[Closed] 2014 Prudential Ride London

I'm in. And there's a blue envelope on the table for my better half, I'm dying to open it but mustn't. Are they sending out mags etc to applicants who don't get in?

Six...

Should we all meet up at the start or something?

3 Dorking Cocks are in so far. That's about a 50% success rate, quite a surprise, I'd put it at about 15% probability.

Cancelled. Bum.

I might go for a ride in the New Forest instead, at least it will be quiet!

I'm in too

DD's is a bit awkward to get back to London from isn't it?

there are coaches arranged, or you can ride 15-20 miles to a nearby station, or even ride back.
I'm planning to do it this year.

Should we all meet up at the start or something?

I'll meet you by the clock tower at 10pm. I'll be wearing a pink carnation.

And there's a blue envelope on the table for my better half, I'm dying to open it but mustn't. Are they sending out mags etc to applicants who don't get in?

Yes. She didn't get in.

I'm in, first time. I've done the Cape Argus three times but that's 68 miles.

Mrs Gti has just booked a family room at Premier Inn County Hall.

With so many entrants it seems that the public have voted in favour of more cycling and more closed roads 😀

Ian Huggins (him of the anti-cycling petition) is no doubt frothing at the mouth...

envelope

rip

"We regret.." [b]IN THE BIN!![/b]

Sulk 👿

Looks like Im going to be a spectator . One of my contractors is in, so he sent me a photo as proof of his confirmation.

envelope

rip

"We regret.." IN THE BIN!!

find someone to do it on a tandem with?

that an offer? 🙂

maybe next year

Ha! I've asked for a place through my company's charity, but I'm feeling pretty flouncey about the whole thing, to be honest.

Looking forward to hearing about Charlie's 100 mile gravel thing, now.

Didn't get in so will be doing the closed road Tour of the Borders instead on the same day.

Fail 🙁

🙂 In with work's charitable trust, supporting Mind this year, which I feel quite strongly about, so I won't feel too hypocritical asking people for money to support something I'd happily do for no-one but me.

Ian Huggins (him of the anti-cycling petition) is no doubt frothing at the mouth...

I had an online conversation with this gentleman last year in which I told him I'd be entering in 2014 with the express intention of doing so just to swell the numbers and piss him off... 😆

Not in 🙁 Thought about getting a charity place, one that has a family connection, but I'm organising a 3-day charity ride to Bruges in May and not sure if I'd be able to raise decent amounts for both.

Cheers,
Jamie

Rejected Do they know who I am!

Do they know who I am!

would you be happier with "Yes" or "No" ? 😀

Well as they don't appreciate my talents I will just watch you all ride past from my local pub wafting bacon rolls in your general direction

cancelled 🙁

I am in on the ballot and in with GOSH - will take the ballot place and still raise the sponsor money anyway. It means GOSH have a spare charity place now.

nice one nedrapier!
I raised £1,200 last year for British Heart Foundation without too much effort.

Good work, I've got a pretty low target - £500, so I'd hope to get a good bit more than that.

A friend is having trouble getting into her old house to get post, and has used the link from this thread. She's sent me a screen shot which says this: ("Registrant - Tpye - Edit" are table headings left to right across the page) No "Cancelled" anywhere. Does this look like she's got in? I didn't know you had to pay?

[Her Name] - [u]View, Print or Email Registration Record and Receipt[/u]

Registrant
1 [Her Name] Primary Attendee

Type
2012 Prudential Ride LondonSurrey 100

Edit
[u]Personal Info
Pay[/u]

If she clicks on "View, Print or Email Registration Record and Receipt", it gives you a status about half way down.

Hooray - another STWer* in!

*she asked me about bikes once, I asked on here, she joined up say thanks. Not sure if that counts!

Rejected. I can also say that on a sample size of over 55 riders, the acceptance rate is:

Male: 19%
Female: 57%

If you want all the statistics, that difference is statistically significant (P = 0.04) and indicates positive discrimination. My sister has a place - she hasn't ridden a bike in three years. I'm not bitter 😉

How many females in your sample size, TiRed?

Edit: 7, right? with 4 in?

Mrs Slim also got in..

Im almost embarassed by our success rate.

I'm in through the ballot but will be in France that weekend. Oh well.

5/7 is the right answer. And I didn't include my sister, as she is not in our club. Another male rejected in the sample this morning too. So yes, obvious positive discrimination, which is hardly surprising given the breakdown of applications.

7's not a big number (5/8 now). Hardly conclusive, but it's a good indication. I'd be surprised if thery weren't skewing the registrations in favour of women.

