Ride London 100

I started doing some training this weekend - mostly v early starts at the weekend from Fulham into Surrey/Box Hill - would be interested in teaming up/a group (slow/MAMIL) ride if early & meet at Wandsworth or Putney bridge no later than 7am !

ps all rides to be accompanied by singing the following:

*The MAMIL song (to the tune of My Old Man's a Dustman)* - stolen from elsewhere can't find it now to correctly acknowledge the author.

Oh! I'm a Middle aged man in lycra, I wear a Rapha hat.
I've spent a grand on cycling gear,
And still look like a twat.
I ride only pure black carbon,
Have all the pro team kits.
And the only thing that slows me down,
Is my beer gut and my tits.

^ er, yeah maybe?
I'm usually all like "training? pfft"
but I am feeling genuinely nervous about this ride as I've never cycled the famous hills of surrey before, unless you count croydon. and I don't like hills.

I did 66 miles on Fri on the flat through Surrey and then 44 Miles to & around Box Hill on Monday- it felt double the distance and I felt f*#ked for two days after !!! I have an 83 mile course on my Garmin, that is the full course South of the river - need to do that one in the next few weeks.

Jazzy -

Good to hear that you're doing it for charity. I heard about it after the ballot closed, and was thinking of going the same route. Have Shelter already confirmed your place? I had a quick look at the list of charities and was thinking of going for WWF or the Natural History Museum, but Shelter could be another option. I don't mind really as they're all for a good cause.

Where / when are you thinking of training? Did you get your bike sorted?

Jazzy -

Good to hear that you're doing it for charity. I heard about it after the ballot closed, and was thinking of going the same route. Have Shelter already confirmed your place? I had a quick look at the list of charities and was thinking of going for WWF or the Natural History Museum, but Shelter could be another option. I don't mind really as they're all for a good cause.

Where / when are you thinking of training? Did you get your bike sorted?

Chris, my place with Shelter is confirmed, need to get on the case with raising the sponsorship.

I'm a bit skint at the moment but can't afford to buy another bicycle, plus that fact that mrs thumper would go mental if I had another bicycle!

So the restored Pinarello is going to have to be my ride, it's fast and beautiful it's what it was built for and riding it around the course will make its restoration all worthwhile!

I live in Camberwell so going to train either around richmond park or out to box hill etc

Will be doing Business Relay, as I have no other options now.

I managed to get a place with Plan, the international children's charity. Apparently they had some reserved for corporates, and decided to give me one of those.

If anyone is still looking for charities with places, I know the Natural History Museum still has a bunch. When I spoke to them yesterday, only 4 of their 15 slots had been taken, so still a chance to get in there.

The charity list on the RideLondon website doesn't mention everyone, so try Googling "RideLondon charity" or something similar to find more places.

Really hyped for this.

Anyone on for a training ride on Sat - early start Sat 7am, Putney bridge - to do the course south of the river?

The charity list on the RideLondon website doesn't mention everyone, so try Googling "RideLondon charity" or something similar to find more places.

Agreed.
The charity list on the RideLDN site only lists the 'big hitters', which after perusing I applied for a charity place with a national mental health charity.
After I had paid up and got my place I found out that the hospice that cared for my mother in law so excellently in her last months are appealing for riders.

I know who I would rather ride for, but I guess I've tied myself up.
I will just have to make a donation instead.

If anyone is looking for a place and wants to ride for a wonderful cause have a look at St Christophers Hospice in Sydenham. You'd be guaranteed a ton sponsorship from me.

Anyone on for a training ride on Sat - early start Sat 7am, Putney bridge - to do the course south of the river?

Not sure my legs are up to this yet! That's a big ask, but if you don't mind someone going slow I could be up for it?

I didn't say it would be fast & if we struggle, we can always go more direct on the way back ?!

Let me know!!

There's an advanced/Sky Ride + going this weekend, advertised as a training ride for Ride 100.

Ride time is 2hrs 30 and distance is 20miles. 20 miles in 2 and a half hours...erm, good luck with the Ride 100!

I'm up for some training miles soon as I'm trying to sort out a misbehaving knee. I can't make this weekend, but will keep an eye out for future outings.

