August has completely flown by! I had 2 more race weekends right after Ride London. My husband, his brother and fiancé, and I travelled to Ireland where I ran the rock n roll Dublin half. We had a week long road trip and got back to London to I could join fellow UK Fitness Bloggers for Spitfire Scramble, a 24 hour relay race. Those races tired me out and I came back to work to launch a huge project that I have been working on for nearly 3 years. It has been a crazy, but rewarding, month.
Check out the shiney wheels!
I want to go back though and tell you about the kit I was given to test during Ride London. First off, Merlin Cycles were kind enough to send me the Forza Stratos RC23 Road wheelset. At a price point of £149.99, they are a good example of how you can replace certain components on your entry-level bike to make your riding more efficient and enjoyable. My new best friends at Bike Trax kindly squeezed in my wheel swap days before Ride London. I took my bike to Victoria Park to try them out and I how amazed at how easy it was. I didn’t know if it was the adrenaline or excitement that I might actually be able to go fast enough to ride all 100 miles this year, or just the fact that I had rounder wheels.
The wheels themselves have Shimano hubs and Mach1 spokes. Noah the Wheel Smith was surprised at that quality components were put under a different name as the brands stand for themselves in terms of reputation.
On the day of Ride London, I felt like I was faster than my previous training rides. You can see my training log, along with Ride London files (segment 1, segment 2, segment 3) over on Strava. I didn’t have much of a chance to draft anyone but feel I did well enough on my own. After all, I did get all 100 miles in. 🙂
Of course I had to get a manicure to match
I can’t wait to get out on the bike again once Berlin Marathon is over. James and I are headed to Cape Town in February and plan on touring on bikes for a few days while we are there. It will be a good time to break out my Altura cycling kit again. Zyro and Altura sent me some fab pink kit for Ride London, including the Women Peloton Progel Bib Short. I have never had such padded cycling shorts (all mine are for triathlons and indoor cycling) and what a difference it makes! Holy cow. Plus, I never had to adjust the shorts from riding up on my legs. They always stayed in place. I am not a huge fan of bib shorts because going to the loo requires disrobing in a small gross port-a-loo. But what can you do when nature calls?
I was between sizes on the jersey so I ordered one size up which meant it ended up being too big for me (as compared to a traditional slim fit jersey). It was still able to hold all the food I needed and my wallet without anything falling out of the back pockets. The zipper was easy to adjust as I rode, which helped me regulate my body temperature. I was also sent new gloves and a base layer but I received the items too late to try out properly before the big ride. I tried the shorts, socks, and jersey in a spin class, and also on the test ride for my wheels but felt I was still breaking the ‘nothing new on race day’ rule. When I changed out of my bibs at the end of the day (after a tube ride to Olympic Park where we collected our bikes and rode home) I noticed the webbing of the suspenders (braces for you Brits) had left a light impression but the marks were gone the next day.
My husband said the pink made it easy to spot me in a crowd, and it totally goes with my branding. This kit still has plenty of life left and I cannot wait to get back on the road and in the saddle.
Did you try any new kit this year that contributed to your success at Ride London? Leave a comment below and let me know!
Thanks again to Merln Cycles for providing the wheels and Zyco and Altura for the pink kit. As always, all opinions are honest and my own.
This year was my third attempt at Prudential Ride London. I have been very lucky enough to have won the ballot entry for three years in a row. You can read my review of the inaugural event here. 2014 was the year of the hurricane, in which the entire course was cut short to 86 miles. I was so waterlogged, I didn’t write up a review. Last year, we moved house so training got pushed aside. We ended up volunteering at the start line, which was a lot of fun even it was early in the morning. Luckily I was able to defer to this year and I am so glad I did. Read on! Registration process & fees: The event is ballot entry, with plenty of charities offering space in return for fundraising. I have been lucky enough to win a place every year I entered. I am not sure if that is because I am a woman, or just lucky. As I had deferred, my money was not refunded from last year and I had to pay again this year. While not ideal, I completely understand it must cost a fortune to close down to many roads and having staff for 100+ miles.
Note:Registration is now open for 2017. I am not sure when the ballot will close (either a date or limited number of entries). Registration for 2017 is £58.
Standstill at Mile 38
Location: The course has remained the same since the first event. The start line is in Queen Elizabeth Park in Stratford, from there the course goes out to Surrey, and it ends on the Mall just before Buckingham Palace. This year you could have your bike brought back to Copper Box Arena for £5 after your race. It was a bit hard to find the truck at the end of the race, but it was really convenient for us otherwise as a way to get our bikes back home after a long day.
Course & bogs: It is still amazing to ride through London streets without traffic or red lights. You go passed many iconic sights before heading out to the country with the first food hub at Hampton Court. The big hills to worry about are Leith Hill and Box Hill, with a few other ups and downs. Be sure to train for these inclines! Declines are still a hazard, so please ride responsibly. Remember, other riders around you might be less experienced.
Numerous portaloos at start area and also at every hub. I barely had to wait and there was always loo roll. Good work organisers!
