Gosh, so the only other bike ride I’ve done is the Warwickshire 32 mile for the British Heart Foundation back in 2015 with my cousins. That was when I did no training, wasn’t cycling to work or anything. You could say it was a disasterous success. I was on a shitty mountain bike that weighed a tone, and my dad had purchase this bike no more than 3 weeks before the event. The gears got stuck on the highest gear 20 miles into the event. As you can imagine in Warwick it’s has its fair amount of hills. It was safe to say this event put me off cycling events for a couple years until I purchased my first ever road bike in January 2016 (Mrs Viking). She took me on miles and miles of work commutes and kept me safe and road worthy until I was 38 weeks pregnant, not to mention getting me there on time, regardless.
With this, in November 2017, I kept on seeing advertisements of London to Brighton, some debit card details and a little cheeky extension of my overdraft and I was a participant for this event. After 2015’s event I vowed I would never do another cycle event on a shitty £80 mountain bike. I used my first weeks of maternity to purchase Trish the Triban. My new bike baby of 10.5kg. The first ride on her was to the gym in the centre of Tamworth and she was so light and comfy.
The longest training ride I did was 35.5 miles 2 weeks before the event. The next day I got a norovirus, following this, larangitis acommanied by a cold. Then the Monday after a bloody water infection! Luckily I felt 100% from the virus and cycled down to my mums in Coventry the week before the event, then did no exercise the week leading up to the event for fear of my bladder falling out because of the pressure from the infection.
The event came round so fast. I managed to lend a bike rack from some friends and after the disaster like that of Laurel and Hardy trying to attach the bike in heavy pouring rain, we were able to set off. Lizzy drove us down to London. The orginal plan was to take mum and Freya. But at the last minute, we decided that it was just too much hassle with sterilising and the fact she’s at that transition stage to solids. It was too much. So mum looked after Freya for me. At last minute, I cancelled the triple room hotel and managed to get a good deal on a double in Lambeth, London.
To our horror, when we arrived after 9pm, we discovered that the bed linen hadn’t even been changed, hair all over the pillows and duvet, the room was dusty and just damn right dirty. Not to mention It was like a treasure hunt trying to find the front door keys, then to find the room keys which were located behind a picture canvas. But then again what do you expect for £44 in London. It was so bad we slept on top on the covers and froze our asses off all night! I laid out all my stuff for the morning and went to bed anxious as hell. From reviews online, many said they wouldn’t do it again due to the sheer amount of cyclist participating, the congestion and the likelyhood of accidents. 28,000 people on 2 wheels all heading on the same country lanes. Not to mention people who had barely adequate bikes for the distance ahead.
After a terrible nights sleep I got up at 6:30am. I ate a nature valley bar, brushed my teeth and got ready. Then my nervous tummy started right as people from the other doorms were waking up and wanting to use the same facilities!
I set off at 8:40am on my own and left Lizzy to return the keys and make her way to Brighton. I cycled 2 odd miles to Clapham Common. The roads were dead. But it was a lovely little commute to wake my legs up.
I arrived at the race headquarters and start at 9:15am. I was straight into my starting pen. Now I was really getting anxious, the sheer amount of cyclists was so intimidating. We shuffled forward and were told not to mount our bikes until we got on the road.
1-10 miles:- it took me over an hour to get out of London due to having to obey the traffic signal. Like stopping at red lights etc... there is no way they could have completely closed the roads. I felt sorry for the buses. They were so good. Apart from the one driver who was swearing and clearly livid about all the cyclists and not being able to move for fear of killing one of us. I was so amazed at the amount of cyclist already having pulled over to change their inner tubes. Hundreds, before even getting out of London took to the road sides, bikes upside down, pumps at the ready.
