Monday 12 March 2012

London to Brighton

Here we go again.

Some time ago The Tall Guy* and I were in conversation in the kitchen. Somehow the subject got around to cycling and The London to Brighton bike ride.

I told him that I'd done it a few years ago and told him what a great day it was. He said that he quite fancied a go at it (he cycles a good few miles every morning except Sunday, rain or shine), so we registered on the British Heart Foundation website. I went back to drinking coffee and eating biscuits, he carried on going out to parties and eating the stuff that McDonald's markets as food.

Time passed. 

Last weekend we sat in the same kitchen, booked our places online and chatted about cars for a while. I drank some more coffee and ate some more biscuits, he went to some more parties. I assume there may have been more McDonalds, but I couldn't swear to it.

No problem I thought, I remember last time. I hadn't cycled in years at that point and my training schedule consisted of dragging my bike out of the garage, putting some new tyres on it and riding to the end of the road and back to make sure nothing fell off. Dead easy.

This morning I worked out that the last time I did it was in fact ten years ago. So I think maybe I should put in a few training miles. Either that or persuade someone really really old to do it with us.

Although the positive side of being ten years older is a more mature attitude to life. This time around I will do my level best to resist the temptation of hurtling between two cyclists just as they close in to each other in order to cross the finish line holding hands, sending them wobbling off in opposite directions at the critical moment. One of them may have crashed, my recollection is a little hazy.

NDC

* - The Tall Guy is a top bloke. Funny, intelligent and a heart of gold. He's also my stepson.

5 comments:

  1. OOOOooooerrrr.....serious cycling. I've driven that route a few times, but a bike????
    Well done both though...very impressive.
    Maybe me and FMA could meet you at the finish line with a G+T?
    ps watched Senna last night.....so sad....so be careful on those corners!

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  2. Never underestimate the elderly. Or pregnant women. Do you know how humiliating it is when a full-term pregnant woman passes you during a 5k?

    I do.

    It's humiliating. Super. Humiliating.

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  3. So you're going to do the Lonxon to Brighton with virtually no training....are you mad, or just very fit?

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  4. All I will say is "Ditchling Beacon"

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  5. Libby - Ah, a G&T at the finish line would be very civilised!

    3T - I guy I used to know did Iron Man triathalons. He told me a tale of being beaten by a septegenarian with one arm, so don't feel too bad.

    CQ - I'll try to do a few miles between now and April...

    NB - That was a big surprise last time, especially being right at the end. On the plus side I managed to hit 52mph on the way down the other side.

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