Ride London 100 - 2016

So after all the training the day had arrived. A great meal at Adam & Lou's on Saturday night before a 5:30 start for me and Adam to get ready for a couple of mile cycle to the black start for our wave load time of 06:18 to 06:53. As we were C this time (rather than F last time) it didn't seem to take as long walking your bike though to the start. At the start the wave before chose "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen and our wave chose "Mr Blue Sky" by ELO two of my favourite songs - a good sign. 

Riding on closed roads is amazing. We fly down the A12 passing Canary Wharf and a though the Limehouse link even quicker. Though the city, the west end. We pass a sign that says 10 miles - we both think surely that can't be right, but it was. On past Harrods and the V & A, over Hammersmith flyover, past the Fullers brewery and before we know it we are into Richmond Park ! We wave to StorksRock who has come to cheer us on and then like last year the hydration strategy means its time for a pee at the drinks station at Pembroke lodge. We have done the first 20 miles in under an hour ! 

We go through kingston and past Hampton Court then well out into the surrey countryside. We are still making good time on our plan to go under 6 hours for the 100 miles. But at just past 60k there is a slowdown and then the road is blocked with riders ahead stopped. There has been an accident up the road and we have to wait, for over an hour. We see the air ambulance come and go. All thoughts of a good time are now gone and we are just glad we were not involved and hoping everyone is OK.  Its pretty grim walking past the crash site and then everyone is pretty glum for the next half hour or so. People on the side of the road cheer, people on the bikes try to force a smile back. We decide to stop at the Hub at the top of Newlands Corner - I realise I've not eaten while stopped and suffer a bit up the hill. We refuel and our mood lifts a bit. 

We tackle Leith hill - which is hard.I'm aware from last year  when you have suffered for a while and think you must be near the top and you see the king of the mountains sign - thats not the top - its the start of the steeper bit...

Nice descent down to Doking - great support there. Then Box Hill holds no fear as I've been up it a few times now.   Its all down hill from here. except Wimbledon Hill.  We find things have really thinned out we are only seeing a few rides on the road - we think we must have ridden into the gap caused by the blockage earlier. Looked for Buthers but did not see him. A rolling road block through putney slowed everyone down and bunched everyone up TDF style. The final run in along the embankment is fast we still have gas in the tank and we are flying along.  Then we turn into the Mall and its all done.  Collect your medal and your bag and then we are spat out the end into the real world so we take this photo. 

Bit of a shocker having to ride on the roads with traffic to Waterloo for a well earned pint in the Waterloo tap.

A great day