Fuel was provided by Clif Bar and hydration by ORS tablets. There was also rice cakes, bananas, Haribos, malt loaf, etc at the food hubs. Drinks hubs had a limited selection of food.
THIS YEAR I RODE THE ENTIRE COURSE! I have been working towards this for 4 years and felt such relief as I crossed the finish line. True, it wasn’t my fault in 2014 that I didn’t ride 100 miles, but now I can proudly say I have. Would I have been able to without my 1 hour rest? I would like to think so, as I limited my rest stops otherwise. Atmosphere: Even though it was an un-Godly hour on a Sunday morning, everyone was excited for the event. Along the way, there was friendly chatter between friends and strangers. When I was held up for an hour at Mile 38 after a bad crash, folks were still talking to one another and although they were frustrated, they always got out of the way for police and ambulance without any negative words about the victim.
Drinks Hub at top of Box Hill
Bling/goody bags: Another big shiny medal with the course on it. Goody bag included the usual flyers and a few snacks. Tips if you decide to take part next time: Read the guidance provided on how to cycle safely and share the road. I recommend checking out my blog posts tagged ‘Ride London’ for training and kit tips. You need to take the training seriously to make it around the course. It took me 8 hours (one of which was waiting for crash to clear) and I feel like I spent a lot of time in the saddle. Don’t forget to add in strength training to complement your cycling. Most importantly, have fun and enjoy the ride!
Will I take part again? I am going to skip the ballot for 2017 and let someone else give it a try. I really enjoyed the training aspect and will continue to keep it up after the Berlin Marathon in September. Using cycling as cross training has really benefited my running too.
Thanks to Altura and Zyro for the cycling kit and Merlin Cycles for the new wheels. Honest reviews on these products up soon.
This year was my third attempt at Prudential Ride London. I have been very lucky enough to have won the ballot entry for three years in a row. You can read my review of the inaugural event here. 2014 was the year of the hurricane, in which the entire course was cut short to 86 miles. I was so waterlogged, I didn’t write up a review. Last year, we moved house so training got pushed aside. We ended up volunteering at the start line, which was a lot of fun even it was early in the morning. Luckily I was able to defer to this year and I am so glad I did. Read on! Registration process & fees: The event is ballot entry, with plenty of charities offering space in return for fundraising. I have been lucky enough to win a place every year I entered. I am not sure if that is because I am a woman, or just lucky. As I had deferred, my money was not refunded from last year and I had to pay again this year. While not ideal, I completely understand it must cost a fortune to close down to many roads and having staff for 100+ miles.
Note:Registration is now open for 2017. I am not sure when the ballot will close (either a date or limited number of entries). Registration for 2017 is £58.
Standstill at Mile 38
Location: The course has remained the same since the first event. The start line is in Queen Elizabeth Park in Stratford, from there the course goes out to Surrey, and it ends on the Mall just before Buckingham Palace. This year you could have your bike brought back to Copper Box Arena for £5 after your race. It was a bit hard to find the truck at the end of the race, but it was really convenient for us otherwise as a way to get our bikes back home after a long day.
Course & bogs: It is still amazing to ride through London streets without traffic or red lights. You go passed many iconic sights before heading out to the country with the first food hub at Hampton Court. The big hills to worry about are Leith Hill and Box Hill, with a few other ups and downs. Be sure to train for these inclines! Declines are still a hazard, so please ride responsibly. Remember, other riders around you might be less experienced.
Numerous portaloos at start area and also at every hub. I barely had to wait and there was always loo roll. Good work organisers!
Fuel was provided by Clif Bar and hydration by ORS tablets. There was also rice cakes, bananas, Haribos, malt loaf, etc at the food hubs. Drinks hubs had a limited selection of food.
THIS YEAR I RODE THE ENTIRE COURSE! I have been working towards this for 4 years and felt such relief as I crossed the finish line. True, it wasn’t my fault in 2014 that I didn’t ride 100 miles, but now I can proudly say I have. Would I have been able to without my 1 hour rest? I would like to think so, as I limited my rest stops otherwise. Atmosphere: Even though it was an un-Godly hour on a Sunday morning, everyone was excited for the event. Along the way, there was friendly chatter between friends and strangers. When I was held up for an hour at Mile 38 after a bad crash, folks were still talking to one another and although they were frustrated, they always got out of the way for police and ambulance without any negative words about the victim.
Drinks Hub at top of Box Hill
Bling/goody bags: Another big shiny medal with the course on it. Goody bag included the usual flyers and a few snacks. Tips if you decide to take part next time: Read the guidance provided on how to cycle safely and share the road. I recommend checking out my blog posts tagged ‘Ride London’ for training and kit tips. You need to take the training seriously to make it around the course. It took me 8 hours (one of which was waiting for crash to clear) and I feel like I spent a lot of time in the saddle. Don’t forget to add in strength training to complement your cycling. Most importantly, have fun and enjoy the ride!
Will I take part again? I am going to skip the ballot for 2017 and let someone else give it a try. I really enjoyed the training aspect and will continue to keep it up after the Berlin Marathon in September. Using cycling as cross training has really benefited my running too.
