London to Oxford 100km Challenge or A Mid Life Crisis? Post Ride debrief ...

As I sat at home, the day after the London to Oxford ride, the adrenalin and excitement of the day's event now dissipated, all that is left is the pain from the sore limbs, tired muscles and my temporary 'cowboy' walk. My mind started to drift as I sat contemplating, was it worth all that time, X amount spent on biking gear, energy expended on the numerous hill climbs towards Oxford, etc.

Undoubtedly, you end up comparing what else you could have been doing at the time, 'watching England in the World Cup against Germany', 'having Sunday lunch', 'getting a few more hours sleep', finishing the DIY/home improvement projects that seemed such a good idea at the time , washing the car, cutting the grass, the list goes on ( yes I know, you are all thinking that I can't be this normal ?! )
My conclusion after a few minutes thought and another 'recovery' snooze on the couch ...
It's easy to be immersed with busy schedules, events and life generally, however, what made it worthwhile, is that for a few hours on Sunday 27th June (some longer than others), a few cyclists shared one journey, different personal circumstances and a collective common goal in 32C heat (hottest day of the year so far) ... making a difference to another unknown stranger. This made it worthwhile missing the football, Sunday lunch, extra hours sleep, etc.
As another day passed, with the pain and the soreness a little less, thoughts of the next challenge are starting to surface, a longer, tougher more extreme challenge - maybe?
Thank you to everyone for all the kind words of encouragement, support and generosity to the CLIC Sargent Charity.
I hope you all take up a new challenge, share it and ultimately help someone else on the way.

Best wishes to all,

Alan
PS. For a glimpse of the finishing line please visit http://www.justgiving.com/alan-lau

Free desktop wallpaper of the Big Ride ...

Sunday 27th June, 2010



We came, we rode and we conquered ... 102km, 32C heat, London to Oxford Challenge !



Congrats everyone !

The Big ride day, all systems ... ready for go, go, go !

Photos courtesy of Mimi (c) Canon 400D - 18mm to 55mm - on ISO 100 at various focal lengths.



The finishing line ... boy, did this look like a sight for sore eyes. That last 10 miles seem to go on forever, especially when the marshalls said it was longer than we had thought at the 52 mile checkpoint !





Look at that sky ... it was such a glorious day !









Group photo (left to right)
Phil (Jake), Tony (Bella), Ian, Sharon, Yeung (Anthony), Pete, Kit, Mike, Kan, Alan


























Medic ! Man down, emergency R&R and CPR.
(Anthony, close your eyes, when they do the tongue bit!)












Kan was so stealth like at the finish, that we just caught a glimpse of him as he sped passed.












Sharon still manages a smile.
















Alan (is that a smile of relief?)

















Husband and wife duo, Pete and Kit (however, Kit finished about an hour before all of us, so congrats, also Pete demonstrates that his broken arm is still ... broken!)












Deja vu for Kit !












The Yeung one handed wobble (could have all ended in tears of laughter!)















Yeung speeding pass the paparazzi !!!















Easy rider Phil, how much more relax can he be?


























Ian, jubilant fist into the air !




















Brother's in arms, Tony and Mike (Both look like they could have done another 100km afterwards!)














Dream machines ... (sponsored by Specialized, et al)

















Early start for all ... 6.15AM..ish ! Everyone still manages a smile (ahead of the pain ... )

The road was long ... with many a winding bend !

Overview of the London to Oxford ride

It was hot, hot, hot - warmest day of the year, staying hydrated and energised was the order of the day.








Lap by lap statistics




























Graph by distance











Graph by time

London to Oxford 100km Challenge or A Mid Life Crisis?

Dear All,

On the 27th June, 2010 at 7.30 AM, I will be taking part in the London to Oxford 100km charity bike ride in aid of the 'Caring for Children and Young People with Cancer' (CLIC Sargent) Charity. http://www.clicsargent.org.uk/Home

My journey to this day has been a little haphazard and random, since having never really been a keen cyclist, I was roped into the ride by a group of friends. Initially, I was a little luke warm to the idea, thoughts such as "Why would I want to spend 5 or 6 hours on a bike versus relaxing in front of the TV watching the World Cup" or "Imagine the pain during the ride as well as afterwards i.e. saddle soreness, etc", came to mind. However, over time, the excitement of the challenge and the charitable reasons stuck with me ... this is where my real journey begins.

As a complete cycling novice, my view was that 100 kilometres couldn't be that hard, I could probably drive that in less than an hour, so any old bike would suffice. Having an old mountain bike lying around the garage that weighed 20 kilos would be fine for such a ride.

The first time I went out on the road with the newly formed "Biker's support group" (up to this point, most of my occasional riding had been around the local park which was only a few hundred metres away and only about the size of a couple of football pitches), I struggled to keep up with the group and realised that not all roads are perfectly flat or smooth. The closer to the kerb you are, the worst the road i.e. potholes, drains, litter and parked cars, on top of this, you have inclines and declines. Having been a driver for almost 20 years, I suddenly realised a whole new road dimension which I had taken for granted whilst enclosed in 2 or 3 tons of metal and glass, an engine, air conditioning, music and a heavy right foot.

Not the sort to give up, I went out for another ride with the lads, and over time, got a little better. What's great about other cyclists and the 'fellowship of riders', is that they've all been through this before, so riding in a group, you'll always get encouragement or someone will always be riding a little slower to get you to the end. In addition, when you meet other cyclists, there's an unspoken respect and politeness that has somewhat been lost in the modern motorist.

To cut a long story short, through the trials and tribulations of learning to ride on the road, building up distance, purchasing a boot load of biking accessories, gadgets as well as a new bike (notwithstanding, falling off a few times), I realise that cycling is very much like life, every so often, there'll be a hill to climb, some steep, some not so steep, but believing in your ability and prior preparation or experience and with the help of your friends and family, in the end, the summit will be reached and the reward ... a wonderful, liberating and downhill ride !

So, as I finalise my preparation for Sunday's ride (technical term - "loading up on carbs"), what has this journey taught me:

1. A whole new respect for my fellow cyclists (for all you drivers, please pay attention to your two wheeled road users and make sure you give them plenty of space on the road),

2. More investment is needed in the roads to make cycling better - Mayor Johnson / PM Cameron, you know what you need to do, to make it safer and enjoyable for all,

3. Not all roads are flat or smooth, just like life,

4. It's a great way to explore the city and countryside on your own steam,

5. There's something liberating and special with jumping on a bike after a busy day at work and heading out onto the roads for a couple of hours. Before I started, I couldn't see why some individuals were so passionate about cycling, however, I have to admit, I am now converted.

Final words, stories and my personal journey aside, thanks for reading, ultimately, this journey has been to help some of the children and young people that are suffering, with each small contribution, hopefully, we'll make a small difference to another fellow human being ... so please donate whatever you can.

One more thing, I want to thank my wife and son for bearing with me on this journey and putting up with my training and cycling faux pas.

Best wishes and goodluck with all your personal life journeys.

Alan

PS. BlackRock have generously offered to match donations raised. http://www.blackrock.co.uk/index.htm

Please visit: http://www.justgiving.com/alan-lau

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