A more balanced male/female split probably makes for a nicer atmosphere, too.

Well I'm female and I didn't get in. Even more grumpy to find out I have been positively discriminated towards and STILL didn't get a place. Boo hoo.

which is hardly surprising given the breakdown of applications

what does this mean?

I'm in through the Red Cross. Who wants to sponsor me? Hoorah can't wait!

There are VASTLY more men applying than woman. Hence to get some female representation (not the 3% or so of applicants) the organizers select male and female separately. I don't have an issue with that, as you say, better atmosphere.

Ned, the sample size is 56 and there is an adjustment for gender which is significant. In fact it's 4/7 vs. 9/49, which is more than enough to be different (P = 0.038 for an exact 2x2 chi squared)

So if you are female and didn't get in, commiserations, you got tails. If you are male and did get in, you rolled a six!

So how is the training and fundraising going?

I am doing ok, raised a few hundred so far and am increasing my distances slowly but surely. 100 miles is still looking like a very long way given how I feel after a 50 or 60 mile ride at the moment.

Good work hooli! Don't forget it'll be a lot quicker with people to draft, no traffic or traffic lights. I#'d guess that a 75 mile ride on your own with route finding, stopping for traffic, is going to feel the same as the 100 on the day. Anyone think that's reasonable?

I'd be alright with the distance now, I reckon. Obviously more work would make it [s]easier[/s] quicker, but I'd get round.

The thing that's bugging me is a sharp shoulder pain after about three hours in the saddle. New bars have helped a bit, but it's still a bit of a worry. Doesn't make long rides quite so appealing. I'm seeing a woman about it tomorrow night, hopefully it's caused by something that's easily sorted. Fingers crossed!

Plan is to sort the shoulder, get fit enough for 100 miles of Dorset bridleways in May, then keep it topped up till August.

So how is the training and fundraising going?

errr, zero and zero...

Should find out if I have a place this week - I'm in one of the four teams my club has entered. Rode just over 100k yesterday on a club ride which included all four members of the team so I'm fairly happy that the distance will be fine and the group will work nicely together, so just need to keep my fingers crossed!

Fundraising going ok, but then my employer is doubling anything I get 🙂

My main problem is a back/SI joint injury preventing me from doing any real riding. Flat stuff isn't too painful but hills are the killer at the moment - I guess it should all be ok by August 😯

If anyone wants to donate to GOSH & have it doubled feel free.....

Edit: PS, anyone got a gpx/crs file from last year?

Registration pack & rider numbers out today - guess it's actually happening then 🙂

Second distance road training ride on Sunday (weather permitting). Hoping for around 150k.

That ought to do it.

I'm booked in for a 50 mile sportive - might go for 2 laps.

Successive 140k weekly club rides for me, with Wednesday night crits. With closed roads and a 5h.30 target watch out for a Jensie impersonator....

Not so sure about the 5:47 gathering time though :-/

It'd better not rain either.

Several people I know did this last year and have said take an hour off your previous best century time. Closed roads, a flat route and a limitless supply of wheels to suck mean this is a fast ride.

Went out Monday to check out the surrey hills section to discover the leith hill climb is closed. There is a tiny lane not too far away that can be used as an alternative. With closed roads this really should be an amazing ride. Planning to get out early one Sunday to check out the to to surrey hills/back to london loop to avoid any nasty surprises in the day.

Not long to go now, I have done a few 70 and 80 mile rides so hoping I make it.

I always knew it would be the case but the logistics are a pain in the ****. Need to be there Saturday to register and then need to leave home at about 3am to get to the start. I have looked at some hotels but I have left it late and don't fancy £250 for the night, especially as local hotels don't have parking and then I need to do something with luggage during the ride.

Should be a good day though, looking forward to it.

A courier just walked in and said he didn't have time to bother with all that online donation malarkey and peeled off £50 cash!

After my initial goldfish impersonation, I said thank you, but didn't feel that was adequate, somehow...

hooli is there no-one that will collect for you? All they need is a copy of the registration signed, proof of ID and a letter from you to say its ok!

Sui - My sister offered as she lives in London but I wasn't planning on seeing her to get it between between Saturday afternoon and 5am on Sunday. I need to ask around if anybody local is doing it.

How did I end up with two rider numbers?

I work for prudential and know loads of people that have done this last year cos they really promote I through the company and it's a big deal. Apparently its a really fantastic event. The guy who is in all the posters welcome pack etc is one of my mates, he posted last night that he is averaging over 20mph for a 50 mile round hilly Trossachs in central Scotland. He did it in 5hrs last year.

