Rapha's Gentlemens Time Trial

On Sunday, Team Bespoke did the Rapha Gentleman's Time Trial (London to Brighton and back). You are meant to have a team of 6... but we ended up with a team of three (myself, Brett and Jean). Including the ride to the start (and plenty of getting lost when we were on route) that was a 165 miles today - 8.30hrs of vastly differing emotions. But great fun now its all over !!

It started as it would end - we were set off at 10.10
At 10.13 Brett and Jean were still waiting and I was stuck in the queue for the toilet !!

Brett has sent a link to the route we took
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/36774398

You will see what a bunch of numpties we were 1) crossing M23 twice (!) to do a big dog leg and then the total shambles coming into Horsham. But the first hour coming home from Brighton was epic fun, and the last 25 miles when we were smashing home with a tail wind will also stay with me for a long time

All time low was being lost outside Horsham and ending up taking an extra hour to find the checkpoint. When you have no food or water and you have already done 115 miles, the toys start to get thrown out of the pram, Jean was looking for the nearest train station and I was all set to join him. But then I thought what about the blog !

Just after Gatwick we stopped at a Petrol station and I bought the team a truly disgusting bag of stale donuts. But it was food from heaven. And with blood sugars restored the teams moral soared

The finish at the Rapha cafe was also great. I was desperate for some real food and maybe even a recovery drink. Instead as we were cheered in the door by the other teams (and yes that means we did not win!) I was given two glasses of champagne.
Not quite what Joe Friel recommends - but my legs did not hurt as much afterwards!!!

I came home at 9pm with sunburnt arms and aching legs but mainly with a massive smile on my face. Doing things like this makes you feel alive, and grateful to have a passion for such a wonderful sport like cycling

Big thanks to my team mates Brett and Jean for the ride, and an even bigger one to all at Rapha for organizing such a wonderful event. I really hope for an invite to the next one !