RideLondon-Surrey 100 (2014!!!) Anyone?

[laurence]

You'll be fine, don't worry and stress yourself about the time. As I have said before if Boris Johnson can do it almost anyone can. You would be wise to take your own advice and take it easy until Leith Hill, after that you are over half way. Drink plenty of fluids, eat little and often, and keep pedalling.

it is fine in my mind - however that is a weird and mixed up place! (not helped by the removal of medication for the last couple of months after many years with it)

priorities so far are:
1) get to the start (not easy as i missed the chance of the train from Richmond).
2) relax on the ride out - tick off the milestones (richmond park, hampton court, etc)
3) get to Leith Hill before the time cut
4) should be ok after that as it's roads i know and i'll be heading for home.

if anyone spots an Euskaltel jersey it could well be me. i'll be on an orange and white bike. say hello.

 

[Deleted member 35268]

it is fine in my mind - however that is a weird and mixed up place! (not helped by the removal of medication for the last couple of months after many years with it)

priorities so far are:
1) get to the start (not easy as i missed the chance of the train from Richmond).
2) relax on the ride out - tick off the milestones (richmond park, hampton court, etc)
3) get to Leith Hill before the time cut
4) should be ok after that as it's roads i know and i'll be heading for home.

if anyone spots an Euskaltel jersey it could well be me. i'll be on an orange and white bike. say hello.

What sort of average speed can you maintain over a distance laurence?
Have you put in some decent training miles?
Have you done any hills?

I did the ride 100 last year and I got mega stressed about it before hand, but on the day, I can assure you - you will get carried along by the other riders. Fortunately I had in fact overtrained, and I breezed round no problem.

I'm raising money for the Lymphoma Association and I HAVE NOT MET MY TARGET - Will have to do some grovelling for the next week
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RichardLawrence100

 

[w00hoo_kent]

if anyone spots an Euskaltel jersey it could well be me. i'll be on an orange and white bike. say hello.

I'm starting an hour earlier, if I see you, I'll wave. I'll be on a black & white Cannondale in flouro yellow, white & black kit, camelback and a full face black MET parachute lid.

 

[laurence]

What sort of average speed can you maintain over a distance laurence?
Have you put in some decent training miles?
Have you done any hills?

I did the ride 100 last year and I got mega stressed about it before hand, but on the day, I can assure you - you will get carried along by the other riders. Fortunately I had in fact overtrained, and I breezed round no problem.

I'm raising money for the Lymphoma Association and I HAVE NOT MET MY TARGET - Will have to do some grovelling for the next week
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RichardLawrence100

my average has been creeping up and i've done a few 'pootling' rides where i've concentrated on the flat as that was my weakness in the past. i used to LOVE hills and Leith and Box were regulars for me. alas, that was a while back and before a stomach virus wrecked my stamina (which is why i am in a bit of a panic).

i did get on the back af some riders in tichmond park the other week and realised i could be ok if i wheel-sucked for the first part.

my work pay day is the week after the ride, so i'm planning a final email then.

I'm starting an hour earlier, if I see you, I'll wave. I'll be on a black & white Cannondale in flouro yellow, white & black kit, camelback and a full face black MET parachute lid.

camelback... i did think of using one. more quandries! think i'll stick to bidons as they are easier to fill. going for 2 - one with water the other with isotonic tablets. i'll look out for you.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

I'm going for a camelback of water. A bottle of electrolyte and second bottle carrier with a tool bottle in it. I'm terrible at the whole drinking from bottles on the move thing and drink a lot so the camelback makes most sense for me. I'll have one spare tube in the tool bottle and a second in the jersey along with gels and the waterproof. That worked well for me on the test ride.

 

[Deleted member 35268]

I tailgated loads last year, and I don't apologise for it.

 

[sleaver]

I'm raising money for the Lymphoma Association and I HAVE NOT MET MY TARGET - Will have to do some grovelling for the next week
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RichardLawrence100

I haven't met my target yet either. Two years ago I got to £420 for a half marathon so thought this wouldn't be a problem. This time, I have sent it to more people yet I'm having more trouble Shameful advertising time - http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/StuartLeaver

I'm not to worried about time as I'm starting at 7:22. My main concern is getting in a group which I haven't really done much of, going off to fast without knowing and suffering for it later. I know I can do Leigh Hill, but that is at 20 miles, not 50ish.

 

[Deleted member 35268]

7:22 is a great start time, I had to start at 8:37 last year and It was a mad tangle of people.
I start at 6:37 so it is an early start, I might even skip going to bed as I need to leave the house at 4am!, maybe earlier.

I hope you find some similarly paced riders around. I found the best way to approach this was to get chatty with a few other solo riders in the first few miles and then hope they don't mind tagging / being tagged. Some do and some don't.

