Watching the forecast the weekend before they kindly hinted at torrential rain and high winds. Thanks! Luckily when I awoke at 5:45am on the day of the ride in the not so salubrious surroundings of Eye, on the outskirts of Peterborough, the rain had cleared, but the wind had only slightly lessened.
Mike and I made our way in convoy to Peterborough College, just a few miles away from our overnight digs for the start of the ride. We kitted up and rolled out under the large Kilo to Go banner in the third group on the road at just after 7am. It was nice to head out of Peterborough City Centre on traffic free roads in a large contingent of fellow cyclists. After roughly 15 miles we hit the countryside and the wind! Speeds started to be hit a little but we reached the first feed station still in fine form and with a decent average speed.
We rolled out of feed station one and got a kind tow from a bus which we hoped would carry us on our journey. Unfortunately it turned in the opposite direction, so instead we jumped on the wheel of a yound local doing his first sportive and the 77 mile short version. We allowed him to drag us along for a short while before the route split. We then met up with Bernie (Dave) and Cav (Greg) just outside my former Uni housemates home village of Swaffham Bulbeck. We got chatting to Bernie and Cav and as it transpired they came from West Bridgford and Ripley repsectively. Chatting to Greg afterwards he also used to play football for my side of 14 seasons Southwell City. Further down the road a fast moving peloton of roughly 20 riders swept past. After a mile I managed to hook on to the back of the group and was pulled along for roughly 20 miles at average speeds of 25mph. I look at my Garmins showed that after 60 miles I was averaging 20mph. Unfortunately I couldn't keep the back of the group and rolled in to the feed station at 70 miles just a few minuted behind.
After regrouping with Mike, we set out on the 3rd stint of roughly 35 miles til the next feed station. Just a few miles down the road the routes between the medium and long routes split. As we neared the split, I said to Mike, "It's decision time." Mike responded, "I'm doing the 112," with a wry smile on his face. Now I thought he was joking, but as the routes split, he continued on whilst I split for the long route. As I glanced back, I think Mike could see my surprise. He had said earlier in the ride that his knee was playing up a little so fair dos. As I plodded along now with no peloton to aid me, I wished I'd joined Mike. This was one of the most difficult sections. Every where you turned you were hit by the wind and my stomach was starting to tie itself in knots from all the sugary gels and drinks so I was over the moon when I rolled into the third feed station and even more so when I spied sausage rolls!
If the third section was difficult the fourth one offered no restbite. Lone riding with no shelter from the wind, my speed was being sapped. Energy levels were dropping, proved by the slowing of my heart rate and cadence. At every turn you hoped that you would get a tail wind. Alas this never happened! It was now just pure grit and determination. I was using the feed stations as count down markers to the end of the ride and yet again I was grateful for the fourth feed stop.
I rolled out of the fourth feed station with roughly 30 miles left to ride. Watching the average tumble from a heady 20mph at around 60 miles I was also watching the clock. I'd set myself a target of an official timme under 10 hours but was worried the way it was going whther this was possible. However, this final segment of the ride actually had a few sections with a very grateful tailwind and I managed to maintain a decent speed on the final run in.
I rolled over the line no longer a three figure virgin with my Garmin showing 8hrs 58mins 41secs and an average of 16.9mph for 152 miles. The official time was clocked at 9hrs 33mins 53secs and 129th/195 riders on the long route.
Now the big one in a few weeks time. All 300 miles.
