Mission Accomplished!

My odometer says that I've covered 111.4km; my bottom feels like it was closer to 1000! but its done.

It really was a fantastic event, from the cameraderie at the top of Alexander Palace at 12.42am to the sights of London from Kensington to Docklands; Ally Pally to Crystal Palace.  Highlights for me were riding through the West End at 2 in the morning, with dozens of fellow Nightriders battling with Rickshaws, Taxis and drunk Londoners - it was a real buzz.  The stretch from 50km to 70km was predictably tough - not lots to see in South London, lots more hills that my last post predicted and it is always the worse bit when you are beginning to feel the ride but there is still a long way to go.  Also missing a nights sleep means your body is telling you to stop cycling at 4am!

But as we crossed Tower Bridge on a Sunny sunday morning (it was light from 4.30) and headed out to Docklands we knew that we were on the home straight.

Thank you for everyone whotook past for Action on Hearing Loss, particularly my friends and family who responded to my e-mail back in January.  I hope you all loved it as much as I did.  A special mention for my sister Cath, and Tori who cycled with me to half way despite being fitter and faster (Tori had already done a 5mile run and a 1 mile open water swim over the past 24 hours - amazing!) also thank you to Neil and Rich for sticking with me until the bitter end.

The special mention of the day goes to Ian though, having trashed his bike on Waterloo Bridge less than 20km into the ride - he hired a Boris bike and did the last 80km using it (has one ever been that distance before in one hire?) also much respect to Barry and Jason for seeing him all the way home.

And finally to the other group of Matt, Larry and Mike who finished first out of the 11 of us despite taking a wrong turn and adding a few extra kilometers onto the route around Euston Station!

So following a radox bath and a couple of hours kip I'm feeling almost human again, the bike safely in the garage; at least for a week or two...

Thanks to everyone who sponsored me.

From putting up bunting in our new brand colours in the office, to our birthday celebrations around the country, followed by a Buckingham Palace reception and then Nightrider this will be a week to remember!  Welcome to the world 'Action on Hearing Loss'.

Come in Number 901 Your Time Is Up!

OK, so its all a bit real now; the final race pack has arrived and the next time I get on my bike will be on the start line.  Yep, I'm number 901 and the gang of 11 who have all signed up to ride for Action on Hearing Loss through my arm twisting are setting off from Alexander Palace at 12.43am on the morning of 12 June. 

Firstly a massive thank you and good luck to Neil, Rich, Jason, Matt, Barry, Ian, Larry, Mike, Cath and Tori - what stars.

I don't want to be at all cocky or complacent but I've downloaded the route map this morning and London is much flatter than the Chiltern Hills where we've been doing our training.  Apart from a sustained climb in the middle (Crystal Palace) and the end (Alexander Palace) the rest is as flat as a pancake!  The toughest gradient looks only to be 3-5% on Map My Ride; which compares pretty favourably to the 14% hill coming out of Wendover to Cholesbury that I've struggled up 3 times 60k in on my 80k+ training rides (admitedly with lots of stopping and panting!)

But...lets take nothing for granted, this is the first (last?) time I've ever cycled for 100km and we've done all our training in the light having had a full nights sleep.

I might not blog again until after the event. 

Wish me luck! and thanks for the amazing support.

The Last Big One Before the Big One

I can't believe the event is less than two weeks away!

On Sunday, myself Jason and Barry went out for 81km.  Our now very regular route through Ashridge and on to Eaton Bray.  Again on to Billington, Mentmore and eventually Aylesbury - back to Wendover and over that horendous hill!  To be fair, knowing it was coming made it easier in a way, and although I still stopped about 10 times on the way up (its a 1:7 incline and 60km in to the ride) I made sure that I didn't get completely puffed out half way up.  Overall I was pretty chuffed to have got to the end of the ride still feeling in good shape.

So just a short 20 or 30km this weekend as we wind down the training; and then Nightrider is on Saturday 11th.

84km - The Longest Ride So Far

Having had a week off, I approached the Sunday 14th May ride with some trepidation.  We set out early (myself, Matt and Jason) and managed a pretty well paced first 40km (Ashridge, Ringshall, Eton Bray, Great Billington, Slapton, Cheddington) and then carried on from Cheddington out to Mentmore and eventually Aylesbury.  The next 20km was a lot tougher as we crossed the valley and up into the Chilterns to Wendover and then over the horror of a hill (14% gradient according to the signpost for cars) that eventually takes you to Cholesbury Common. 

