Anyone doing London2Paris24 on Saturday?
Discussion
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I've been a bit tense the last couple of nights....well, not tense just been nervously packing stuff and wondering what I do or don't need for this.
Any other PHers on the ride?
I'm no. 284 and will be at the briefing tomorrow evening although not stopping at the hotel.
I've been a bit tense the last couple of nights....well, not tense just been nervously packing stuff and wondering what I do or don't need for this.
Any other PHers on the ride?
I'm no. 284 and will be at the briefing tomorrow evening although not stopping at the hotel.
Forgot to check back on my return.
My god it rained! For 22 hours out of 24 by most estimates.
Saturday morning at 7am I was quite optimistic but the heavens opened as we put the bike on the back of a mate's car. It hadn't let up by the 11am start time and continued until we got to Dover. Some people elected to change at the final stop 1 mile from the ferry as it had stopped.
I decided not to, partly "just in case" and partly due to not having that many spare clothes.
Needless to say it p***sed it down while we waited for the ferry.
For some reason the aircon on the ferry was set to feckin' freezing so for the entire voyage there were cyclists standing by the hand dryers in the toilets desperately trying to dry stuff.
As we rode off at Calais there was only a light shower so we were optimistic. But it didn't last.
I was setting off with the pace riders but the hills were where I dropped back (as did some others) as the pace guys just didn't slow for the hills. At one point they did say they were going a bit quick, but then later they realised they had to up the pace to make it in 24hrs. The opportunity was going to be at the last food stop, 3 stages from the end, which was scheduled for 45 minutes. By stopping for less than 15 they could make it.
Unfortunately by the time I arrived they'd already left and after that my stomach started playing up. It meant that I was really slow in the last 2 stages having to make several stops in Paris to make sure I was OK to continue.
I finished at 12:20, so 24 hrs and 20 mins after I started.
Although the ferry was delayed by 30 minutes.
After all the rain and the stomach problems I was just glad to finish, but really chuffed to do it in a decent time. Only 16 finished within 24hrs (regardless of ferry) and I think I was in the first 50 or so out of over 200.
Good things:
Getting to Dover a lot quicker than expected
Seeing fireworks through Northern France (14th July)
Coming into Paris
Dicing with death round the Arc de Triomphe
Riding the (very wet) cobbles on the Champs Elysee and finishing by the Eiffel Tower
Would I do it again?
If it had been sunny this time, I'd probably have said yes.
As it is, probably not
And I have to sort out what I eat on long rides - gels and energy drinks do me no favours!
This week I've had a temperature and various aches and pains so no cycling. But I'll get back on next week. Stranely no saddle-soreness though!
I don't have a Garmin but they did send me the GPX files - if I still have them I could email them on to anyone who wants them
My god it rained! For 22 hours out of 24 by most estimates.
Saturday morning at 7am I was quite optimistic but the heavens opened as we put the bike on the back of a mate's car. It hadn't let up by the 11am start time and continued until we got to Dover. Some people elected to change at the final stop 1 mile from the ferry as it had stopped.
I decided not to, partly "just in case" and partly due to not having that many spare clothes.
Needless to say it p***sed it down while we waited for the ferry.
For some reason the aircon on the ferry was set to feckin' freezing so for the entire voyage there were cyclists standing by the hand dryers in the toilets desperately trying to dry stuff.
As we rode off at Calais there was only a light shower so we were optimistic. But it didn't last.
I was setting off with the pace riders but the hills were where I dropped back (as did some others) as the pace guys just didn't slow for the hills. At one point they did say they were going a bit quick, but then later they realised they had to up the pace to make it in 24hrs. The opportunity was going to be at the last food stop, 3 stages from the end, which was scheduled for 45 minutes. By stopping for less than 15 they could make it.
Unfortunately by the time I arrived they'd already left and after that my stomach started playing up. It meant that I was really slow in the last 2 stages having to make several stops in Paris to make sure I was OK to continue.
I finished at 12:20, so 24 hrs and 20 mins after I started.
Although the ferry was delayed by 30 minutes.
After all the rain and the stomach problems I was just glad to finish, but really chuffed to do it in a decent time. Only 16 finished within 24hrs (regardless of ferry) and I think I was in the first 50 or so out of over 200.
Good things:
Getting to Dover a lot quicker than expected
Seeing fireworks through Northern France (14th July)
Coming into Paris
Dicing with death round the Arc de Triomphe
Riding the (very wet) cobbles on the Champs Elysee and finishing by the Eiffel Tower
Would I do it again?
If it had been sunny this time, I'd probably have said yes.
As it is, probably not
And I have to sort out what I eat on long rides - gels and energy drinks do me no favours!
This week I've had a temperature and various aches and pains so no cycling. But I'll get back on next week. Stranely no saddle-soreness though!
I don't have a Garmin but they did send me the GPX files - if I still have them I could email them on to anyone who wants them
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