Here is my brief report, also posted elsewhere...
After DNF'ing just before Great Dunmow on this ride last year, I'm glad I made it round in one piece this time so can put those demons to bed. Adamski and I managed a fairly respectable almost 22kph average all the way round, which given the start and end include 10 miles of London traffic, I'm pretty happy with. OK it was wind assisted to begin with so I thought my speed would drop off a lot after lunch but not really. My legs were feeling good by the end still and we didn't slow down all that much in the second half (excluding that climb out of Buckhurst hill - who put that there?).
However, I seem to be suffering again with food related issues where I get what I can only describe as a feeling like air bubbles trapped in my windpipe which causes searing pain between my shoulder blades. Once that happens, I can't really eat anymore and run out of energy and sure enough, I got to the end and knew I needed to eat but couldn't (this was what cased my DNF last year as I couldn't eat lunch). I have a feeling it might be from eating whilst riding - I'm wondering if I'm swallowing too much air doing that (I don't seem to get this issues on other non-audax rides where there isn't a time pressure so I don't eat on the move).
Anyway, that aside, it was a great day and food/back issues aside, I felt pretty strong all the way round. As the evidence ^ suggests I was even smiling most of the way round.
We bumped into a few cyclechatters on the way round at various points so it nice to see so many familiar faces that I haven't seen in a while.
Not likes: all that resurfacing work going on so we were cycling on shingles for what seemed like ever. All those people who had no idea where they were or where they were going (no routesheets, no working garmins etc) who sucked my and Adam's wheels - I don't mind giving a tow to those who are suffering and need it, but these were all stronger riders than me who just needed navigators; they didn't talk to us they didn't even say hello; they just sucked the life out of me. As soon as they knew where they were they just sped off into the distance - not cool guys, not cool.
Likes: most of the route, even the bit back into town wasn't bad - I think given this is a central london audax a lot of thought has been put into making it the best it can be. The weather - I don't know what Islington CC did to ensure good weather two years in a row, but well done chaps.
BTW - is it just me or is this the least audax-feeling audax out there?
