RideLondon-Essex 100 (2023) Anyone?

[mustang1]

When I ride around the city, I can cover a hundred miles and feel mildly tired but when I'm a group ride, it seems to be the other way round: after about 40 mile my knees start hurting.

Last year, a few miles before the finish, I had to stop multiple times to rest my knees. This year I forced myself to go slower and take regular rest stops but still my knees started to hurt, although not much. On the ride home, the normal one hour ride took almost two hours as i walked up even gentle inclines. Very windy while riding home.

The organisation was good although I'm not a fan of having to wait so long between arrival time and start time (but completely understandable with so many riders).

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

I struggled this year and i don't know why.Maybe after last year i thought this is going to be a cinch..
After 40 miles on my first rest break i felt great.After that i struggled.felt a bit sick and had dry lips which could have been dehydration but the worst thing was a burning in my right foot.Even though i loosened the straps on my shoe i had to stop every 10 miles just to give my foot a massage.
The event is very well organised though and i loved the lovely folk of London and Essex cheering us on.
I enjoyed it despite the suffering.

 

[Dogtrousers]

A demonstration of how much faster you can go on a closed road event.

View: https://twitter.com/avocetwurzel/status/1662718440287752192?t=c2wYCjRLKwe1oVd5t4OslA&s=19

 

[Stig-OT-Dump]

I did it this year and thoroughly enjoyed it.
It went past the village where I was born and grew up and it was rather nice to cycle through countryside that brought back so many memories.
There was less chit-chat with other riders compared to other sportives and event rides that I've done, but maybe that was me not putting out enough.
Anyway, the weather was very kind and I'm glad I made the effort. And fair play to all the people who showed support from the sidelines.

 

[steverob]

Resurrecting this year's thread, rather than starting a 2024 thread to ask - does anyone who took part in 2023 still have a copy of (or a link to) the pre-race riders guide showing you where the entrances to the pens are and the recommended routes for getting to them? I've already booked my place on the 2024 ride and am now looking to get a hotel for the night before and don't want to end up trapped on the wrong side of the route and have to take a massive detour just to join the pens in the morning.

Now yes I'm making a big assumption the details are going to be the same from year to year, but even if they're not it at least gives me a rough idea of what might happen.

 

[PaulSB]

Resurrecting this year's thread, rather than starting a 2024 thread to ask - does anyone who took part in 2023 still have a copy of (or a link to) the pre-race riders guide showing you where the entrances to the pens are and the recommended routes for getting to them? I've already booked my place on the 2024 ride and am now looking to get a hotel for the night before and don't want to end up trapped on the wrong side of the route and have to take a massive detour just to join the pens in the morning.

Now yes I'm making a big assumption the details are going to be the same from year to year, but even if they're not it at least gives me a rough idea of what might happen.

There were no pens in 2022, I don't know about 2023, we just rolled up and set off. If you head down the Mall towards the river you'll be fine.

 

[lazybloke]

Pretty sure you could enter the competitor areas from Trafalgar Square or Parliament Square in 2022. I used the latter, after getting a lift to somewhere near Vauxhall.

Don't know if 2023 was the same or not.

Edit: just checked through old emails, and all the links to the maps are dead.

But Strava confirms I approached Parliament Square along Millbank (and a slight glitch through Whitehall because the GArmin was off whilst walking to the start line).

A wider maps makes it look like I was completely off-piste at times. I blame the road closures and FreeCycle.

 

[dickyknees]

From this year.

 

[dickyknees]

The event guide should you need it.

 

[Dogtrousers]

FWIW I came from Sarf of the river, over Lambeth Bridge, turned right along Millbank nearly as far as Westminster Br, then zigged left (Victoria st), zagged right (Buckingham Gate) and bingo I was in front of the palace.

 

[steverob]

From this year.
View attachment 702860

That is brilliant and exactly what I needed, thank you very much.

Yes they might change it for next year but it gives me a good idea of which direction I have to approach the start area from.