Monday, 25 August 2014

Press Coverage of My RideLondon

Diabetes UK linked up with the local press to publicise my RideLondon event. Here area few of the links and stories:

Midweek Herald
Seaton man plans 100 mile cycle ride for charity
Hurricane Bertha fails to halt Seaton cyclist

JRB braves torrential rain to complete the 100 mile cycle race
Seaton Today, Pulman's Weekly News 25 August 2014 - Jonathan's big ride

... and the Midweek Herald in paper
Midweek Herald 20-Aug-14 
Thanks to the Diabetes UK press office for the publicity and I'm hoping that this will attract a few more donations.

To sponsor me go to www.justgiving.com/Jonathan-Read-Bone/ and to find out more information about signing up to a fundraising event for Diabetes UK visit www.diabetes.org.uk/Get_involved/Fundraising-events/ or call the Events Fundraising team on 0345 123 2399.



A Week of Post RideLondon Club Rides

Well, I've been a little tardy in writing up our recent AVP evening club rides of late.

A week last Thursday, 5 pedallers braved the rain, first sheltering under the entrance to the Kings Arms and then in the Shrubbery garage forecourt Rousden while the only two real downpours passed over. I did have a great shot of Grinch, Handbag, the Near Naked Man and Airfix at this last sheltering point, but alas finger trouble got the better of me and it was no more! Oh bring me back my 35mm Minolta!

Anyway, we had a pleasant 27 mile saunter out to Hawkchurch and back and a very enjoyable beer and chat in the White Hart listening to some good old R&B .. still think this should be our new regular  It was also great to be joined by Bar bunny and Barley who had been out for the later gentle spin.


A pause at the top of Sutton Climb
Tuesday's AVP ride saw the usual suspects, our leader, Buster, together with sportive junkies Shaun, Richard S, Kelly (hero), together with Quiff on his time trial machine plus myself and others bringing the peloton to 7 or 8 .. I ran out of fingers, head out on quick circuit to Yarcombe and back. The weather forecasters were not wrong in stating that temperatures were dropping this week, as by the time we rode into Musbury at 10pm it was a tad on the cool side! I also had my first taste, in a good few months, of speeding through the dark country lanes .. soon be time to charge up those 2000 lumin search lights again!

On Quiff's wheel



Thursday evening's ride saw two P's; one from the off resulting in Richard being left at the start and the other at Honiton Golf Club when Tigger's rear went soft! video on how to replace an inner tube will be available soon  This unscheduled pitstop resulted in a curtailed ride but still a good 21 miles completed - and we were back at the Kings arms in good time for beer and some more good banter.

Fixing Tigger's soft rear


Friday, 15 August 2014

RideLondon-Surrey 100 2014 in 3 Minutes

By popular demand, a 3 minute version of my previously published RideLondon video



...and just to recap

On the 10th August 2014 I cycled the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 for Diabetes UK, raising over £1500. The ride was shortened to 86 miles removing Box and Leith Hills due to bad weather and was completed in 6h:10m (with a cake stop!)

The deadline for getting my sponsorship money in isn't until Friday 10th October, so there's still plenty of time to support me. https://www.justgiving.com/Jonathan-Read-Bone/ or text JJRB64 £amount to 70070. Thank you!

You can check out the official Team Diabetes UK photos here ..

Thursday, 14 August 2014

First Cut of the RideLondon Surrey 2014 Video

First cut of the RideLondon video ... I'd like to rework some of the transitions and may look out for another backing track, I've used my favourite TdF medley for the time being (seems to be becoming my theme tune) plus an iconic London track 

Monday, 11 August 2014

Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100

Déjà vu, the alarm clock rings out at 05:00 am for the second day running. One glance out of our 6th floor window shows what a difference a day can make. Dark clouds fill the sky, cars splash noisily  along the rain soaked streets and shimmering light dances off wet pavements .. hurricane Bertha has arrived on cue.

We jostle for breakfast amongst lycra clad cyclists, topping up with protein, carbs and caffeine ahead of what is likely to be the cycle ride of a lifetime. The Pru organisers have wrestled through the night with decisions on route changes and whether the course can even be safety run in such conditions. Their final decision, having consulted with the Met Office, is that Box and Leith Hills must be cancelled, being just too dangerous for the volume of riders to traverse over such slippery and steep terrain. The course is shortened to 86 miles. Jason is disappointed that this cheats him out of his first 100 miler, while I'm disappointed that my only edge over Jason - hill climbing - is removed from the ride!

