London to Paris day 3: Arras to Compeigne, 16 September 2016

Currently confined to the sofa with an injury, I look back to the third day of September’s epic London to Paris challenge

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Distance: 122km
Average speed: 17.1kph
Maximum speed: 48kph
Elevation gain: 875m
Biggest climb: 193m
Time: 7:03

THIS was the most enjoyable day for me. Body and mind were prepared for another day’s riding, and it certainly helped that this was a shorter and flatter ride. The wind had dropped, too, and importantly after lunch we would be out of the monotony of the agricultural landscape and into forest.

But what made the most fun, the most pleasurable, was the best descent I’ve ever experienced. We were warned that there was a challenging climb straight after the lunch stop at Hallu. But maybe I was getting more used to ascending, because it just didn’t seem that difficult. And the reward, the descent, was simply amazing.

The road itself was super smooth – as were most of the French roads – making it easy to really pick up the pace. It wound gracefully through the forest, zig-zagging nicely, and was just about the right steepness. It was so much fun - at the next rest stop everyone, even the mechanics, asked how much we’d enjoyed it. The answer? Very, very much!

The most fun, the most pleasurable, was the best descent I’ve ever experienced

The landscape was much more inspiring on this day. We cycled through some gorgeous little villages, while going through the forest was amazing.

It wasn’t all great, though. That pain in my thigh had migrated to my left knee. It wasn’t prohibitively bad, but it was almost constant. I was also tired - I noted that my recovery time following climbs had increased. I hadn’t really got any slower on climbs, but getting back up to speed after them was definitely taking longer.

Our lunch stop at Hallu was right next to this very picturesque church.

It was at this point that I – a confirmed atheist – was thanking God for my Threo cycling shorts. Almost everyone was complaining of pain and rawness ‘down below’, some even had the most awful-sounding sores and blisters. I was feeling about as comfortable as is possible after three days of seven hours in the saddle. I’m not in any way affiliated with Threo, but I would highly recommend checking the company out. The shorts really were good - excellent fit, comfortable to wear and with a chamois that really did the job.

The day ended in the town of Compeigne. Tomorrow would bring the final day of the challenge.

London to Paris day 2: Calais to Arras, 15 September

And so the challenge continues. Day 2 brought its own difficulties, but by the end we were well over halfway to Paris

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Distance: 136km
Average speed: 18.6kph
Maximum speed: 49.9kph
Elevation gain: 1,159m
Biggest climb: 205m
Time: 7hrs 19 mins

Following a substantial breakfast and the morning’s briefing we set out. In many ways this was the hardest ride for me, both physically and psychologically. It was the first time I’ve ever had to get back on the bike after a long, challenging ride the previous day. I’ve done longer rides in a single stretch, but always had the next day off. On this occasion I had the prospect of another long challenging ride ahead of me.

It was also quite a big distance with a significant amount of climbing – though less than the route down to Dover. What’s more, the landscape we were riding through was less than inspiring. We were in agricultural country – big flat fields stretching from horizon to horizon with little in the way of hedgerows or copses to break up the monotony. Add to this a head wind that was so strong at times that I wasn’t picking up any speed on declines and all in all this was to be a difficult day.

The flat, agricultural landscape was less than inspiring and didn't distract from the head wind at all.

Quite early on I developed a pain in my left inner thigh. Well, more of a niggle than a pain, but I could feel it on every down stroke with my left leg. I suspect it was mostly caused by tensing up the previous day due to feeling somewhat stressed. The fact is that while I do love cycling and taking part in these challenges, I get very nervous about the task in hand and about meeting lots of new people, which tends to stress me out. It’s just the way I am and I accept it. I won’t let it stop me doing the things I want to.

This was the hardest ride for me, both physically and psychologically

Lunch was at Westrehem, and I’d like to take this opportunity to say how impressed I was with the lunches provided. The food was pretty carb-tastic (not a criticism!), with lots of pasta and potato salad. But there was also greenery and tomatoes, cold meats and veggie quiche. For afters there was cake and fruit, plus snacks in the form of energy bars and packets of crisps. There was even tea, coffee and hot chocolate. I often find that veggie choices are lacking on events like this (and even in London restaurants at times), but that really wasn’t the case here. And all of this was served from the back of a van!

