So now that I am semi-back in the land of the living, more on that later, it was a good enjoyable day but obviously it is sad to hear about those that are less fortunate.
As always, the start was well organised and the marshals did seem to be policing the colours along with start waves and while most did listen to them, there were a few or just ignored them and carried on. In a way, it was funny watching people have to walk back to a later wave when they had tried to sneak in an earlier one, especially as some were trying to hide their wave letters while walking in the opposite direction.
I can't remember where it was but I saw someone with a number from the 46 mile event on the 100 course. Unless he had trained for 100 miles, I bet he got the shock of his life when he got to 46 miles and wasn't seeing Buckingham Palace!
Got sent off on time and then most of it has already been said. I too got held up at Pryford and while we were all standing still, there was this "pop" followed by a long "hiss". Yep, while standing still someones tyre/inner tube decided just let go. Not quite sure how that happened! Anyway, by the time I got to Newlands, people were coming from the road on the right, so that was obviously the diversion, however, Newlands didn't seem that congested which was good.
On to Leigh Hill and got stopped just before where it narrows due to the congestion. Fast forward to re-joining the A25, and that diversion had been opened up as there were riders coming from the left so I'm not sure by how much I missed that by. I had planned on enjoying the fast descent into Dorking, but decided I couldn't trust those in front so just went with the flow and freewheeled down the fast bit. Then onto the next pinch point, getting into Dorking.
Saw a man on a Borris Bike on Box Hill past the second hairpin but about 10 meters later, he was getting off to push it. Fair play to him though for doing the full 100 (I'm assuming he finished on it). Then another pinch point at that uphill section after Headley.
I had written a long paragraph about the different speeds that people ride but I'll leave it as, yes, its not a race, but that doesn't mean that cycling etiquette is thrown out the door!
Anyway, at was all rather plain sailing, bar Kingston congestion, to the finish. At 10km to go, I was feeling rather good, so decided to give it the beans albeit thinking I had just done 150km. In the end, the tank run out at 3km to go and so just took it easy to the finish.
I think the organisers need to have a think about if this is an event to get people out cycling or if they want to do what they did to the marathon and make it a "cash cow". OK, both events do generate a lot of money for charities but with runners, they take up less space and are less prone to blocking roads if the unfortunate happens. I think someone else mentioned it but maybe they have now found or passed the max number of riders they can have.
As for the "semi-back in the land of the living" comment. What I learned was that if you haven't ridden a bike in three weeks, and only done two rides of 100km since last years event, its possible to finish, but boy have I felt it since. I woke up this morning and nearly every which way I moved, something hurt, but to put it in perspective, thats not as bad as others.
I've done RideLondon three years in a row now, twice the full distance, and unless something in my mind changes, I'm going to let others have a go now at the 100. I want cycling to be about having fun and to keep fit. Where I can decide to rest all weekend or wake up late and go for a shorter ride in the evening, not about thinking that I HAVE to do long rides just to get ready for a 100 miler. Don't get me wrong, the three years have been fun, with the soaking of 2014 probably being the most memorable, but its time to keep cycling enjoyable for me
.
.