Thanks to Altura and Zyro for the cycling kit and Merlin Cycles for the new wheels. Honest reviews on these products up soon.
Flapjacks are one of my favourite foods to snack on when I am training. They can be quite filling and sit well in my stomach if I have one on a pit stop during a long ride. Hale Naturals has a versatile product, Powdered Peanut Butter®, that I like to have on hand as a way to make any food into one for recovery. I add it to everything- porridge, protein shakes, ice cream, and now have tried baking with it too.
Here is a fab recipe for an American-inspired treat.
Powdered Peanut Butter® and jelly flapjacks
2 cups oats 1 cup PPB 150g melted butter 100 ml honey or golden syrup 200g dried strawberries (can be chopped into pieces if they seem big) 100g chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 2. Spray 9″x13″ pan with cooking spray or wipe with butter. Line with parchment paper. 3. Mix everything together in a bowl by hand. 4. Spread batter in pan and press flat into corners. 5. Bake for 25-30 min until golden brown. 6. Let cool before cutting. 7. Try not to eat all at once.
My husband doesn’t like peanut butter (weird, I know) so here the variation of what I made him this morning. Follow directions as above.
2 cups oats 2 sachets of Linwood Super Food packs 150g melted butter 100 ml honey or golden syrup 200g raisins
Flapjacks are one of my favourite foods to snack on when I am training. They can be quite filling and sit well in my stomach if I have one on a pit stop during a long ride. Hale Naturals has a versatile product, Powdered Peanut Butter®, that I like to have on hand as a way to make any food into one for recovery. I add it to everything- porridge, protein shakes, ice cream, and now have tried baking with it too.
Here is a fab recipe for an American-inspired treat.
Powdered Peanut Butter® and jelly flapjacks
2 cups oats 1 cup PPB 150g melted butter 100 ml honey or golden syrup 200g dried strawberries (can be chopped into pieces if they seem big) 100g chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 2. Spray 9″x13″ pan with cooking spray or wipe with butter. Line with parchment paper. 3. Mix everything together in a bowl by hand. 4. Spread batter in pan and press flat into corners. 5. Bake for 25-30 min until golden brown. 6. Let cool before cutting. 7. Try not to eat all at once.
My husband doesn’t like peanut butter (weird, I know) so here the variation of what I made him this morning. Follow directions as above.
2 cups oats 2 sachets of Linwood Super Food packs 150g melted butter 100 ml honey or golden syrup 200g raisins
There is so much going on in my life right now- big project deadlines looming at work, teaching group ex classes, training for my big endurance events, being a wife, taking care of Oldland and squeezing in a good night’s sleep. All this leaves little time for food prep, planning my meals, or packing healthy snacks. Luckily, I have had opportunities to try some new food products on the market. I thought I would let you know which ones I have tried.
Primal Pantry bars– If you have been a long time reader, you know that I have dabbled with Whole30. Primal Pantry bars are grain-free, vegan and lack added sugar. I tried 3 different flavors during a long bike ride around Reading. They were all really yummy, didn’t upset my stomach and seemed to give me enough energy to keep up with the boys.
Men’s Health Kitchen frozen meals– These have been a Godsend for me. We were able to try all 12 flavors. Each was absolutely delicious! The combination of flavors and foods were very hearty and filling (quinoa, lentils, rice, etc). The portions didn’t seem very big but I was never hungry after finishing one. Plus they retail at only £3, which is a bargain compared to a drink, sandwich and crisps.
Ugly Drinks– For the record, I am not a sparking water kind of girl. I do like pop though, so I thought I would give the Lemon-Lime and Pomegranate flavors a try. Unfortunately, I didn’t really like them, perhaps because the flavour wasn’t very strong (as it would be with soda pop). My co-workers tried Ugly Drinks too and had the brilliant idea to use Ugly Drinks as a mixer.
Dr Zak’s nut butters and high protein bagels– I am obsessed with Raspberry Peanut Butter (in particular, putting in Ben and Jerry’s Phish Food ice cream). When I first saw it as a flavor, I thought it would be really weird. More so than Apple Cinnamon, which was the other flavor I was able to try. But Raspberry PB was also good on plain bagels and bananas. I really liked Apple Cinnamon on toasted Cinnamon and Raisin bagels. When I had this for breakfast, I felt full all morning. These products are something I would keep in my desk at work for a quick post RUNCH snack.
Yokebe protein drink– This drink is marketed as a weight loss drink, but I was using it as a protein recovery drink. I followed the directions to mix it with milk and vegetable oil. The powder smelled like vanilla pudding my grandma used to give me as a kid so I had high hopes. It wasn’t very sweet but I prefer the drink mixed with only milk. It is pretty filling and another good think to have in your desk drawer.
Seriously Summer at Costa– Costa has launched a new menu for the summer which are great if you need to pick up something on the go. I tried a falafel couscous salad wrap and grape/watermelon/strawberry (Red Super Day) smoothie. Both were delicious!
So these are some foods you can have on hand to help you fuel when on the go. What new foods have you tried lately that you would recommend?
Please note I was sent samples from all of these brands. As always, opinions are honest and my own.
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