We arrived at the hotel with time for a shower and a rest before having dinner as a group. This was our first opportunity to properly get to know some of the other people on the challenge. This isn’t my strong point, so I let Biking Buddy Claire do the talking. Everyone we met was lovely, though, so it wasn’t too hard for me.

After a celebratory glass of wine, I headed off to bed for an early night in preparation for the next day.

London to Paris day 1: London to Dover, 14 September

My epic 300-mile charity ride from London to Paris started from the Hilton in Croydon. Here’s how it went

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Distance: 133km (including the ‘missing’ 32km)
Average speed: 17.9kph
Maximum speed: 50kph
Elevation gain: 1,239m
Biggest climb: 194m
Time: 5hrs 41 mins (not including the missing 32km)

My London to Paris adventure began a day early. The ride was to leave at 7am on 14 September from the Hilton London in Croydon. So rather than try to get there first thing in the morning, I decided to stay overnight in the hotel. A good move, as it meant I could register that evening, have a hearty pasta meal followed by an early night and be nicely rested for the ride. I also picked up Biking Buddy Claire’s welcome pack as she wasn’t due to arrive till much later.

Getting ready to go. That's my Felt bike, Florence, in the background and Biking Buddy Claire's Specialized at the fore.

After a 6am alarm call, we packed up and went down for breakfast. Lots of breakfast – we had to cover 40 miles before lunch. Then we retrieved our bikes and listened carefully to the briefing, before heading off in a group.

Each day’s ride had a lunch stop and two water and snack stops, one before and one after lunch. Our welcome packs included a very useful little booklet that had a breakdown of each ride and a description of the route and areas we would pass through.

I was somewhat concerned to learn that there would be no ride guide – we were to follow the yellow route markers and the GPX routes on our Garmins and phones if we had them. I was convinced I’d get hopelessly lost, despite having all the routes on my Garmin. My fears were totally unfounded. The routes were exceptionally well marked and while most of us went wrong at some point we quickly righted ourselves.

The first day was the most challenging. This section was the longest and involved the most climbing – much more climbing than I’d previously done in a single day. Which meant I got a new personal record on Garmin Connect. Yes, these things do matter to me. Unfortunately, however, my Garmin froze so the first 32km or so of the journey weren’t recorded; I had to add them manually.

We cycled on quiet lanes through quaint villages, passing several of Kent’s famous oast houses

We were quickly out of London’s suburbs and into the Kent countryside. The route took us to Dover via the North and South Downs. We cycled on quiet lanes through quaint villages, passing several of Kent’s famous oast houses. Lunch was at Chart Sutton. I was seriously impressed with the food on offer on each day. There was plenty to choose from even for vegetarians.

The pace we stuck to was quite a lot slower than I’m used to and had I been on my own I would have gone faster. But it’s not a race and it was probably a good thing to not overdo it at the beginning. The weather was fantastic – sunny and warm and most importantly dry and still.

At Dover we waited for the whole group to arrive so we could board the ferry to Calais. We had dinner on the ferry; some of the group took the time to indulge in a well-earned beer. At Calais it was a short ride to the hotel, where we left our bikes with the support team, grabbed our cases and went straight to our rooms for a shower and bed.

Dover! BBC is keeping everyone up to date with our progress.

I was tired, shattered in fact, but feeling good and strong. The next day was to be our first ride in France, leaving at 8am.

Training plans

Preparation for my London to Paris challenge is about to kick up a gear as I take on two long(ish) rides this weekend

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London to Paris is six months away. How do I feel about this? Pretty confident at the moment. I spend a lot of time on the bike, so I’m OK with my general fitness. But that doesn’t mean I don’t need to train. So for this coming weekend (18-19 June), I’ve decided to up my game a bit.

Because I commute I’m used to riding across multiple days. Recently I’ve been doing around 32km per day, but this is nowhere near the distances of 100-130km per day I’ll have to do for Paris. It’s time to spend the whole weekend cycling. I have signed up to a London to Brighton ride (86km) on Saturday and the Tour de Waltham Forest (40km) on Sunday. These distances are still way short of Paris, but they’re a good start.

