Around 5 years ago my stepson (Steve) said he was going to ride an event called chase the sun.
The official event:
Starts on the Isle of Sheppey (Kent) at sunrise approx. 0430hrs. The target is to arrive on the Bristol Channel coast at Burnham-on-Sea before Sunset. This is a ride of just over 200miles. The ride was originally a group of friends and was free to enter. It became remarkably successful and there is now a charge to enter, although they have introduced food stops at 2 points. Because of its popularity it is now difficult to find accommodation on the Isle of Sheppey the night before. We were lucky we had not booked into the official hotel as it was struck by lightning the night before. Anyway, getting ready for a ride like this I would prefer a night in my own bed.
Steve decided on a new plan as we live on the East coast so why not start here? He carefully planned a route from the statute of Brythnoth on Maldon’s promenade. Joking, in about March of this year I said I would like to do it with him. He said do the training and you will be fine. The training started. I reckoned if I could clock 120 miles before the event, I would be OK. Steve had 4 other friends who would join us. Steve did not want more than 6 as that was the number he could get in the van (which Liz his wife was going to drive) for the journey home, also more than six and it gets like herding cats at the stops. You must be strict about how long you are going to make the stops.
Leading up to the event I had managed to do 3 rides of over 100miles, one from home to Harwich and back via Sudbury on what was the hottest day of the year so far. Hydration and food were important on the ride. I drank 5 litres of water with hydration tablets. I stopped for breakfast in Harwich and tea with cake at Coggeshall. Another over 100 mile training ride on the Sunday before the event I set off from home at 0400hrs to make sure my body was capable of functioning that early.
During the week before the ride, I fitted a new chain to my bike a Cannondale CADD8 aluminium frame. I also fitted new tyres with Kevlar protection, more on that later. Had a couple of gentle rides although the weather was poor that week so only did the chain gang loop a couple of times. So, the bikes looking good now, need to sort out the food, I make my own flap jacks so baked 2 lots. I also made a huge tub of pasta salad, pasta peppers and spring onions. I took 2 hard boiled eggs to go with the pasta and a tin of herrings in tomato sauce (not used). For a treat I added some snack size mars bars. All this was put in a cool bag along with 1.5 litres of water. The cold bag, a complete change of clothes one for cycling and one just clothes in case I bottled out. I was carrying 3 half litre water bottles on the bike along with the usual puncture kit and some gels and paracetamol and ibuprofen. I had a lightweight ruck sack in which I carried a spare tyre, apart from the one round my belly.
Ride day, we are due to start from Brythnoth at 0438hrs. Got up at 0315 had a bowl of porridge. I was allowed to have the bike loaded and ready to roll in the lounge a concession from my wife who has been a terrific support through all the training and on the day. My wife, stepdaughter, and Matt (Berry) had decided to drive to the finish and had booked a chalet at a nearby Pontins for 1 night.
Left home at 0410hrs gentle ride to the start in Maldon 2.5 miles away. Whoops had a mechanical on Market Hill dropping to the small ring the chain jammed. Pushed the bike up Market Hill and freed the chain. Not a problem just will not use the little ring, not realising how hilly things were to get.
Everyone at the start on time, no waiting around, off we go round Maldon’s southern ring road and on towards Bicknacre. We had an uneventful ride to the outskirts of London until approaching a roundabout that was clear, a van appeared going at high speed and I had to take avoiding action. Many roads before the blue routes have the left hand 1 metre marked as a cycle lane but are then full of parked cars It is easier to stay out in the road than weave in and out. Once we got to the blue city cycle ways we were able to ride at a good pace. We rode down into Limehouse basin and came out at Tower Hill. Some of the traffic lights along this bit are confusing you get a red light for cars and a different one for bikes that only applies if you are in the cycle lane. Steve had a close call on one with a motor scooter. Cycle route along there was good, past the Houses of Parliament and through Chelsea to our breakfast stop at Putney Bridge. The river café was ready for us and fast and efficient with the breakfast (coffee and a bacon and egg sandwich) We had already done 53 miles and it was 0830, exactly as scheduled by our leader. We started out for the next 50 miles. We had a pleasant ride through Richmond Park although for some reason I was on the front and missed a turning. Soon back on track though and this was to happen a few more times as we got tired. Funny how little white arrows on Garmin’s do not show up that well.
