30.07.2017 - Prudential RideLondon100 2017
I'm getting pretty used to this one now, having done all previous four events.
There really was no telling what the weather would do, but I think it stopped raining not long before my alarm clock at 4am.
I was showered and out of the house with my coffee and breakfast bagel by 4:15am. I always park in Kensington, it's free on Sundays - except when it isn't. New parking signs on my street meant a mild panic. I drove down a few more streets, and luckily found a new place quite quickly. Phew.
It's about 12 miles to the Olympic Park, I managed to get into Hyde park this year, but rather wish I'd stayed on the A4. The roads were wet, but the pile of mud I rode through left my shoes, bike and legs covered in I know not what (signs nearby said to beware horses crossing!)
I had a 7:05am start and made it to my Green-B pen by the stated 6:05, and slowly we inched forward. It wasn't too cold, but I had kept my thin waterproof and arm warmers. I had left the undershirt in the kit bag though.
My plan was to ride hard this year, and only stop at Newlands Corner if I had to. I took a five hour planner from the Expo, and stuck it to my bike top tube for inspiration, but didn't seriously think I'd make it.
There are less fast groups around at 7am than at 6am. I cycled mostly alone for quite a while, just finding the odd wheel to follow. I got on the back of one fast group, but the two people in front of me got dropped, and I wasn't quick enough to notice in time, and the group was gone. Near Picadilly another group of about five cyclists in a blue charity jerseys seemed good, but then seemed slow, so I overtook them. They overtook me again a few minutes later, so I grabbed on and decided this was my pace. I stayed with them for about 20 miles. A few other riders had the same idea, so we formed a loose peleton of about 12.
The pace slowed and I grabbed a small group of three, someone else had the same idea and tagged along just in front of me. We made good speed, but it was a bit fast and they lost me, and I went alone then, and never found a good group again.
I lost my chain at the bottom of the Newlands Corner climb, according to Strava I lost just over one minute, though it'll be a bit longer as I tried to grab leaves from the trees to get the oil off my hands on the way up.
I stopped at the Hub for a comfort break and to pick up supplies. I could have just stuffed my pockets but took time to eat some food there too. I'd drunk nearly 500ml of energy drink, and filled that bottle with water. In all, I would finish that, and about 200ml of my other bottle in the whole 100 miles. I also removed my waterproof jacket and put it in my back pocket.
My legs were tired - my longest ride this year is only 100k and I was approaching that. I hadn't really expected to do the ride, and was training for last week's triathlon. but I was OK, and though my pace slowed a bit here it wasn't bad. Leith Hill was crowded as usual, and I sneaked past people on the right practically in the trees. Box Hill was good, no one passed me there, except once near the top, and I overtook him again.
Coming back towards town I checked my five hour schedule, and noticed I wasn't far off the time. I followed a pair of riders for a short time, but was alone most of the time. I pushed hard after Wimbledon Hill was behind me, hoping that maybe it would be 157km instead of 160km and I'd make it in under five hours. There were a few holdups where we were stopped to allow traffic/pedestrians to cross, but I was only slightly affected by this.
As I came past Vauxhall I knew I'd miss five hours, but in the end, it was close - I sprinted for the line to get 5:02:57.
I'm getting pretty used to this one now, having done all previous four events.
There really was no telling what the weather would do, but I think it stopped raining not long before my alarm clock at 4am.
I was showered and out of the house with my coffee and breakfast bagel by 4:15am. I always park in Kensington, it's free on Sundays - except when it isn't. New parking signs on my street meant a mild panic. I drove down a few more streets, and luckily found a new place quite quickly. Phew.
It's about 12 miles to the Olympic Park, I managed to get into Hyde park this year, but rather wish I'd stayed on the A4. The roads were wet, but the pile of mud I rode through left my shoes, bike and legs covered in I know not what (signs nearby said to beware horses crossing!)
I had a 7:05am start and made it to my Green-B pen by the stated 6:05, and slowly we inched forward. It wasn't too cold, but I had kept my thin waterproof and arm warmers. I had left the undershirt in the kit bag though.
My plan was to ride hard this year, and only stop at Newlands Corner if I had to. I took a five hour planner from the Expo, and stuck it to my bike top tube for inspiration, but didn't seriously think I'd make it.
There are less fast groups around at 7am than at 6am. I cycled mostly alone for quite a while, just finding the odd wheel to follow. I got on the back of one fast group, but the two people in front of me got dropped, and I wasn't quick enough to notice in time, and the group was gone. Near Picadilly another group of about five cyclists in a blue charity jerseys seemed good, but then seemed slow, so I overtook them. They overtook me again a few minutes later, so I grabbed on and decided this was my pace. I stayed with them for about 20 miles. A few other riders had the same idea, so we formed a loose peleton of about 12.
The pace slowed and I grabbed a small group of three, someone else had the same idea and tagged along just in front of me. We made good speed, but it was a bit fast and they lost me, and I went alone then, and never found a good group again.
I lost my chain at the bottom of the Newlands Corner climb, according to Strava I lost just over one minute, though it'll be a bit longer as I tried to grab leaves from the trees to get the oil off my hands on the way up.
I stopped at the Hub for a comfort break and to pick up supplies. I could have just stuffed my pockets but took time to eat some food there too. I'd drunk nearly 500ml of energy drink, and filled that bottle with water. In all, I would finish that, and about 200ml of my other bottle in the whole 100 miles. I also removed my waterproof jacket and put it in my back pocket.
My legs were tired - my longest ride this year is only 100k and I was approaching that. I hadn't really expected to do the ride, and was training for last week's triathlon. but I was OK, and though my pace slowed a bit here it wasn't bad. Leith Hill was crowded as usual, and I sneaked past people on the right practically in the trees. Box Hill was good, no one passed me there, except once near the top, and I overtook him again.
Coming back towards town I checked my five hour schedule, and noticed I wasn't far off the time. I followed a pair of riders for a short time, but was alone most of the time. I pushed hard after Wimbledon Hill was behind me, hoping that maybe it would be 157km instead of 160km and I'd make it in under five hours. There were a few holdups where we were stopped to allow traffic/pedestrians to cross, but I was only slightly affected by this.
As I came past Vauxhall I knew I'd miss five hours, but in the end, it was close - I sprinted for the line to get 5:02:57.
