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 celebrities: Amy 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.

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!

Taunton Loop with Jason

It is just 35 days now until my Prudential charity ride and so was out for another training session with Jason, my RideLondon buddie. Today, it was back to Taunton, Jason's cycling ground, and he'd planned out a terrific circuit taking in a couple a good hills and some wonderful scenery. I had originally thought we were in for a relatively flat ride having viewed the profile and seen 1200 units of climb. On my system I use feet, so thought I was in for a gentle ride, but Jason uses metres!

This weekend also marks the start of the Tour de France and while we were out on our ride, the pros were departing Leeds on Stage 1 of their 3 week tour, for a 190.5 km race to Harrogate. We had 100 training ride planned but I was at least wearing my 2013 TdF commemorative Sky jersey and routing for a third victory. I would have loved for Cav to have secured the yellow jersey in Harrogate; such bad fortune to have crashed out with just 100m to go, but unexpectedly Froome crossed the line in 6th, so the jersey seemed to work for him!

Routing for a third Sky victory

Also in the news today is the call for the government to use more of our road tax to fix our potholed roads. Listening to the radio this morning en route to Taunton, I was amazed at how the presenter was so dismissive of the AA representative saying that riding on e.g. French roads was one of the joys of a European holiday .. he'd obviously only ever flown. And then when catching up on the TdF later in the evening, I saw one of the cyclists letting air out of his tyres to further dampen the impact of the uneven road surface. To top it all, my new Mavic wheels of just 6 weeks, have been pummelled out of alignment by, yes you've guessed it, our appalling roads! Now to find a bike workshop that I can a) trust to do the work and b) who can do it in quick time so I'm not kept off the road ... I need a second bike!

Back to today's ride. Having been uncomfortable battling with traffic on dual carriageways on my last Taunton outing, Jason had taken heed and picked out some very typical AVP styled lanes which really made for a highly enjoyable ride today. The weather did not look too promising at first as I drove through heavy rain crossing the Blackdown Hills but having to repeat the 45 minute journey, because I'd forgotten my cycling shoes, allowed for the rain to clear and sun to shine .. as they say, 'every cloud has a silver lining'.

We started out heading north and up our first climb from Monkton's junction to Pines Cafe. Jason has the KOM for this segment, but I think he told me too late for me to have a go at taking it from him .. next time, but then again, with my memory, he know's I'll forget!

Coffee stop at Pines Cafe

Although only 10 miles into the ride, the Cafe was too much of an attraction for me to pass by and we had what I hoped was to be our first coffee and cake stop.

From Pines Cafe we turned south climbing and then rapidly descending Cothlestone Hill into Bishop's Lydeard, Milverton and past Wellington, with a slight off road detour to visit his monument. It was here that we started our second and final big climb before the long and undulating descent through the Somerset Levels, which earlier this year had been under water. The evidence of such extensive and devastating flooding was still very clear, as every house through one village was gutted and undergoing renovation and large water pumps and river drainage excavations visible.

It was at this 40 mile point that I hit the wall .. or bonked as cyclists say. It was past lunch time, I'd eaten little and breakfast was a distant memory. I felt good to go on but my muscles had exhausted their fuel, they were going nowhere fast. After Jason shared his spare banana and a stop for a cereal bar at the next garage I was back to near normal. A good lesson was learned there .. keep eating! I now see why Froome needed that gel in the last few km on the TdF last year, even though it cost them a fine and time penalties. We finally returned to Taunton along a rather overgrown but picturesque canal towpath completing a very enjoyable and scenic ride.



During the ride, I took the opportunity to test out my new Gopro camera. This clip is a small one covering a short climb and long descent of Cothlestone Hill. Look out for the wide vehicle and a bit of a wobble on one of the corners. http://youtu.be/s_V6TCbq2jc

Seaton to Bridport and Back

With a number of our Pedallers out today riding the Nello .. and good luck to them all .. I met up with Jason, my RideLondon buddie for a 50 mile tour of Dorset.