This is me starting off The Only Way, a 100-mile ride through Essex last year.

London to Brighton is organised by a company called Dirty Wknd. It costs £30, which includes full support and a train ticket back to London. They’ve also booked lunch at a fish ‘n’ chip restaurant, but it looks like there’s no veggie option, so no good for me.

The ride starts from Richmond Park, so I’ve got to get myself across to west London, but this should be simple enough as there’s an overground train from Highbury & Islington. I think it’ll have to be a case of getting a taxi back. I should have a couple of hours to spend in Brighton, which can either be mooching around on my own or sticking with the group. Guess it depends on the group …

The Tour de Waltham Forest is a free ride and cycling event organised by the London Borough of Waltham Forest. There are three rides: Bronze, an 8km ride for families; Silver, a 13km ride for families; and Gold, a 40km ride for the more experienced cyclist. Obviously I signed up for Gold. It starts from the Olympic Park at noon and should take two to three hours.

There’s still just about enough time to sign up for either of these events if you’re interested

The weather for the weekend is currently looking good – cloudy but warm, which is perfect cycling conditions. Riding is fun, but it’s not so great in the wet. I’m looking forward to this challenge. It’s great training for London to Paris and will be a real achievement.

If you haven’t sponsored my London to Paris ride, please remember that any donation is very much appreciated. You can donate here.

London to Paris: why?

Let’s beat cancer – my reasons for cycling 300 miles in just four days

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First off I’d like to thank everyone who has donated so far. I’m always blown away by how generous everyone is.

Understandably, when I tell anyone that I’m cycling to Paris, the first question they ask, after having expressed amazement, is why. Why would I want to do something so, well, hard?

I have been doing some training. This is Florence on our first trip to the Lee Valley Velopark.

I guess the main reason is for the challenge – to prove that I can. It’s 300 miles across four days. That’s pretty epic. I know I can do 100 miles in seven hours, and that still surprises me, but to do almost that day after day for four days is huge. I’m not even sure how to train for it, other than do lots and lots of cycling.

The itinerary looks pretty gruelling:
Day 1: registration for challenge early morning and start cycling at 7am through Kent to Dover. Ferry to Calais. Distance: 73 miles.
Day 2: cycle from Calais to Arras through charming villages and along quiet country lanes. Distance: 80 miles.
Day 3: cycle from Arras to Compiegne passing numerous WWI memorials and monuments through the Region of the Somme. Distance: 74 miles.
Day 4: cycle to Paris, up the Champs-Élysées, round the Arc de Triomphe and finish overlooking the Eiffel Tower from the Champ de Mars. Celebratory meal. Distance: 68 miles.
Day 5: free morning in Paris, before catching the Eurostar to London where you are re-united with your bicycle.

What do I plan to do with my free morning in Paris? Find a comfy bench and fall asleep!

I know I can do each one of those distances. What I don’t know is if I can do all of them! Am I nervous? Yes, yes I am. But I’m also looking forward to it.

It seems that in my lifetime cancer has gone from being something that happened to other people to something that happens to everyone

However, there is another, much more important reason for doing this. It seems that everyone I know has been affected by cancer in some way. I don’t know if this is because I’m getting older, because the population in general is living longer, because of our lifestyles or simply because we’re getting better at detecting it. I suspect it’s a combination of all these things.

It seems that in my lifetime cancer has gone from being something that happened to other people to something that happens to everyone, in some form, and it’s heartbreaking. The money that I raise will go to the Institute of Cancer Research. The organisation aims to understand cancer better so that more effective treatments can be developed. It has, among other things, designed a new treatment for prostate cancer, something close to my heart as both my dad and my uncle are currently being treated for this.

It’s kind of redundant to say that this is a worthwhile cause – they all are, otherwise people wouldn’t fundraise for them. But it is something that most of us can relate to. ICR want to create world without cancer. And that’s definitely worth donating to. Anything you can give is very much appreciated: click here for my Just Giving page.

Event: The Only Way

An epic 100-mile ride through East Anglian countryside was a fantastic way to spend a sunny Sunday in August

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There is something really quite amazing about knowing you can cycle 100 miles in less than seven hours. It’s a huge achievement and something I’m not ashamed to say I’m proud of.

