Capital to Coast 2006

17 July 2006

Six of us took part in the Capital to Coast cycle ride from Esher to Hove on 16th July 2006. The participants were:

Me (Karl Bunyan)
Chris Greenway
Michael Hayes
James Hehir
Neelesh Sonawane
Kathryn Stowell

For anyone who didn’t sponsor us yet, the easiest place to do it is on Justgiving, and if you sponsor Mick by following that link then Bloomberg will double the amount (up to a maximum total of £1000).

It was an excellent event and we think we averaged 12.7 mph over the 60.1 miles we cycled, making a time of about four and three quarter hours. We actually took about seven and a half hours, owing to the number of times we stopped and how long we spent at the rest points. It was mainly down to laziness. We stopped at 13 miles (unofficial stopping point) and had sticky cakes, 20 miles and ate a load of the free stuff on offer, including Mars bars and very cheap but entirely satisfactory crisps, 30 miles and had a caramel slice and more of the other junk food, at 40 miles I had some very good Danish pastries, and by 47 miles I was too stuffed to think of any more ‘energy’ food going in my mouth. Except for the dry roasted peanuts I’d brought with me. Then at about 50 miles, at the bottom of Devil’s Dyke, for a last-chance snack and water break.

It does look like we’ve raised a fair bit of money for the charities involved, and my company sponsored the team too. We haven’t added it up yet but I think it’s going to be between two and three thousand pounds between the six of us.

Here are some photos:

Team photo:

Chris had the first (and only) puncture of the group very early in the day – about 5 miles in. Unfortunately, the marshalls didn’t know a great deal about bicycle repairs…:

It did mean that Mick got to pose with a Harley (the marshall’s vehicle of choice):

If you stand with your hands on your hips it looks like you’re being useful:

13 miles, time for cakes. Just like they have on the Tour de France:

Neelesh riding along:

Team photo at the first official stop:

Everyone cycling in a well-behaved line:

The healthy living three. The link between smoking and cancer may not have been proven beyond all doubt but there is a definite link between smoking and walking up hills:

Neelesh on his way into the second official stop. Neelesh was sporting the most high-tech gadgets including clip-on shoes, speedometer, a fancy bag that clipped under his seat, a special top, and gloves.

Mick on his way in. Mick’s training for the event consisted almost entirely of buying a bike:

Chris followed:

James didn’t look entirely overjoyed to be cycling:

Kathryn working hard. This is an important part of any triathlon:

A semi-group photo from the second stop:

Chris knows where it’s starting to hurt:

Some doubted whether the outlay for my cycling shoes was worth it but these pieces of specialist equipment stood me in very good stead. They also made sure I didn’t have to carry another pair of shoes:

Mick on the move:

Mick slightly less on the move:

James is pleased to be over half way:

The third pit-stop:

James was very keen to get on to “Devil’s Pike” as he seems to be calling it. Watch the video (8meg).

Kathryn cruising along:

Another stop at forty miles by which time we really couldn’t eat much more junk. (At this point we would like to thank suncream for making the event possible):