There's an advanced/Sky Ride + going this weekend, advertised as a training ride for Ride 100.

Ride time is 2hrs 30 and distance is 20miles. 20 miles in 2 and a half hours...erm, good luck with the Ride 100!

Blimey, when I said I was slow.... I didn't mean quite that slow, for reference to JazzyT, my average on the two Box Hill rides is a relatively sedate 15 & 16mph (over 66m & 44m respectively).

So the "advanced/Sky Ride", will not even make it in front of the 9hr sweeper on that pace!!!

will not even make it in front of the 9hr sweeper on that pace!!!

this is worrying at me :/
distance I can do. speed... not so much.

Blimey, when I said I was slow.... I didn't mean quite that slow, for reference to JazzyT, my average on the two Box Hill rides is a relatively sedate 15 & 16mph (over 66m & 44m respectively).

So the "advanced/Sky Ride", will not even make it in front of the 9hr sweeper on that pace!!!

My basic maths brane was thinking the same - if you are starting out cycling then that's a fair pace - if you're hoping to ride a fairly challenging 100 mile route in a few months then you're need to pick up the pace a bit!

this is worrying at me :/
distance I can do. speed... not so much.

To get round the route within the 9hrs you need to be doing a minimum 11mph (and no lenghty stops)

11/12 mph is sorta average london commuting in traffic pace. On clear roads I can do 14mph with very little effort when riding fixed, with gears I can maintain 16/17mph without too much effort.

The point I'm labouring Hoefla is that I'm slow but I'm pretty confident it wouldn't take me 9hrs to do 100miles - and I'm sure you aren't as slow as you think you are...do you have any bike computer/smart phone action. If you actually monitored/noted your speed I bet you'd be reassured.

flail

I think I just worry about "what happens if... "
... too many punctures
... evil headwinds
... unforseen mechanical
... I bonk at some point
... I wake up with jelly legs
etc

I think I just worry about "what happens if... "
... too many punctures
... evil headwinds
... unforseen mechanical
... I bonk at some point
... I wake up with jelly legs
etc

You're worrying too much - get gatorskins with 120psi in them, take tools/tubes - &/or see you in the morning.

I am doing the route programmed into a garmin & also recording it on Strava.

^^ the main one being ... if I have to do too much walking...
will feel much happier once I've reccied the route, got to work tomorrow though.

I did 87.5 miles, being the course south of the Thames - starting/finishing at Putney bridge - in 5 1/2 hrs, ave speed 15.7mph

My advise is to get round and do the course to find out for yourself - I was a bit taken aback by how hard it is - I found the run from East Clandon to Abinger, a lot harder than Box Hill, as it has three climbs in close succession and seems to go on far longer.

The upside is that as soon as you've done it, you'll accept it is very doable.

I did 87.5 miles, being the course south of the Thames - starting/finishing at Putney bridge - in 5 1/2 hrs, ave speed 15.7mph

My advise is to get round and do the course to find out for yourself - I was a bit taken aback by how hard it is - I found the run from East Clandon to Abinger, a lot harder than Box Hill, as it has three climbs in close succession and seems to go on far longer.

The upside is that as soon as you've done it, you'll accept it is very doable.

Good work sir, and a lovely day for it. Did you Strava the route? I was going to scout it out sometime in May too.

I roughly mapped it in ridewithgps based on the pdf route, the bits in town are a bit disconcerting - I'm sure the Limehouse Link will be a lot more agreeable without traffic but still!
great day for it - my surrey adventure just extended to croydon and back. yep those climbs do look challenging... good thing I have gears arriving this week!
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2379971

Good work sir, and a lovely day for it. Did you Strava the route? I was going to scout it out sometime in May too.

Hopefully, the Strava url is below:

http://app.strava.com/activities/49680226

ps note how I missed the turn off for Abinger and had to go back!!!!

Re mapping the route, Garmin connect has the full route as a download to your gps - you just have to keep an eye on where you are going!

Have been out and about today on my first training ride. 45 miles in just under 3 hours. The hills were a killer and a couple of bits i had to walk up. Hoping that my legs will get strong with longer rides.

Didn't feel up to tackling the zigzag and the headwind on the way out the was a killer!

Definitely up for some training with others if you can handle my slow pace!