The Only Way sportive is part of Wiggle’s Super Series of cycling events that take place across the country throughout the year. This one started and finished at the home of Colchester FC in Essex. I went to the University of Essex in Colchester so this was something of a homecoming for me.

Not my most flattering photo! This is just as we set off on our 100-mile epic.

The event was billed as ‘a scenic, rolling course ideal for those attempting their first 100-mile sportive’. There were three rides to choose from, Short, Standard and Epic. This last was 100 miles and of course this was the one we went for. This was my second 100 miler of this year, the first being Wiggle’s Dragon Ride, which was my first and is generally described as challenging and not best for newcomers. I don’t believe in doing things by halves.

The Only Way followed a stunning circular route through Essex and Suffolk, via country lanes and villages. It was an absolutely beautiful day for cycling and Biking Buddy Claire and I had a wonderful time.

The route was incredibly well marked and at no point did I feel at all nervous that we might have gone wrong. There were three feeding stations along the way. We didn’t feel the need to take advantage of the final one, which was just 14 miles from the finish. These weren’t as well stocked as those on the Dragon Ride, but there were bananas, flapjacks, fig rolls, crisps and sweets to indulge in, as well as plenty of water to top up depleted bottles.

The Only Way followed a stunning circular route through Essex and Suffolk, via country lanes and villages – it was an absolutely beautiful day for cycling

We completed the ride in 6 hours and 54 minutes, according to Strava, or 7 hours 9 minutes according to the organisers. The latter includes stopping time, whereas Strava doesn’t. Both times represent more than an hour’s improvement on our Dragon Ride time and won us a Silver certificate. Most importantly, though, we had a thoroughly enjoyable day.

As well as the certificate, we got a medal and a finisher’s T-shirt.

My only criticism is that there wasn’t very much going on at the finish. Some food stalls, a bar and a cafe would have been a nice touch.

I’d like to take part in more of these events. I want longer and more challenging rides, as well as multi-day events. I also plan to cycle Hadrian's Wall Cycleway. But for now I’ll just quietly congratulate myself on completing this sportive and remember what fun I had on the day.

To the winner the spoils! A T-shirt and medal. The T-shirt is actually pretty massive so I've been wearing it to sleep in.

The Dragon is slain!

We did it! We completed our first-ever Wiggle Dragon Ride. And it was fantastic

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The Wiggle Dragon Ride was, quite frankly, one of the best things I’ve ever done, as well as one of the hardest. Here’s how the weekend panned out.

Despite staying up till 4am drinking wine and vodka (not in the same glass) on Friday night/Saturday morning, I was up on time Saturday, having already packed the night before. The taxi arrived, I said goodbye to The Chap and set off, arriving at Paddington with a good 20 minutes to pick up tickets and find the train.

After securing Florence in the bike carriage, I found my seat, got out my Kindle and settled down for three hours of reading. I got to Swansea feeling rested and not at all hungover – result! And my bike was still safe in its carriage. Unfortunately, however, Biking Buddy Claire had also been up late drinking and wasn’t faring so well as me. She was running a couple of hours late. So I installed myself in the station Costa with some food and a massive latte and settled in to more reading.

Me on the Dragon Ride. I really was that happy. I've bought this photo and ordered a print. 

Claire finally arrived and we secured my bike to the rack and drove off to the airbnb. I really didn’t know what to expect for this, having never stayed in one before. But it was lovely. The house was gorgeous, the people so friendly and welcoming and the position fantastic, right on the Gower. It would be a beautiful place to stay for several days, just enjoying the beach and doing lots of walking.

We walked to a local pub for dinner, treating ourselves to carb-heavy pasta and garlic bread dishes. And then back to the house for an early night.

Race day
I was terrified by this point – convinced I wouldn’t make it all the way round and that the mountains would defeat me. It just all seemed too much. Then inspiration hit: instead of thinking of it as one massive 100-mile ride, break it down. There are two feeding stations and the finish line, so logically the stopping points should be around 30-35 mile distance. So it made much more sense to think of it as three 30-35 mile rides. And we agreed that if either one of us got to a station and felt like we couldn’t go on we’d both stop.

