The Ride Day 1

Hard to describe the sense of anticipation around last night. The camp itself looks like a cross between a rock festival and a refugee camp.

But that belies the reality. All is very well organised. The facilities include an enormous dining marquee, secure bike parking (guard on duty round the clock and you an only remove a bike bearing the same number as your wrist band.

Wi fi, hot showers, massages, information point, chill out area, free newspapers. Sounds good doesn't it. Only snag is that you have to cycle over 100 miles a day to benefit from all this!

We were woken at 5.30 by Freddy Mercury telling us in his irritatingly predictable way that he wants to ride his bicycle. So did I but only after a huge breakfast which was impressive even for me.

We were promised a fine sunny day so I was decked out with sunglasses. In fact within 5 mins of leaving at 7.00 am we were in a thick sea mist. Damp and misting my glasses which were not helping at all I rode the first 40 mins 'blind' and therefore with extreme caution.

Then the sun emerged an the pattern of the day established itself. Very steep climb on probably the hottest day of the summer, followed by very steep descent which failed to deliver sufficient momentum to get you more than 10 meters up the next steep climb. Repeat for 107 miles. Or a lot more if you were the young lady I was talking to at the evening meal tonight.

She explained she had entered alone and had only taken up cycling in April. She was petrified of descending having had a nasty accident on a bike as a child. She missed a sign and got lost today and went 20 hilly miles out of her way. She eventually got back on route but was well behind everyone else. She was advised to quit but wouldn't.

It was tough. I like climbing (my 9 stone weakling physique has one benefit in that it confers a pretty good 'power to weight' ratio') but this was as tough as any cyclosportive I have done and I found it tough. But at least it was over quite quickly for me. I finished about 3.30. I was still watching and applauding riders coming in at 7.15pm. That is a very long day in the saddle in these conditions and they gained huge respect for seeing it through.

Really great that 3 work colleagues Rachel, Katie and Clare interrupted their weekend break in Cornwall to drive an hour each way to Okehampton to cheer in myself and Vicky who used to work with us at Barcan Woodward and is riding with me.

More of same tomorrow it seems. Off to bed sorry make that bag on sleeping mat...