I'm planning to launch a campaign to get them to consider running an MTB event at the Olympic venue in order to be fully inclusive to everyone. It's apparently the biggest global cycling event so it's only fair we are represented.

I always knew it would be the case but the logistics are a pain in the ****.

I don't mean to be disrespectful as I'm sure all involved I the organising are working hard - but holy **** they are aren't they? If I was newbie and had just been landed with my 30 page Instruction manual for the event I'd probably never enter a sportive again.

SO you also have to register in pereson at the Excel centre, in London, on one of the three preceding days.

How on earth are people living outside the home counties going to make that work? Come to think of it, even living in the home counties doens't mean that isn't going to be a major faff.

Start time 07:32 Black gate. Anybody else?

07:25 Blue so I guess you may be the rider I crash into when the two waves merge 🙂

I keep thinking we should all be wearing "STW" stickers or something...

SO you also have to register in pereson at the Excel centre, in London, on one of the three preceding days.

How on earth are people living outside the home counties going to make that work? Come to think of it, even living in the home counties doens't mean that isn't going to be a major faff.

Is this not the same arrangement as per London marathon? Doesn't seem to put people off doing that.

Pretty sure it would be impossible for the organisers getting everyone registered on the day.

**** my start time is 6.40am!

Whoppit just how fast did you say you would do it in?

Hoping for less than 8 hours. Final training ride Sunday week, 90 miles-ish. I'll have a better idea after that!

Odd; I'm aiming for five hours and have a much earlier start time! I would have thought the longer you said the earlier you would start.

Well, that target will get me home in the evening so, er, ..... don't quite get your reasoning.

Actually, I'll have already been home once, the route goes past my cave!

Faster time, earlier start, otherwise you'd have the fasties spending all day trying to get past slower riders.

That's sensible.

Makes sense now.

Ride comes close to where I live as well Whoppit; The Parrot in Forest Green is the close point. Hoping my family can be there to cheer me on!

It will be surreal riding in London on closed roads. Can't wait. Very excited now.

this is my start

•Start Area: Blue
•Wave: M
•Wave Load opening time: 05:55
•Wave Load closing time:06:25
•Start Time:06:55

There's a group of us spread out by an hour which is frustrating. I'm yet to sit on a road bike this year. I'm yet to find a road bike for the event as well... hmmm

Sui I have one you could borrow if logistics could be made to work and it fit you.

It's a size 56cm Genesis Equilibrium. I live in Horsham. Could it work?

Sui, we are off at the same time/gate. When you get a bike let me know what it is and will keep an eye out for you at the start.

Misread your time, I start 6.25 and your wave closed then.

cheers Gee, I'm hoping my man in head for Hills pulls another blinder as I didn't do anything bad to him on his stag do. What size is 56 anyway, not a clue on road bikes, I'm bang on 6' if that makes any difference..

If you're a mate of Roger's then it might be even easier to use my bike as I can just leave it with them for you to collect. 56cm means the top tube measures up 55.5cm long. In truth it would likely be a bit too small for you; you'd be better on a 58cm.

I'm sure Roger will sort you out. Ask if you can borrow Dan's Trek Boone. Again might be a bit small but it's a nice bike!

There's a group of us spread out by an hour which is frustrating. I'm yet to sit on a road bike this year. I'm yet to find a road bike for the event as well... hmmm

Apparently the timing mats aren't until about two miles after the start so you can pull over and wait for friends.

I have just had a corporate hospitality type invite from the Pru to come and .....watch!

In solidarity with all those on here who didn't get a place, I shall not be going! 🙂

so you can pull over and wait for friends.

I did this last year - at 6/7am in the morning, standing around for 20 minutes gets a little nippy...

Gee thanks for that, ill see what Rog comes back with, I appreciate the offer!

brakes - or anyone els - if you see a weirdo doing some star jumps at the side of the road, that will be me keeping warm! 🙂

Yup, I'm doing this too!!

A bit of a logistical 'challenge' as I only fly in from my weeks hols mtbing in Spain on Saturday afternoon, but hey ho...!

Wave B
Green
0620-0650
Start: 0720

I know i'm staying at London City airport with m local club on the Sat night, and I'm really hoping that's close enough to the start to ride there without too much hassle??!

You're very close Missnotax however registration at the Excel centre closes at 5pm so make sure you don't miss it.

7:05 start time for me, riding around 300k/week at the moment, 5 hours would be nice but can't see it really.