This made me feel much better – 35 miles is absolutely manageable and knowing that I could bail out if I needed to meant the pressure was off. As it turned out, I had nothing to worry about. Once I got on my bike all my concerns disappeared and I just started cycling. This always happens when I’m on the bike. I love it so much it just makes me happy.

The ride was amazing. It was also very challenging, of course, but at no point did I feel it was too much. We did get off and walk for one hill, known as the Devil’s Elbow. It was incredibly steep and long, and lots of riders had dismounted. One chap opined “I’m getting overtaken even when walking!” as we went past him. Other than that we managed all the inclines and had huge fun free-wheeling down the declines.

The scenery was fantastic. We rode through the Brecon Beacons National Park and it was truly stunning. I didn’t have a camera with me, preferring to travel as light as possible, but this really is beautiful part of the country and worth visiting. I may well go back next year for holiday.

The ride was so well organised. Free food and water were provided at each stop. The salted potatoes were amazing – one lady described them as “magic potatoes”, and she wasn’t wrong. Flapjacks, jelly babies, crisps, bananas and pasties were all provided and we took full advantage.

Our time. Top one is me, bottom is Claire.

By the time we got to each feed station I was most definitely ready for some sustenance and a bit of time out of the saddle. Which would imply that the stops were in exactly the right positions. At the very end of the ride we were back on the same roads as we set out on, and it was something of a relief to start recognising landmarks and realise that we were very much on the home run.

There was free pasta or noodles for participants at the end of the ride, as well as a massage area (which you had pay for). I didn’t indulge in a massage, but the food was very welcome.

The ride was amazing. It was also very challenging, of course, but at no point did I feel it was too much

My only complaint is the lack of transport. The last train back to London left Swansea at 1955, which didn’t give much time to get there. Luckily it stopped at Port Talbot Parkway at 2014, which is much closer and meant Claire could drop me off with plenty of time to get the train. However, many people were still finishing as we left, so I guess they either drove or were staying over. This wasn’t an option for me and missing that last train would have had serious work repercussions.

Obviously train times are nothing to do with the event organisers, but maybe they could talk to the train company to get a couple of later trains put on. Also, transport from Margam Park to the station would have been very useful.

What next?
So we slayed the Dragon and rode 96 miles in mountains. What will be the next challenge? There are longer rides and I’d like to do one. I wasn’t dead on my legs after this one and I did feel that I could go on.

And, of course, this ride wasn’t quite 100 miles. It was close enough, but I can’t in all honesty say I’ve done the century. So Claire and I have both signed up for the Epic ride in The Only Way, a 100-mile ride through the Essex countryside. After conquering my fear of mountains, this largely flat sportive mostly sounds like a lot of fun. We did the Dragon Ride in 8 hours 27 minutes including stops – I wonder how much quicker we’ll be on much flatter ground?

Elsewhere, some friends did the Tour of Cambridgeshire on the same weekend as the Dragon and if that runs again next year I definitely want to take part. This is a 100-mile closed-road gran fondo through Cambridgeshire.

Slaying the Dragon

I’m taking part in the infamous Wiggle Dragon Ride this Sunday, and I’m scared

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After last year’s 60-mile London to Cambridge I really wanted to do something longer and more challenging. A 100-mile ride was the obvious choice. I applied for the London 100, but unfortunately didn’t get in. It’s a hugely popular ride with many thousands more applying than can be accepted.

So when my bike buddy Claire said she’d signed up for the Wiggle Dragon Ride, I decided I’d give it a go too. I left it late to sign up so had to apply via the official charity, Macmillan Cancer Support. This meant I had to raise a minimum of £200 in order to take part. The generosity of my fabulous friends and family means I’ve actually raised more than this.

There are four main options in the ride: Corto, which is 43km; Medio Fondo, 153km; Gran Fondo, 226km; and Dragon Devil, a whopping 302km. There’s also a women’s only Cycletta of 43km. Claire and I have gone for the Medio. I’d love to do something like the Devil, but I’m not sure I could manage it in a day. Maybe that’s something to work up to …

There’s also a three-day Dragon Tour, which takes places over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Friday involves riding 102km, Saturday 96km, then on Sunday riders choose one of the distances above. So the really intrepid could do a total of 500km in three days. Wow.

