First Century

Distance: 167.29km
Time: 6:36:15
Avg Speed: 25.3km/h
Max Speed: 66.8km/h
Calories: 6079kcal
Avg HR: 134bpm
Max HR:169bpm
Ascent: 1656m

The 2008 Etape is 169.1km or 105 miles in old money. So far, I've put off going for a hundred mile ride, not because of the distance but because of the giant hole it would make in my weekend. More specifically the giant hole it would make in the time I'm supposed to be spending with our baby. I needed to squeeze the whole ride in before lunchtime. And that meant getting up at dawn.

I don't even set to the office until 0845, so to be on the saddle and riding at 0520 was an achievement. No, it was a privilege. Instead of leaving Southampton in a queue of traffic, I was treat to an empty avenue and the sound of the dawn chorus. Birdsong - in a city! With a glorious rose and peach sunrise to my right I headed north to Farleigh Mount and the countryside.

I shared the first hour of my ride with all manner of wildlife. I raced a hare, had to brake for deer twice, constantly feared rabbits going through my spokes and watched a fox float through a field in search of prey. It was all getting a bit Dr. Dolittle until I came across two badgers, as big as dogs, dead, bloated and rigid with their legs pointing into the air. By 0700 the traffic arrived and the wildlife was nowhere to be seen, except in the flattened form of roadkill under a scavenging crow.

Much of the next 90 minutes was spent regretting not using the toilet before I set out. I'd made my 100mile ride by bashing a 75km and 85km loop together with a refreshment stop at home at 75km and then a breakfast date with Long Suffering Wife in Pertersfield at 125km. I managed to make the first break quite short, as it would be during the Etape but the second was a full half-hour at Costa Coffee.

By this time I'd eaten my fourth energy bar and I was really craving salty food. Anything that wasn't sweet. The cheese and ham panini and americano were just what the doctor ordered. I need to think of a way of getting salty food into my ride diet. maybe like peanut butter in a bun or something.

I'd expected the last 40km back from Petersfield to be a slog, but I felt okay. I was cursed with a puncture at Bishop's Waltham but made good in a pub beer garden at leisure. I really don't need one of these on the day with the broom wagon behind me.

Once back, could see I'd beaten my target of 100miles in 6hrs 30mins and generally felt okay. I iced my knee straight away and there's no stiffness at all today. It all went so well, I'm considering signing up for a 200km ride in June. The Highclere Sportive

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