Our two jerseys ready for the ride
It is important, however, to remember why we're here at all and this is to raise money for our chosen charities. It is not to race for personal gratification but to show endurance and personal sacrifice, undertaking an activity that one has trained long and hard over, for the benefit of others. For Jason, this is for Help the Hospices, and for me, Diabetes UK. Our two jerseys hung ready for the ride say it all.

Our start times are 10 minutes apart and the distance between our Yellow and Blue starting pens around 15 minutes cycling. We've heard that the marshals may turn a blind eye to us leaving together, so I risk joining Jason for his earlier start time, in that I could make a mad dash back to the Blue sector before they leave. At dead on 07:45 the gun goes for the start of the Yellow group of riders with celebritiesAmy Williams and Dominic Littlewood and a gate crashing Blue rider, your's truly! Coincidentally,  Dominic Littlewood was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes almost 40 years ago and today is riding with Amy and other celebrities in support of Bliss, the charity for premature babies. 

At the time of the start, the rain is spotting lightly and all hopes are that the main force of the storm blew over during  the night and we'll be lucky. I'm even wondering whether the two hills would be reopened, but as riders had been leaving their pens since 06:00 am this morning, this would be unlikely as they would already be too far around the course. Shortly after leaving the Olympic Park, taking up both lanes of the A12, we see the first of many falls, a sobering thought that one must take extra care in these conditions, as from the sight of one lady's bloodied face, her ride is over before it really began. I've also never seen so many punctures, something Jason and I take care not to talk about until we are safety home again, the 'P' word to cyclists being as the 'Scottish play' is to actors!

Head down through the driving rain
It is not long before Bertha puts in another appearance and I echo Chris Boardman's comments following his ride, the rain fall was truly biblical! At least, I thought, my 2013 AVP 100 miler gave me some experience of riding in such conditions and ensured the bike had mud guards and I was wearing overshoes, a good waterproof race cape and a peaked cycling cap under my helmet - the latter being the best decision of the lot as the mix of salty sweat and rain in the eyes is a painful and debilitating experience!  

I could go on waxing long and lyrically over the professionalism of the feed and drink stations, the marshals lining all 86 miles of the route, of the few brave and hardy souls, charity cheerers and public alike who stood for hours in the pouring rain. Of the sorry open and empty parks and fields with lonely and slightly deflated bouncy castles, empty roped off squares and tightly closed marquees that no one would be visiting today. As we pedalled on leaving the villages behind, it was hard not to spare a thought for all those who had put so much effort into preparing for this day and how if the sun had shone, what an amazing carnival atmosphere they would have created. 

At the 40 mile Ripley Drinks Station, we are invited into a club house to partake in the various and delicious cake offerings that had been intended for the supporting masses that were expected to be attending. Hot coffee and carrot cake is food of the gods to most cyclists and this is one who certainly appreciated the opportunity that the rain had delivered.

A surprise offering at Ripley Drinks Station
After the coffee and cake stop we have to venture back out into the rain for the remaining 40 mile loop through Surrey, omitting Leith and Box Hills. Prior to moving on, I have one mechanical task to attend to. Having originally selected this stop primarily to change my GoPro camera battery, there was one factor regarding the elements that I had not accounted for. While being able to extract the camera unit from its waterproof case to complete the change in the warmth and dry of the building, high humidity + rapid drop in temperature = fog and this is just what happened as I resealed my GoPro .. it fogged up badly! So, as we ride on I am unable to shoot any film between Ripley and Newlands Corner hub, which is where I'm finally able to source paper towels to remove the misting. 

We now make no further scheduled stops, pressing on through Dorking, Leatherhead, Oxshott, Esher and crossing back into London at Kingston upon Thames. Newlands Corner marks a steady improvement in the weather as the rain starts easing and as we start our northerly return to London shadows appear and the sun starts to burn through. About 15 miles out Jason gets a new wind, and storms up Wimbledon Hill as if he's on his way to a fire. I'm now overheating in my rain cape and have to stop to stow it away. Jason by now is a dot on the horizon and so I sit back and take a short "Hamlet moment" ...  happiness is a banana flavoured gel under a warm sun - am I showing my age here? 