I have to admit I’m really quite nervous. In fact I’m nervous about pretty much all of it! Going to Wales on my own (I’ve never been to Wales), getting my bike to Paddington (I’ve never taken my bike on public transport in London), even using airbnb for the first time (I didn’t even know what to do about breakfast!).

It’s hard to train for hills in London – we simply don’t have any

So I’ve been breaking it all down into more manageable chunks. My train tickets are booked and I’ve got a bike space. The airbnb is booked and I emailed about the breakfast – she puts out some cereals, bread, eggs, fruit and so on and we just make our own. I’m probably going to take a taxi to Paddington. So all my fears are being conquered one by one.

Which just leaves the ride itself. And it’s terrifying. It’s not so much the distance I’m worried about. I’ve not ridden 153km before, but my longest solo ride was 101km. It’s easier to do it in a group with support, so I’m pretty confident I can do the full 153.

What I don’t feel prepared for, though, is the hills. It’s hard to train for hills in London. We simply don’t have any. Not proper ones. I’ve changed my routes into and from work to incorporate a few up-and-down bits and I’ve been trying to take these faster and in higher gears to strengthen my legs, but there’s really no substitute for the real thing. And let’s face it, up-and-down bits in London are nothing like the hills I’ll encounter in Wales. My rides out into the Essex countryside have also included some hilly parts, but again not Welsh-style hilly parts.

I’ve put in a lot of training and I rack up a lot of miles over a week. My general fitness is really quite good and my legs are pretty strong. Despite all that, though, those hills really do scare me. This is going to be an incredibly challenging ride, and I hope I’m up to it. Will I slay the Dragon, or will it slay me? I guess there’s only one way to find out!

By the way, you can still sponsor me via my Just Giving page.

Me having finished the London to Cambridge. Look how happy I am!

30 days of biking challenge

I’ve pledged to cycle every day in April – have you?

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Always on the lookout for new and exciting challenges to do on my bike, I recently pledged to do 30 days of biking. It’s simple enough, you just ride your bike every day in April. It doesn’t matter how far or where to, as long as you do it, and then share your biking adventures online. The challenge started back in 2010 and now thousands of people worldwide take part.

It’s simple enough, you just ride your bike every day in April

I found the challenge on Twitter (where else?) and thought it sounded fun. I usually have a couple of days off the bike every week so riding every day will be interesting. Will my legs take it? You can follow the fun on the event Twitter account @30daysofbiking or using the hashtag #30daysofbiking on both Twitter and Instagram.

Unfortunately (or not), mere minutes after pledging I was told I was going to Spain for four days for work (I know, it’s a hard life). Which means I can’t actually complete the pledge in April. I will add an extra four days on the end to make up, but I don’t really think that’s the spirit of things. I am slightly disappointed, but explaining to my editor that I can’t go to Spain because I want to ride my bike every day wasn’t going to happen. I will cycle every other day in April. And I will share my adventures as I go.

Today was the first day of the challenge and I cycled to work, as I usually do. This morning’s ride was 9.9 miles taking in Walthamstow Marshes, Springfield Park and Finsbury Park.

A happy me arrives at work on the first day of the 30 days of biking challenge.

My 2015 cycling goals

Some notes on what I want to achieve on the bike this year

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Since I first started cycling nearly two years ago I’ve developed a real love for it. I don’t just cycle to get to work, I don’t just cycle for fitness – although these things are factors. I cycle because it makes me happy, because I enjoy it.

This year I want to capitalise on that enjoyment and go further and faster. I absolutely loved taking part in the London to Cambridge last year, so in 2015 I want to do more sportives. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to ride 60 miles in one go, but far from being destroyed by the end of it I felt energised and wanted to go even further. So I’ve registered for the London 100. I find out next month if I’ve been successful.

Me on completing the London to Cambridge.

There are loads of other sportives all over the country, with distances ranging from about 45 miles up to 100. Some are charity rides, others are organised by various cycling organisations. I really like the idea of choosing somewhere like the New Forest and making a weekend of it: heading down the day before, exploring the area and staying a couple of nights in a hotel. I could do a few throughout the year, heading off to different parts of the country.