The obligatory selfie

Our route took us around Bridport and back. But we'd not really done our homework on where best to make a cafe stop. I realise now we should have called in at West Bay, a recent treasure of a find; as it was, Charmouth was not up to much - they have a bit of development work going on there - so survived on energy bars and bananas. No cake today!

Survived on energy bars and bananas. No cake today!

Still time to sponsor me from the RideLondon on 10-Aug, just 6 weeks away now https://www.justgiving.com/Jonathan-Read-Bone/



A montage of pictures found on the AVP Facebook page

RideLondon Training - Honiton Circuit

84 days until the Prudential Ride London-Surrey 100, the hottest day of the year and my second training ride with my charity cycling buddy, Jason.

For our first ride, I travelled over to Jason's patch in Somerset for a Taunton Watchet Bridgewater loop.  Today, it was my turn to host Jason across the border in Devon. I selected the Honiton circuit I first completed back in September 2013 with Andy, when in training for my first 100 miler with the AVP. This seemed a very apt route considering the event we were training for today.

The Honiton circuit takes in Sidmouth and Ottery St Mary to Honiton returning via Stockland and Colyton. Getting out of the Axe Valley and Lyme Bay always requires a climb, and I had intended we take Stovar Long Lane but deep in conversation, I missed the turning and so had to take the far steeper Hollyhead Road; I know know why we stick to Stovar on our AVP rides - sorry Jason!

Selfie taken by Jason in Sidmouth .. before we hit the hills 

Dropping down Trow Hill into Sidford, I hit my fastest speed on 2 wheels, between 48-49 mph (Strava and Endomondo can't agree) .. could be a result of my new wheel and tyre combination. At the base of the hill, my plan had been to turn into Sidmouth via Fortescue Road, following the River Sid, but a Police car blocked the path that we'd have to take to make corner, doing the speed we were. Our minds were also, by then, focussing on whether we may even get pulled up for speeding, but we managed to slow sufficiently before hitting the 30 mph change in limit and the rapidly decelerating cars ahead of us!

At the front, we had the obligatory photo session and took on fuel in banana format .. me the whole fruit version, and Jason in gel form. I did try a gel later and it was not at all bad, considering.

Yours truly in my Team Diabetes UK kit @ Sidmouth

We took the climb out Sidmouth to the Bowd Inn and on into Ottery St Mary and Honiton, where having made such good time, we decided to reward ourselves with a coffee and cake stop - I think I was perhaps the more in favour of this, but then again, Jason was on my patch so was happy to oblige. I also knew the final climb which lay before us and carrot cake and caffeine was the best fuel for this!

Coffee and Cake Stop

The Northcote Hill / Old Chard Road hill climb was an absolute killer on my first outing last year, but  my training since has obviously paid dividends, as I took over 5 minutes off my first time on one of the Strava segments for this climb .. and earned PRs for the rest. Indeed, today I achieved PRs right across the ride :)

Jason at the top of the Old Chard Road hill climb 

We concluded our ride through Shute and Colyton, returning to Seaton along the Axmouth straight which has a fantastic new road surface laid on Thursday evening. I had hoped this new road surface would have been smooth enough to have given me a new PR on this segment, but I guess I'd used up all the carrot cake fuel by this time!

Another great training ride out with Jason, feeling like we're making good progress and Box Hill will be no issue if we carry on climbing the hills as we did today. 

Thanks for the support from all so far and for that to come ... here's my Diabetes UK sponsorship page if you've yet to visit ... http://www.justgiving.com/Jonathan-Read-Bone

RideLondon Training - Taunton Watchet Bridgwater Loop

Just 96 days until the Prudential Ride London-Surrey 100 and time to meet up with my charity cycling buddy, Jason, for our first training ride.

I last rode with Jason on a sunny summer's evening back in August last year. I'd just taken delivery of my new Roubaix and Jason was out on his Carrera of 3 months .. we were both reasonably green to this cycling lark. On that ride we completed an 18 mile hilly route around Branscombe, following one of my club circuits. Today, to mix things up, I made my way over to Taunton for a ride through Somerset, Jason's stomping ground. This also gave me the opportunity to test out the bike carrying capabilities of my new Yeti, the vehicle we'll be using to get to London in 3 months time.