Passing the Houses of Parliament 
My final 15 miles are perhaps the best.  Reflecting on the ride, the purpose, my mum, the support I've had to get here and the generosity of my sponsors. The sun has also brought more people out onto the streets and ear to ear grins are now being seen not just on the riders. 

Entering the final straight on The Mall
Crossing the line at 13:55, 6h:10m after setting off that morning is an incredible feeling such that the only suitable reaction is to thrust my arms into the air in celebration .. only then to have to bring them swiftly back onto the bars to make the double hop over the cable trunking, containing the timing sensors, spanning the road and avoid an embarrassing crash into the crowd. I'm sure the pros don't have that issue!

A proud moment outside Buckingham Palace
Awaiting us, as we feed our way further along the Mall towards Buckingham Palace is a line of greeters with an endless supply of medals. It is their job to place the medal over the completing riders' heads just as you imagine grass skirted Hawaiians would greet you with a garland of flowers. What a great way to end a ride.

Sunday, 10 August 2014

The Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Adventure Begins

At 05:00 am the alarm on my phone chimes. The sun is also only just thinking of rising as I head for the shower, the first task in what I know is going to be a long day. My RideLondon buddie, Jason, has stopped over so that we can get a quick start on our 180 mile drive to London. We loaded the bikes in the car last night, I just finishing fitting mud guards to the Roubaix before darkness fell, a decision triggered by the ever worrying reports of heavy rain for Sunday's ride.


By 06:00 am the Yeti and its two excited passengers are driving east along the picturesque A35 for London. The RideLondon soundtrack filling our ears and bringing a smile to our tired faces. The anticipation builds.

We make amazingly good time, hitting the outskirts of London within 3 hours and spotting that as the congestion charge does not apply over the weekend, we set a new course to take us through the centre of the city. Our destination is the Holiday Inn Express within a mile of the Olympic Park, the start of Sunday's ride.

Taking the last remaining space in the secure car park, after an interesting challenge gaining access via the high security gate, we check in, greatly relieved as to how smoothly the day is panning out. We waste no time in heading over to the ExCeL centre, via the Light Docklands Railway, to register with the Prudential team and collect our rider packs. This is also very well organised, such that by 11:30 we are back at the hotel, not first without having also acquired a few cycling goodies from the cycle show that had also been put on within the centre. Marketing genius! With the sun beaming down outside, it was incongruous to see the major interest in clothing being around the waterproof overshoes and capes! Jason joined the Kask club, coming away with a professional looking new helmet, both of us picked up a set of RideLondon red, white and blue souvenir water bottles and Free Ride goodie bags containing an an eclectic mix of sweets, sunglasses, sports foods and vitamins, oh yes an a packet of Grand Depart Yorkshire tea!

The question now is to lunch or cycle and in which order. Decision made, we'll ride into the city for the FreeCycle, via the Olympic Park to check out our starting positions for tomorrow, and then we'll eat.


The weather is beautiful and there is a real carnival atmosphere across the city. The centre's roads are closed and the parks turned into festival sites. The FreeCycle route takes us along the Embankment to the Houses of Parliament, around St James Park, back to St Paul's Cathedral and out to the Tower of London.


We could have cycled the circuit all afternoon, but it being 7 hours since breakfast, a stop for food was required and Green Park offered the lure of a Rotisserie which, I for one, find it difficult to pass up even on a full stomach.

Jason relaxes in the shade over lunch in Green Park
After lunch in the park, it is back on the bikes for another gentle ride through the car free centre before the 7 mile battle with the weekend traffic on the return ride to the hotel.


It would have been great to have been able to have returned later to see the RideLondon Women's Grand Prix from the roadside, but a plan to meet up with group of friends for dinner and the need for an early night meant that we had to make do with the hotel TV. It was a strange sensation watching the riders race over the same closed roads we'd be cycling just a couple of hours before.

At 7pm we're walking through the ExCeL hotel complex to meet with our friends when we came across a number of ProCycling Team vehicles. The teams are obviously based here for the night and although we see no riders, the Sky mechanics and management were out in force making last checks and cleaning the bikes ahead of tomorrow's RideLondon pro race .. the one which follows the 24,000 cyclists, Jason and I will be riding with.