The UK’s first Gran Fondo is taking place in Cambridge and I’d love to take part. The Tour of Cambridgeshire starts and ends in Peterborough and is a 82-mile ride through the Cambridgeshire countryside. Taking place on 7 June it would be excellent training for the London 100 on 2 August.

Obviously this means I’ll have to invest in a new bike

My final two goals are self-organised. First I want to do some longer solo rides (or rides with friends if anyone wants to come with me!). The idea is to choose somewhere at least 30 miles away, book a room in a B&B, pack an overnight bag and head off. I’ll cycle home the next day. Current favourite candidates are Southend, Ware and Wivenhoe.

I also want to cycle the whole of the Hadrian’s Cycleway. This 174-mile Sustrans route crosses England, from Ravenglass on the Cumbrian coast to South Shields in Co Durham. It’s usually cycled west to east. It goes through some stunning countryside, passing Roman forts, museums, quaint villages and picturesque market towns. It sounds gorgeous, as well as being a real challenge.

According to the Sustrans website, most people can complete it in three days, but I think I’d like to give myself four or five; for one thing I want time to stop and enjoy the scenery as I go. Obviously this means I’ll have to invest in a new bike. Florence can’t have pannier racks fitted, and I’ll need these (probably both front and back) in order to carry everything I’ll need for four-day road trip.

 So there we have it. My goals for 2015 – I'll keep you updated on how I do throughout the year.

We are the champions!

The London to Cambridge – my first-ever sportive, and it won’t be my last

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We did it! On 27 July CP and I cycled 60 miles between London and Cambridge. And it was AWESOME. In fact the whole weekend was fantastic, with lovely food and drinks with lovely friends and a great festival in Lloyd Park in Walthamstow.

I was pretty nervous the night before the event. I had never cycled 60 miles in one day before and I’d never taken part in one of these ‘sportives’. I don’t know how to fix a puncture or change an inner tube, and what on earth would I do if I buckled a wheel? I was also concerned about the amount of time I’d be spending in the saddle.

Never having taken part in something like this before, I really didn’t know what to expect. Would the route be well signposted? Would I turn up at the start line and just find a few people milling about? Would it be properly organised? Would there be medical people on hand? It’s entirely possible I worry too much.

As it turned out the event was fantastically well organised and I had nothing to worry about. Not only was the route fully signposted, there were volunteers pointing out the right direction at every turn and roundabout.

Our start time was 0830, but CP and I arrived early because she’d managed to forget her number and registering card. We didn’t know how long it would take to get replacements, but it was sorted in mere minutes and we quickly progressed to the start line.

As soon as I was on my bike all my concerns were forgotten. Cycling’s like that for me. Everything bad disappears, and it’s just me and my bike and a great big smile on my face.

We were quickly outside of London and cycling along country lanes through picturesque Essex villages and crop fields

The ride itself was so enjoyable. We were quickly outside of London and cycling along country lanes through picturesque Essex villages and crop fields. Sailing through the first rest stop, where lots of other cyclists were taking a break, felt amazing. We had a quick toilet break at the next stop and then another – taking time to munch on a flapjack – at the penultimate stop. The rest of the time we were in the saddle.

Mechanically we had no issues at all. I think that’s because CP used up our quota of punctures on the Friday she came to mine. Three punctures in one day. One of which was just five minutes after getting a new inner tube from Halfords and the chap there saying there was nothing in the tyre. Luckily we took the bike to someone who knew what they were talking about the next day. A very nice lady at Dr Bike fixed the puncture and pulled three bits of glass out of the tyre.

We finished the event in 4 hours and 14 minutes, according to my Strava. I don’t know how this compared with other entrants, but I was thinking it would take about six hours, so I was incredibly pleased. Our parents, who were meeting at the finish line, had been looking forward to cheering us across the line, but we actually arrived there before they did – oops!

So we had a great time and between us raised more than £600 for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. I'd like to thank everyone who sponsored us. I'm so incredibly touched by how generous my friends are.

Now I want to do more sportives. More and longer. A 100 miler is my next goal.

A happy me after completing the ride.

The London to Cambridge bike ride

This Sunday it’s the London to Cambridge ride – so am I ready for it?

