Déjà vu but quicker

Last Sunday I participated in the London Bikeathon for the second time. This is an event I would like to ride every year from now on as it was my first event I entered on my cycling journey, it has a lot of emotional attachment and gives you a spectacular ride around the greatest city in the world.

More than 6,000 cyclists got on their bikes to help beat blood cancer and raised more than £830,000

After getting up very early on Sunday morning to take the first train into London I arrived at Euston and immediately followed the stream of Red shirted cyclists making their way to the start of the event.

It was a beautiful day with sun shining down, blue skies overhead, upbeat music pumping out of loud speakers and a real sense of intent at the start line. Riders were let out in manageable groups every minute or two. As it neared my turn to set off I was overcome with emotion and remembered why every other rider was here and taking part and everyone here had their own story to tell. I had my story and being caught off guard by a song that came on those big speakers i set off with a lot of feeling inside of me.

Pushing on with the ride around our capital I rode with a guy, for the first 20 miles, that lives close to my area and I convinced him to join my newly formed cycling club in Berkhamsted. It felt far more sociable this year mainly due to understanding I would be able to complete the distance and a year down the line i know my self a lot better from a cycle stand point. After a break mid way through for a drink a sugar top I rode the last half of the event in a good group. Bad sign-posting lead to a few hiccups but made for extra bonding and camaraderie.

The biggest pain about the event is that the roads are not closed off meaning the traffic and more importantly traffic lights are a huge problem when trying to get any sort of momentum.

The biggest high about the event is the incredible support that people show you when cycling the whole course but when you come in to the cross the line their are crowds that are really applauding and cheering the effort of all riders as the cross the line and get their medal. It is truly overwhelming.

The event is not a race and as I said it is hard to treat like that due to the lack of momentum you can gain. However, I tracked my own performance this year and I have improved my time as a cyclist by a considerable way and completed the course in 3 hours and 24 minutes knocking over an hour off last years time