I was quite content to pace myself, and as a result lost Matt and Jason at this point!  Given I had the map and was the only one who had cycled this route before I just hoped they had not got too lost - although both have iphones with maps etc.  Having recovered from the hill climb and given the day was really beautiful and I wasn't under any time pressure I decided that rather than cycling back through Berkhamsted, I would follow my nose and see if I could extend the ride a bit.  Unfortunately the road went further and further down hill (essentially back across the ridge I had expended so much effort getting up).  While it was quick, fun, easy cycling; as I know to my cost after five months of this what goes down invariably has to go up again!  I found myself in Chesham having to slog back up the Chesham Hill on the main A road which was not much fun, but it was only for a couple of km before being able to head cross country again throught the villages to Bovingdon and then all the way down the hill to Hemel station.

All in all 84.44km and I felt pretty good at the end.  It took 5.5h with breaks (so just over 15km/h which will be fine for the night) and I was probably averaging more like 18km/h in the saddle.  So not too shabby.

Less than a month to go...

May day ride

A slighly shorter ride this week of 57km with Matt and Jason.  Basically the same route as last week but without going on to Aylesbury and all the silliness over the Chilterns.

The sun was out and the sky blue again which makes all the difference. 

The lonliness of the long distance cyclist

Having had a break last week as I was holidaying in France, I was out of synch with the rest of the lads this weekend, so went out for a ride on my own on Bank Holiday Monday morning rather than the usual Sunday.

While its great fun training with everyone else, I actually enjoyed my own company,  I had a rough plan in mind to cover a longer distance than usual at my own pace.  I was really chuffed, especially after a weeks break that the pace was reasonably speedy and I covered the first 20km to Eaton Bray in just over an hour and the next 20km out to Billington and then on to Mentmore and Wingrave in an average speed of 22km/h which is quick for me.  It's all pretty flat out that way but I was pleased to have covered 40km in 2 hours.

I then carried on into Aylesbury, but didn't fancy riding back all the way down the main A road in the valley so instead went up the other side of the valley to Weston Turville, then Wendover.  It was then I realised that the Chilterns can still be pretty steep and I really struggled up a 3km hill with a 14% gradient (according to the road sign) from Wendover to Cholesbury Common.  To be honest by the time I'd done 60km I was very tired and still 25km from home.  I was also running out of time as I was meant to be going to my folks for lunch, so I changed plan and cycled from there down to the Northchurch end of Shootersway and then back to my folks place in Berkhamsted.

All in all 77km in about 4.5h in the saddle with 0.5h of breaks (3x10mins every 20km) along the way.

So while the hilly last 20km or so was very tough, I was pleased to have essentially done over 3/4 distance in about the pace I hope to maitain during the race, and with stops only every 20km (as will be the case on the night).

Still, could have done with the lads to encourage (berate, take the mick etc) to get me up the hill to Cholesbury a bit quicker! Hopefully a few more people will be out next weekend...

Spring makes all the difference

Cycling on beautiful Sunday mornings really does make all the difference.

Last Sunday we had six of us all out at 7am for a 40km ride (shorter as lots of people needed to be back for mothers' day duties), including guest appearances from Dave 'Blimey I'm feeling too old for this' Martell and Matt 'I might have big guns but I'm not bike fit' Phillips.  It was a lovely day and Ian and I who were so far at the back that we ended up carrying on to Aldbury rather than following the rest of the group and as a result did 45km.  I think the fable of the tortoise and the hare tells you all you need to know about our extra efforts...

This Sunday; Barry, Ian and I had a more leisurely 55km ride on a glorious April morning,  deer roaming in Ashridge, daffodils on the verges and then Barry (having decided not to go for a loo break in any of the remote woodland parts of the ride) decided to spoil it all by peeing in behind a hedge in the children's playground in Ivinghoe Village - the shame.

I'm delighted that I can do 55km without really feeling it is a big effort now.  Still that is only a bit over half distance, so I'm going to need to get in a couple of 70km - 80km rides to keep pushing my fitness before the 100km ride itself.

Also delighted that (inc Gift Aid) I've now raised over £1,700 - thanks everyone who is supporting me, it means a lot.