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London to Cambridge: 60 miles and around six hours of cycling. That’s quite a challenge and I have to admit I’m nervous. I keep thinking about backing out, but I’ve told so many people I’m doing it (raising £270 for Breakthrough Breast Cancer in the process) and I’ve got a friend coming over from Switzerland to ride with me, so there’s no chance.

London to Cambridge: 60 miles and around six hours of cycling – that’s quite a challenge

I guess the lesson to learn there is that if you really want to force yourself to do something properly challenging, make sure you tell lots of people and ideally get a friend to do it with you. On the other hand, if you want to be able to quietly give up, tell no one! I’m not really the giving up type, though. Once I set myself a challenge I tend to do it.

Be prepared
I do feel like I’ve trained a decent amount. I cycle to work four days out of five. That’s 10 miles per day, 40 per week, and while that’s not a huge distance I have been pushing myself to do it faster so as to build up my fitness levels.

I’ve written previously about cycling around London. Well on those rides I’ve been gradually building up distance: a 12-mile round trip to Victoria Park, an 18-mile one to Kenwood House. Then 22 miles to Greenwich and back, until finally, the biggie – a 45-mile round trip right across London from Walthamstow to Richmond.

This last ride was fantastic. Just under 24 miles on the way there, via the Lea River tow path and Victoria Park. Then past the Gherkin, the Shard, the Cheesegrater and the Houses of Parliament. Although Google Maps tried to take me through Horse Guards Parade which was blocked off for an event and meant I had to do some emergency route recalculating. 

We start off at Pickett's Lock, luckily not too far from home.

Google Maps isn’t perfect and there was one part of the route that I just couldn’t work out. I cycled round and round looking for the roads mentioned but couldn’t find them. In the end I just headed in the direction I thought looked right and it turned out OK.

The ride back was even better. Shorter at just under 22 miles, it took me along the south of the river to Hammersmith Bridge. Then a lovely route through Kensington Gardens, Green Park, along The Mall and then Victoria Embankment.

I stopped for lunch in a pub in Richmond, so it really was an enjoyable day out. And so should Sunday be – the organisers make it clear that the event isn’t a race. It’s meant to be fun, and I’m sure it will be. My family (I’m from Cambridge) will be waiting for me at the finish line, and we’ll be going for a meal – something to look forward to on the long ride!

The finish line at Midsummer Common, Cambridge.
Photos from commons.wikimedia.org.

Something to aim for

Never one to do things by halves, I’ve got a rather impressive goal in mind for cycling this summer

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In my last post I mentioned that I was thinking about a particular goal. Well anyone who knows me on Facebook might have noticed an announcement: I'm doing the London to Cambridge ride.

The ride takes place on 27 July, and I've managed to recruit a friend, the lovely Claire, to do it with me. She lives in Switzerland so we're going to set up an online training plan so we can share what we've been doing. It's about 60 miles, mostly over flat terrain. The ride starts at Pickett’s Lock along the River Lea, which is quite near home, and finishes at Cambridge's Midsummer Common. If the weather's nice it should be a lovely.

I've gone from not having even sat on a bike for about 20 years to being A Real Cyclist in just six months

I am, I admit, a bit apprehensive. I've only been cycling for six months, and so far the furthest I've been in one go is 16 miles. This was on Sunday (12 January), a ride from home to Enfield Lock and back along the River Lea tow path. It was really nice: no roads, lots of wildlife and a good distance for a Sunday ride. The important thing, however, is that I did it with ease. In fact I could have gone further. I'm pretty sure I could easily do 20 miles and probably do 25 at a push.

Training day
My training plan is to continue to cycle to work every day and then go on progressively longer rides at weekends. I’d like to be able to do 20 miles by the end of February and 40 by the end of May. This should mean I can do 60 miles by the end of July. But after Sunday I'm pretty sure I can already do 20 miles. I'm extremely pleased with myself about this. I feel like this is a real achievement – I've gone from not having even sat on a bike for about 20 years to being A Real Cyclist in just six months.

The ride is to support Breakthrough Breast Cancer, so I've got to raise some money. I'll be setting up a Just Giving page very soon. You can find out more about it all, and hopefully sign up, by going here.

The London to Cambridge ride: 60 miles of cycling fun.