The first 10miles were a pleasant warm up. Going down what looked like the first country lane of the day I was met by two male cyclists singing the Queens Bicycle Race song. Singing it in sync. It made me chuckle. People were in high spirits and it was lovely to see. The first significant incline came 1hr 20mins in where we climbed from 90ft to 575ft! I was so surprised to see how many people got off and walked it. Over hearing someone saying “no point in burning yourself out so early”. Here was when I seen some congestion. Many of the walkers stayed to the right to let the people whom stayed on their bikes flow past without a pile up. I had one scare when someone stopped dead in front of me and dismounting causing me to swerve. Luckily no one was next to me. My already high beating heart rate went into my throat. I’ve feared falling off ever since I Jarred my shoulder and had to go to A&E back in 2014. My confidence was knocked so much.
10-20 mile. I felt amazing. However. The miles were going by quite slow and I started to doubt myself. 2 hours in, I witness my first hold up due to an accident that took place on a steep decent. The ambulance people were there with a woman, who was laying ton the side sucking on gas and air. So she had clearly done some damage. I was amazed to see an many on tandems and one bloke on a massive penny farthing. Fair play to him. In his suit too! Amazing, he actually passed me and I don’t think he stopped at any pit stops. By this point around 15 miles my knees started to hurt, I decided to knock my seat down for fear of having to stop suddenly and fear of falling by not being able to touch the ground. I persevered and always carry my deep head and a knee support with me on every ride as I’ve experienced this problem so many times.
I stopped shortly at the 21 mile pit stop. These came every 5 miles to ring Lizzy and tell her of my progress and read Jakes good luck message. She’d arrived to Brighton already and was saying how amazing it was. I refuels with a SIS gel and a Nutella Bueno tasting thing and went on my way.
20-30 miles-
The next significant incline came at around 23-25 miles. The people who lived in the Village came out to cheer and tell people to keep going as the hill was short but steep and it really was! I was in awe with the variety of different types of bicycles some old, some new. I think I personally only saw one or two fully carbon race looking ones. The descents here were lovely and fast, on 4 occasions I hit pot holes at a high speed and screamed shit for fear my tyre would become disformed or for gaining a puncture, but Trish held up really well, bless her, I was like in a scouse accent, “ayyy steady on there Trish, love”. She was fast. Wanting to go faster down the declines. But I had to restrain her by resting my hand on the break, just in case someone pulled over in front of me or for fear clipping someone’s back tyre.
It was in this section at another steep decline that an accident halted everyone I got off here because we were told to stop, then after 5 mins or so we were allowed on our way. But I couldn’t get on my bike!! So I had to stand on an embankment with police officials and marshall’s looking at me like I was a weirdo!
30-40miles
These came and went by fairly quickly. I believe because it was relatively flat with a lot of decents. The hills were not massive to the extent where I was managing to properl forward and maintain a speed in a higher gear. I really think my training routes (being hilly in parts) have help me mentally, by making myself be persistent and just slowing myself but keeping my legs ticking round, with the lactic acid going as soon as I summited. I was surprised. I mean, I didn’t stick to any form of plan, I just went out when I was able to. I put no real pressure on myself because I knew this wasn’t a race! The BHF’s slogan for this event was “it’s not a race, it’s a life saver” so brilliantly put. There was no pressure of getting over the finish line due to the cut off being 7pm too. Which was nice. I just wanted to take in my surroundings. Saying this, It started to get really scenic for the last 14 miles.
When I was 40 miles in. I stopped at my second pit stop and got off to ring Lizzy. I was 14 miles from the finish. I thought. Mate, I can do this. I can run that distance. I have no excuse whatsoever. BUT... I knew that the hardest incline of the day lay was in arms reach- the Ditchling Beacon. Described on Wikipedia as a steep incline of a 10% gradient, that goes up as steep as 750ft in the space of under a mile. I was dreading it. I was really feeling it at 40 miles too. My energy was slowly depleating, which was my own fault, as I should of refueld when I was at the pit stop but I was just like screw it. It’s only 14 miles. Bad idea. The inclines were making my legs feel like led. My pace had significantly slowed.