The next 50miles was uneventful one short steep climb but the rest really rolling hills and lovely views. Some of the more rural roads were extremely poor with a lot of loose grit and mud from the adjoining farms. Next stop is lunch at Bramley, Liz is there with the van and the kettle boiling away nice cup of tea and pasta salad couple of mars bars. Refill the water bottles and onto the next stop at Devizes. At Devizes two of our group decided they had done enough so one bike was altered and Liz our driver bravely said she would ride the section with the three of us who were carrying on. She had a minor problem in that she had to wear her husband’s shoes and was not able to pull up on the pedals. The 2 who dropped out knew something we did not this was to be the hilliest section of the course up over the Mendips. We were told it was just a steady incline to the top of Cheddar gorge. The steepest part was a real struggle and I only just made it weaving from side to side on a dirty road. Just over the top of this incline I suffered my first puncture of the day rear wheel of course. We managed to fit a new tube in a farm gateway having got the flint out of the tyre. I say we because as we rode away after the repair it appeared that we all had grease on our hands. Especially Liz who has the ability to roll the tyre back on without the use of tyre levers, must learn that trick. I know there is no such thing as a puncture proof tyre, but I bought these new ones because they claimed to have good puncture protection. I must admit that this hilly section nearly made me want to pack it in and come home. Also, I had a mechanical with chain jumping off while going from small ring to big ring.
It was now raining steadily and on the run down into Cheddar Gorge. I am not a good descender in the dry and on a steep wet road with cars coming the other way it was quite challenging. At the bottom of the gorge, we met up with our van now being driven by Steve. I was cold and wet by this time. A cup of tea, some food and a change of clothes including a waterproof top for the last 14 miles. There were a lot of other groups riding through without stopping. When Dave (new leader), Brian and I left Cheddar there were groups we could tag along with. I sat at the back of quite a big group while Dave and Brian were at the front. At the top of a hill, I had a second puncture front wheel this time. The others disappeared out of view. Whilst changing the front tube my fingers were so cold, I dropped the little valve fitting for the canisters in the long grass and was unable to find it. Luckily, I had a manual pump and manged to get about 60psi in the tyre with only 4-5 miles to go I reckoned that would get me to the finish. I certainly was not going to be going at any great speed.
I tagged onto a young lady; my Garmin had decided to pack up as well, so I asked if she had the route, but she had been following other riders for some time as her Garmin had stopped as well. Luckily, the next junction had a signpost saying Burnham-on Sea, so we were still going the right way. I am annoyed that my Garmin stopped as it was connected to a battery pack which still showed 80% when I finished. Anyway, another group came past riding at a pace I could manage so we rode to the finish with that group apparently only 10 minutes behind my other 2 teammates. At the finish I could hear Matt shouting at me, he helped me get of the bike and I held it aloft see picture.
It was really raining quite hard by now so my dream of a nice pint of Wessex ale and some fish and chips went by the board.
I changed into my last set of dry clothes, we got fish and chips and went back to the Pontins chalet which was functional if not palatial.
My sincere thanks to:
• My team that rode with me.
• The backup team in the van: Liz for driving and having beverages and food already for us when we arrived at each stop.
• Steve for organising the route and the breakfast café.
• Margaret, Tina and Matt for standing out in the pouring rain at the finish.
• Various club members too many to name who rode with me during training rides and told me I could achieve this ride.
What did I learn from this?
• You can train too much but you need to have ridden over half the intended distance.
• Take a spare phone with you. By the end, my phone and Garmin were both flat and I had no way of getting help.
• An emergency phone number written down, I know it’s old fashioned but when your phone is dead you can’t look up a number.
• You cannot avoid punctures but good quality puncture proof tyres that are reasonably low mileage are a must. I had 2 punctures and it is hard work when you are cold and wet to repair a puncture.
• Drink plenty I got through around 7 litres of water with hydration tablets.
• Eat regularly DO NOT wait for the stops. Our stops were approximately at 50 mile intervals that is to far. Eat at least every hour. On some Garmin’s you can set a drink alarm and/or a drink alarm. I have a count down watch which I set to bleep every 30 mins.
A great ride and really good fun
Colin Edmond