The Notts Rider looks back on the second day of his 155-mile London to Amsterdam Cycle Challenge for Prostate Cancer UK…
There wasn’t much time for rest, as we had to be up at 6.30am for part two of the ride. I replenished my water supply and filled my backpack with protein bars and dates, which our club nutritionist Matt Lawson had kindly provided.
Rather than lead from the front, I hung back to chat with some different riders. As we weren’t split by the London traffic lights, it enabled us to ride as a group and I was able to find out about why people were riding for Prostate Cancer UK.
The disease has affected a lot of people, with many riding for friends and family members at the same time as representing their team. I even got chatting to an elderly gentleman at one of the stops, who had spotted my Prostate Cancer UK shirt and told me a story about his successful battle against the disease.
You really sensed that you were doing something worthwhile and it drove you on, even when it got a bit tough. Fortunately, part two was a little easier, as we got to enjoy the purpose-built cycle paths and the wind behind us allowed us to hit average speeds of 25mph.
It wasn’t all smooth, though, as we were interrupted on the coastal road by a hailstorm. I also got shouted at on more than one occasion for riding on the wrong side of the road!
After lunch, I decided to break away from the pack and hammer the last 20 miles. I’m naturally competitive and wanted to test myself over a short distance and managed to finish ahead of everyone else – something that I took great pride in.
It felt like a big achievement when I arrived at the finishing line, though I was disappointed when it was over. It’s a sport I enjoy, it was for a very good cause and the company along the way was fantastic.
To conclude, we celebrated with a dinner, which included a speech from Luther Blissett, who made it despite the early detour. It was great to hear that over £35,000 was raised along with plenty of awareness.
Look out for the Day Three round-up on the official site tomorrow. You can still sponsor the Notts Rider by visiting his Just Giving page: www.justgiving.com/nottsrider.