We headed north out of Taunton along a gentle 10 mile 500ft climb through Bishop's Lydheard to Crowcombe, sheltered - we were to discover on our return - by the Quantocks to the east. We set a brisk pace from the off, amazingly both gaining a top 10 fastest time on the Taunton to Wills Strava segment, over the first 9miles of this climb.

Descending Halsway Hill through Williton and into Watchet, using forward momentum to rise up and over the occasional humps, was exhilarating. The timing of our arrival into Watchet was perfect as we were greeted by a touch of nostalgia in the form of a steam engine preparing to depart the station.

Greeted by touch of nostalgia in Watchet

It was then just a short ride down to the harbour for obligatory photos. There is talk of this year's AVP 100 miler doing the coast to coast, Seaton to Watchet and back, so I hope to be free for this.

Jason ' the powerhouse' !

On reflection looking a little overdressed for the warm weather!

After a short stop, a munch on a cereal bar and a gulp of isotonic liquid -- no cake! -- we headed east along the coast road, climbed up to West Quontoxhead and onto the A39 via Holford and Nether Stowey to Bridgewater; prior to which, about 10 miles out of Watchet, we stopped under a very warm sun for coffee at one of those rode side mobile cafes. I hear since that I may have been wise to cover up, as Jason now has rather pink arms. 

From Bridgewater we continued on the A39, dodging cars on the roundabouts and along the busy dual carriageway. This was not the most pleasant part of the ride - understatement. I am not one for busy fast roads at the best of times, but now out of the protection of the Quantocks, we were riding into quite a strong headwind; I felt as though I were towing a caravan .. but Jason just drove on, he's become quite a powerhouse! He says its down to his new Giant .. yes another new bike .. but personally, I think it's more a result of his new training regime, I need to get my finger out ;)

It was great to be out riding with Jason again and what a different ride it was since last time. Over 45 miles covered in which I achieved my quickest average speed for a ride, 15.4 mph, surprising considering the distance, and I smashed my 1 hour (17.5 mi), 20km (41m:26s) and 50km (1h:55m) records. The 50km record having been set back in September last year. You can tell I'm impressed ... looking forward to another ride with the 'powerhouse', we just need to fit in a cake stop next time :)



If you have not already (and if so, thank you!) please do not forget to sponsor me for the Prudential Ride London-Surrey 100, when I will be riding in aid of Diabetes UK.  http://www.justgiving.com/Jonathan-Read-Bone

Day 171 - Evening Ride with Jason

Monday, legs too sore to ride, Tuesday and Wednesday away with work, Thursday fit again for my AVP evening ride. But no, I did not ride out with the AVP, Jason, a good friend of mine called to suggest he drive over with his bike for a ride out. Perfect, I thought, an opportunity to get a few more miles under my belt on the new bike without the risk of embarrassing myself in front of the AVP, perhaps selecting the wrong gear or falling off!

I loaded one of my previous AVP circuits into the Garmin to follow. the one I selected was a good coastal ride out to Branscombe and back through Colyton. All was going well until 4 miles out, Jason hit a patch of gravel and punctured his rear tyre! Luckily, Jason having all the spare parts and equipment to hand he made quick work of the change and were back on the road, climbing the hills out of Branscombe with only a minor delay.

Following a route on the Garmin 500 is not that easy, as you have a line on a screen as an indication of route but no reference points such as road junctions and therefore, it was no surprise that we veered off the correct path. Although noticing this very quickly, we thought we'd continue on; no one likes to have to turn around! While this did give us a few more hills to climb, it also gave us the opportunity to join the main road and the high speed decent into Colyford from tower hill. I thought I must have surpassed my earlier 40.4 mph speed record, but alas, I was just 0.3 mph short. Next time!

Stats: 18.1 mi, 1h:33m, Avg 11.6 mph, Max 40.1, 1,006 kcal