drink as my breakfast.
After this David and I rode together at a reasonable pace, but struggled to find a group. They were either too slow, or just that bit quicker than we wanted to go that early in the ride.
It’s fair to say David was doing more work than me at this point as my legs hadn’t really got going properly, but I started sharing the work a little bit later. We did hook up with a guy in a Dragon Ride jersey who was going at our pace and had consequently also found finding a group tough. At about 70 miles though on one of the many small hills he pulled away.
I had a small bad patch at about 60 miles but had my first gel and that seemed to do the trick as I perked up no end and started riding much stronger.
We were caught by Carl who was flying and I stayed with him for a few miles before a rocket from Pearsons passed on a hill, Carl jumped on his wheel, I tried but my legs told me not to be so bloody stupid.
David and I stopped for the second time to have a pee and top up on water as we were both sick to death of sticky energy stuff. My pork pie had jettisoned itself from my pocket at some point so my savoury snack was sitting in a verge somewhere.
A few more brief hook ups with other riders, including a tester chap who was pulling us along nicely on one of the few flat bits. I then took the front and was rolling along a big gear at a quick pace. This was at about 80 miles I think and I thought David was on the wheel, but he had now hit a bad patch and dropped off my wheel. Unfortunately I had my head down and ears pinned back and didn’t realise.
I did look back after a while and found nobody behind me anymore so had to just carry on ploughing through the wind. I didn’t mind as I was feeling strong and rolling along at a good speed without feeling it too much.
Hitting the 100 mile mark and my legs were starting to ache, but in a good way. I knew there wasn’t far to go now, just that last nasty hill at Farthing Down, and yes it was nasty. Got up okay though, just had to use my bottom gear and spin it.
At the top and the wind we’d had all day was now a howling cross wind up higher on exposed ground. This was nice flat / slight downhill territory though so I cold blunder along at 25-30mph quite happily with that little nagging ache in the legs that tells you you’re working hard.
Final run through Canterbury and up to the finish. I’d reset my computer as we crossed the start mat so whipped it out as I was crossing the finish one.
Ride time was 6hrs22mins with an average speed of 18.2mph, well chuffed. I’d never of thought I get that on this rolling course in the wind. Flat stage 1, no. Not for mortals anyway. It struck me as being very much like a long reliability ride with the constant rolls and hills. None of them were leg breakers but the cumulative effect started to kick in. David came in a short while later having sped up to beat 6h30, with a 6h29.
Will probably end up with an official time around 6hrs45 once you factor in a couple of 10 minute water stops and the traffic lights, particularly through the London start.
An excellent day. Only one bad shower during the ride which meant stopping to don rain jackets. A couple of others, but only very light and about 2 minutes so they were actually refreshing.
Thanks to my parents who were very Agreeable and decided to have a trip to Canterbury today so I got to have a kip in the car on the way home.
Cheers,
Andrew.
EDIT: Just got a text saying my official time was 6:47:02, including traffic light stops and watering at feed stations etc.
