Thanks for the pep :-) Unfortunately somewhere between finishing the RL86 and Christmas last year I managed to get a bunch of blood issues (last test was the first I haven't had low red & white cells for 18 months, testing once every 3 months, but they've never worked out why and are currently hoping the next test will also be OK and it'll have fixed itself) which means I have on going lethargy a really bad stamina level, poor immune system and lousy sickness recovery. And I have problems with an infection mucking about with the left ventricle of my heart which has been on going for quite a few months and is currently being 'watched in the hope it clears itself up in the next 6-12 months'. I honestly don't think I could manage a Fridays ride at the moment and RL100 really is probably a pipe dream. But I might go for the ballot and see, my wife wants me to but I think she is in a bit of denial over where my health levels really are, while I'm whining here I tend to try and put a brave face on it as much as possible.
If it helps, the pack was my biggest worry (I seem to lose all roadcraft when another bike gets close to me on my commute) but while it was a bit of a worry in the 'what's he doing? what's she doing?' way it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be last year. You're never actually amongst 20,000 other people and aside from some of the slopier slopes it's quite easy to make yourself some room by speeding up/dropping back.
Not unless they bring Mr Kipling on board as a sponsor. (Or I guess you scout out the WI stalls in advance.)I plan to enter just for the pleasure of closed roads and a great atmosphere. Hopefully there'll be more cake on offer in 2016
There was a couple of women at the end of a drive along the road through Box Hill village selling slices of cake.
Why don't you find somewhere south of the river and ride through the Blackwall tunnel or take the cable car? It'll be much cheaper and doesn't take long.
Did you have a ballot or charity place? If it was a ballot place, you can request to be deferred to next year - you'd need to call to ask if you can do it now after the event, you might have had to do it beforehand. If you can defer, you just need to make a decision in October whether you want to do it and pay again
If you enter the ballot, you don't have to pay now and you don't find out until around February next year. So you could find another sportive between now and then to enter and see how you get on with that as there won't be as many cyclists. Then if you get a place, make a choice on if you take it up or not. If you don't take it up, I think it goes back into the places available for the people who get a second chance though donating their entry fee up front.