I take two water bottles, with one or two refills on the way round. I pack about 5 nutri bars and a couple of gels. I stopped on Box Hill for tea and cake last year - was very enjoyable.

I wonder what the weather will do?

 

[derrick]

Are the hills going to be busy this weekend. I know two of our local clubs are going to do the two big ones pn Sunday. Wonder how many others will have a practice ride.

 

[sleaver]

I wonder what the weather will do?

It will be sunny and warm of course

I know what you mean. I've run in the rain, cold and snow before although all events I've done have been dry. I don't really want to contemplate doing 100 miles in the rain

@derrick Box Hill is normally busy no matter which weekend it is although I have found it to be almost empty after 4pm. One weekend I went up passing 7 people & not getting passed myself and I always get passed on hills. Sadly don't know about the others.

 

[EltonFrog]

I'm raising money for the Lymphoma Association and I HAVE NOT MET MY TARGET - Will have to do some grovelling for the next week
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RichardLawrence100

I haven't met my target yet either. Two years ago I got to £420 for a half marathon so thought this wouldn't be a problem. This time, I have sent it to more people yet I'm having more trouble Shameful advertising time - http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/StuartLeaver
.

Camelbacks, use one if you want but people will point and laugh. I'm kidding, they're a good idea, but I won't be using mine because I don't want people to point and laugh at me.

We reached our fund raising target and exceeded it about three weeks ago, with money still coming in. I used the Book of Face and a regular email newsletter, about once a week, to tell folk what we are doing, and how we are getting on with training and little anecdotes about our rides.


We started the campaign early and we were persistent. I asked two companies to sponsor us in return for publicity and for their company logos printed on our jerseys. The firms are Tara Road Air (http://www.tararoadair.com/ ) and Solartech Ltd (www.solartech.org.uk/). We bought Shutt Jerseys ‘cos we like them and they gave us a really good deal, as it was a fund raising event and we are valued customers (www.shuttvr.com/).

My wife also did a sweepstake grid at her work, she printed up 100 squares with different times on and sold the squares at £2 each, whoever buys the closest time gets a first prize of £20, and there is a second prize of a tenner. So far she has sold about 75 squares which is £150 raised less the £30 prize money.


Every time I spoke to someone I would bring it up in conversation I would get the odd fiver and tenner in off line donations too. I asked folk when walking the dogs, at parties, my estate agent and so on, people are very generous. Our biggest donation is £250.00 and our smallest is £2.00…so far.


At the risk of sounding condescending if you don’t ask for donations you won’t get them. It’s not an easy task though asking folk for money especially as last year I helped my wife raise £3600 for Cancer Research when she did the London Marathon, asking folk for money again was more difficult. A lot of the donations last year came from CC members, which was very humbling, not a single one of them has met my wife. CC members are FAB! Fact!


I won’t be fundraising again, I’d rather just pay the fee myself.

 

[Deleted member 35268]

Very distinctive tops - i'll be sure to look out for you.

 

[Deleted member 35268]

If you are parking a car and cycling to the start - this page is very handy - it has a GPX from each car park to the start.
http://www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/The_Events/Prudential_RideLondon-Surrey_100/Rider_Info.htm

Looks like I have a 15 mile ride before I even start, that will take an hour.
I live an hour away.
15 minutes to get setup at the car park.
Wave load time is 5:37 AM

So need to leave house by 3:30 AM!

OMG

 

[Deleted member 35268]

I'm not sure if you were talking about taking a lock but.... in case you were wondering...

Bike Thefts at Organised Cycle Events HAPPEN

There are many reports (not stories) of opportunists registering and turning up at major cycling events with no bike in hand. They look the part, all clad in lycra, helmet, shoes etc. They spend time looking for the bike they require, a Pinarello or a Cervelo will do nicely.
When the owners goto take a pee, or get a coffee, seemingly amongst other like minded cyclists, they return to find the bike gone - disappeared into a sea of cyclists.

For £50 entry fee, it's a lucrative deal.

So beware.

My bike is not worth very much, but I might take a naff old lock, use it, and leave it there (or put in my big bag and see it on the Mall)

 

[EltonFrog]

I'm not sure if you were talking about taking a lock but.... in case you were wondering...

Bike Thefts at Organised Cycle Events HAPPEN

There are many reports (not stories) of opportunists registering and turning up at major cycling events with no bike in hand. They look the part, all clad in lycra, helmet, shoes etc. They spend time looking for the bike they require, a Pinarello or a Cervelo will do nicely.
When the owners goto take a pee, or get a coffee, seemingly amongst other like minded cyclists, they return to find the bike gone - disappeared into a sea of cyclists.

For £50 entry fee, it's a lucrative deal.

So beware.

My bike is not worth very much, but I might take a naff old lock, use it, and leave it there (or put in my big bag and see it on the Mall)

I seem to recall that someone's bike got stolen on the ride last year, I'm sure it was reported here and on other media.