40-54 miles
The miles went by ever so slow and because I was now 46 miles in and herd someone say. “Ooo no. We’re going into the Ditching Village and then the big hill is shortly after” not what I wanted to hear at this moment in time. People’s spirits had burnt out. I met a chap who was cycling next to me asking if it was my first time I said yes. It was his second. He went on to say. Keep at this pace. No point in going all out because it’s going to be steep and difficult. I think I managed no more than 3 minutes on my bike before being defeated for the first time of the day. I had to get off and walk. My legs were just not having any of it. To put it into some sort of perspective, we started at 115ft and reached the top at 763ft in the space of 20 minutes. But bare in mind I was walking. I was even puffing my lungs out whilst doing this because it was steep. But it was truly worth. The views when you peaked were utterly breathtaking. I took some photos and will post them at the end. It was even more satisfying to note, that from that point, the last 6 miles or so were downhill! They weren’t wrong. By this point and due to how high we were, the wind started to batter me. Taking my wheels slightly. I just wanted to get down as quickly, but as safely as possible. Many faster cyclist were sticking to the left now, using it like a motorway and overtaking. I decided to do this. I hit the fastest I’ve ever been on a bike at 31mph, hitting again, some really uneven terrain along the way down, but Trish coped.
With 5 miles to go, I could tell we were in Brighton. The roads were more city like, which came with slowing down and a little congestion due to having to obey normal traffic conditions again. I didn’t have time to inform Lizzy that I was so very near the finish. With a left turn, we approached the beach front, with the finish line in arms reach. I picked up the pace as much as I could and made sure I was the only one when I seen the photographers. My right hand off the handlebars, I held my hand high with utter relief.
I’d just rode from London to Brighton. I had an overwhelming sense of emotions, the type you get after a marathon. I shed a tear. Not only did I do this successfully, Trish pulled through without gaining any mechanical issues and I didn’t crash or fall off . To top it off, I smashed my personal target and came in in under 6 hours! I was elated. I collected my medal, which was beautiful, may I add. Then met up with Lizzy when I was on the pebbly beach. She was annoyed that she didn’t see me finish, as she was waiting at the finish line, but no matter. I finally got to hold my bike in the air as an obligatory finishers photo and then we headed back to the hotel.
It is now the morning after the cycle and I sit here with nothing more than a painful arse and a poorly right knee! I would definitely do this again, Lizzy has provisionally agreed to do it next year with me. So this is another event to add to my regular race calendar!
Some of the pros of this event:
Very well marshalled and organised. You’re over the start quickly and efficiently.
Great pit stops full of a variety of coffee, tea bacon and snacks.
Lots of pubs. I seen many people stop off at the pubs en route to have a pint!!
Great medal.
Great medical assistance.
Fairly decent amount of local villager support.
Great comradeship from fellow cyclists.
It’s laid back, to my surprise I seen nothing like what I read on reviews about certain individuals thinking it was the Tour De France (maybe they set off earlier, who knows!)
Cons:
As much as it amazing to see that amount of cyclist taking on the challenge for a great cause, with it being my favourite charity. They really need to re think the maximum capacity in my opinion. I witnessed two crashes, and I had a near scrape when I was 30 miles in, which I’ve forgot to mention above. It was a steep incline and the pit stop was at the top. People were stopping for the pit stop and just stopped dead in the road causing a massive congestion. Not to mention it made it harder because it was on a hill! I was swerving to get around people. I nearly crashed into a fellow cyclist who walked over the road from his bike to get a coffee. That was the most dangerous I’d seen it the whole way through. Many people abided by the cyclist etiquette apart from that one instance.
So all in all. It was a faboulous mini break away. I got to see a bit of Brighton, not to mention my average pace in comparison to my training rides had gotten faster by nearly 1mph. My last one was 10.1mph, when I looked at my data on Garmin Connect it came up as an average of 9.1mph and that was with walking too! I’m also happy that I’ve got over my fear of cycling in groups. I think I can go into my first triathlon with a little more confidence knowing I’ve done this.
Next event:- Gate Gallop 10km in Tamworth.