Following an enjoyable bit of banter and a pre cycling plate of pasta carbs, by 10:00 pm lights are out and our phone alarms are again set for another 05:00 am start!

Friday, 8 August 2014

The RideLondon Soundtrack

Well we've 4 hours in the car tomorrow, so I had to pull together a RideLondon soundtrack to get us started .. and here it is:
  1. Bicycle Race - Queen
  2. Ride On Time - Black Box
  3. Rolling In The Deep - Adele
  4. Freewheel - Josh Osho
  5. Ticket To Ride  - The Beatles
  6. Good Vibrations - The Beach Boys
  7. Man Machine - Robbie Williams
  8. Spinning Around - Kylie Minogue
  9. Smokey Joe's Cafe - Paolo Nutini
  10. Roll To Me - Del Amitri
  11. Everybody Hurts - R.E.M.
  12. Hold On, I'm Coming - Sam & Dave
  13. Chain Gang - Sam Cooke
  14. See That My Bike's Kept Clean - Half Man Half Biscuite
  15. Pedal Pushin' Papa - Billy Ward & His Dominoes
  16. Back On The Chain Gang - Pretenders
  17. Tour de France '03 (Version 3) - Kraftwerk
Did you spot the cake stop?

Bikes are loaded

Well we're ready for the off, or at least the bikes are loaded!

Oh and since taking this picture, the Roubaix has had its mudguards fitted. I can't avoid the fact that it's going to rain on the day.

We leave at 6:00 am for London.


Sunday, 3 August 2014

RideLondon-Surrey 100 Sponsor Update - 7 Days to go!

Further to my last update, I am so grateful for your generosity in supporting me with my fund raising efforts and inspiring me to cycle on. You have not only encouraged me to get out training and pedal an unprecedented - in my short cycling career - 500 miles during the month of July but you’ve also now raised a staggering £1,200 towards Diabetes research, the charity I have chosen to ride for on the RideLondon Surrey 100, taking place in, unbelievably, just 7 days.

My RideLondon training commenced for real in May!

I wrote in my blog back in May of the 2.9 million in the UK who are currently diagnosed with diabetes, that's 4.5% of the population and that how In the next 10 years, it is forecast that this figure will rise to 4 million!  

Here are some other facts about diabetes:

• 347 million people worldwide have diabetes
• In 2004, an estimated 3.4 million people died from consequences of high fasting blood sugar
• More than 80% of diabetes deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries
• WHO projects that diabetes will be the 7th leading cause of death in 2030 
• Healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.


As you will know, my mother was diagnosed with late-onset Type 1 diabetes 10 years ago and this is why has I have been inspired to raise money for Diabetes UK to fund more research into better ways to care for people with diabetes and into the cause of Types 1 diabetes.

So, at the time of writing, in just one week my ride will be complete … it is hard to believe that all these months of preparation will soon be complete. On the day, for those of you able to get to London, Team Diabetes have produced a supporter’s pack which can be found here: https://regonline.activeeurope.com/custImages/360000/360523/Ride%20London/RideLondon_CheerersPack_SignOff1807_nomarks.pdf

The timeline proposed by Team Diabetes for the day is: 
7am–10.30am – Kingston Bridge Cheer Point 10am–5pm – Millbank Cheer Point 11am–6.30pm – Cool Down Party

And having worked through the logistics with my RideLondon buddy, Jason - over coffee and cake, mid training ride this weekend - these are our expected times at the various checkpoints:

07:55 Start
09:40  First Hub Molesey (26 mi)
11:05  Hub 2 Newlands Corner (47 mi) 
11:45  Leith Hill (57 mi)
12:30  Box Hill (68 mi)
12:55  Hub 3 Leatherhead (75 mi)
14:35  Finish The Mall (100 mi)

This is based on an average of 16 mph and no stops.


The RideLondon Route
You can catch up on my training ride musings, photos and videos — yes I’ve been practising some more with my new video camera ahead of the day — via my blog here .. http://tourdefitness.blogspot.co.uk.  

Wifi and energy willing, I will keep you posted over the RideLondon weekend with blog & FaceBook updates, and perhaps a Tweet or two .. my twitter address is readboj, adopted from my 'green screen' days that many of my IT colleagues will appreciate!