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

[Globalti]

Biblical rain, wasn't it! I kept looking at all the poor folk who punctured and crossing my fingers. Had just linked up with another rider who seemed to go at the same speed and my tyre went flat! Managed to get it sorted without too much trouble.

I did 4 hours 40 as well. Average speed hit 21 mph as we headed out of London.

 

[jefmcg]

Not sure on my official time, but my rough guess is about 4hours 40mins, for the 86 miles, which isnt too bad in those conditions. The speedy guys would have smashed 4 hours.

Congrats. Put your rider number in http://results.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/2014/ to see your unofficial time

Speedy guys came in around 3 1/2 hours I gather.

 

[Beebo]

My actual time was 4.40.54, so not a bad guess.
Looking at the split times i did the first 26 miles in 1h 17mins, i think i went off too fast! But the weather was good at that point as it hadnt rain yet!

 

[EltonFrog]

Good grief it was wet! Then it got wetter, then the storm came and the roads flooded, 20,000 cyclist were dropped by blokes in canoes! Feck it was wet!

 

[Snail Bait]

srw and rvw have covered 47 miles apparently - rather them than me today, and on a tandem! Chapeau!

Wow, good for them. I was looking out of my window thanking goodness I didn't get a place this year. Just seen the route was shortened too. Hope all the Friday peeps are good. Cate x

 

[Beebo]

The tannoy at the finish said 24,000 got an entry, something like 23,000 picked up a number, but less than 21,000 actually bothered to start. I am sure the you can find the correct numbers somewhere.
I know the weather would have put a few off, But, that is 3,000 places wasted, very sad really.

 

[EltonFrog]

5:14:16 my time, but stopped in Byfleet to chat to mate who bought a flask of hot tea, and I stopped to take photos of the floods

 

[EltonFrog]

The floods!

 

[BigGee]

My actual time was 4.40.54, so not a bad guess.
Looking at the split times i did the first 26 miles in 1h 17mins, i think i went off too fast! But the weather was good at that point as it hadnt rain yet!

4.40 seems to be a good time for cycle chatters, that was my official time as well, though my Garmin had me at 4.38. I lost 10 minutes in a queue to have a pee as well! I did not really know what kind of time to expect never having ridden a sportive before, especially on closed roads. I was hoping to get under 6 hours for the 100 and should have done that quite comfortably if we had done the full route. As you said not bad for the conditions at all.

I was also amazed at how fast some people go though. I was averaging 20mph for the first 10 miles and they were coming flying past me. If I compare it to running a decent marathon time, which I used to be able to do, you have to go out faster than comfortable and then hope to hang on. I am past that these days and prefer to finish with something in the legs and to be able to enjoy the experience which if you are completely wasted then you cannot.

 

[sleaver]

I'll do a proper write up tonight or tomorrow as I've just been to my charities reception and now waiting for the pro race finish.

According to the app, my time was 5:52:39 but that includes stops for drinks and stripping off when, shock horror, the sun came out.

It was a shame about the change in route but I think it was the right decision. The rain was bad and coming down Newlands, I was braking due to people slow but I was having trouble slowing. Someone also said he was stuck in Richmond park for 40 minutes because they closed it due to burst manhole covers. Although someone else said someone broke their leg in there.

I personally think the rain added to the challenge of it and in a way, it was thoroughly enjoyable.

 

[EltonFrog]

I agree it was FAB, not as FAB as last year but FAB anyway, I shall be doing it again next year.

 

[sleaver]

When I was coming down Whitehall, I was a way behind the people in front and there was a big gap behind so everyone was cheering for me

Then I thought, "I'm taking the racing line through Trafalgar Square and on to The Mall with what my legs had left"

 

[srw]

7:00:34 for 86 miles - 12.3mph total average. Best guess at moving time was 6:10, for a moving average of 13.9mph. (I forgot to check when we went through the finish, and the GPS batteries died. Memo to selves - never use cheap batteries in the GPS.)

We were delayed by about 20 minutes in Richmond Park - there was a serious incident which resulted in an ambulance blocking most of the road. And then Kingston had been turned into a river and some lakes, which resulted in the next couple of miles being more or less at walking pace.

Shortening the route was absolutely the right thing in the circs - the chaos on the hills would have been horrific. As it was we saw the aftermath of two other serious incidents.

Anyway - beer calls. Will write more later.

 

[laurence]

When I was coming down Whitehall, I was a way behind the people in front and there was a big gap behind so everyone was cheering for me

Then I thought, "I'm taking the racing line through Trafalgar Square and on to The Mall with what my legs had left"

similar, i was on my own and then realised people were banging the boards for me. i also had putney high street to myself.

appalling conditions. brave and correct decision to drop the hills, the descents (and even ascent of Leith) would be lethal, there would have been a serious chance of a major accident.

the fountain on kingston hill was impressive - a drain cover had burst up and the water was cascading out.

i dried off from leatherhead and then went through the foot bath at Thames Ditton. then got caught in a mother of a rain/hailstorm just after i could have turned off the route for home.

a friend ended up being treated for hypothermia.

crowds were brilliant, even in the larupping rain they were out and cheering.

thank you to the person who shouted "Go Euskadi" at me as i was leaving leatherhead.

 

[StuAff]

7:00:34 for 86 miles - 12.3mph total average. Best guess at moving time was 6:10, for a moving average of 13.9mph. (I forgot to check when we went through the finish, and the GPS batteries died. Memo to selves - never use cheap batteries in the GPS.)

We were delayed by about 20 minutes in Richmond Park - there was a serious incident which resulted in an ambulance blocking most of the road. And then Kingston had been turned into a river and some lakes, which resulted in the next couple of miles being more or less at walking pace.

Shortening the route was absolutely the right thing in the circs - the chaos on the hills would have been horrific. As it was we saw the aftermath of two other serious incidents.

Anyway - beer calls. Will write more later.

Heroic effort (as with everyone out there today, of course).