A-MAZ-ING

It's been a while since my last update and during that period I've been preparing for the HotChillee London to Paris (http://www.londres-paris.com/). You may remember the blog entry back in January (“High Excitement”) when I wrote of my pride of being accepted into the HotChillee family as a Development Squad Ride Captain and what this entailed. Over the months since then I have been learning my trade and last week the event took place.

2012 was always going to be a special edition of London to Paris, for one it marked the 25th anniversary of VIP friend Stephen Roche's phenomenal triple in 1987 and there were many legends set to participate. For me though it had an additional and far more personal meaning, it was a journey that I was to undertake with a group of outstanding people. Going back a few months post Brighton marathon I was lucky enough to be assigned as a Ride Captain to Group 7 for the April, May and June training rides. This was the first time that a 7^th Group had been added to the event, and the totally unique feature of this pioneering group was that is consisted of a team of cyclists from Stoke Mandeville and Stewarts Law, riding with and in support of 3 hand cyclists. Riding 507K in 3 days is no mean feat for any endurance athlete, but for the three guys with spinal injuries this was going to be a monumental task. Some of their support team were also complete novices on a bike, and it was clearly going to be a journey into the unknown.

Having done all the training rides and been meticulous in their preparation, this was a team that were determined to do everything to give themselves the best chance of success, but we all started on Thursday morning with a little amount of trepidation. We had a 5.30 am roll-out, it was raining, but spirits were high as we were led out like a pro-peleton; the lead car, motorbike outriders, 3 hand cyclists, 14 upright cyclists, 2 HotChillee Ride Captains (‘dt’ and me), a mechanic’s van and finally the Stoke Mandeville support van carrying medical staff and physio's. It must have been quite a sight.


What none of us realised was what we would experience over the next three days. We had the worst weather imaginable thrown at us and the hills were tough and relentless. While the hand cyclists were flying on the down hill sections and, with a fair wind, made decent progress on rolling roads, the hills proved to be brutal and our average speeds were slaughtered. We had hoped to average 20 kph but by lunchtime on Day 1 the realisation dawned that this was an ambitious goal. We managed 18 kph that day, our 169K taking us just under 9.5 hours. Even though we all knew we had missed the ferry, the cheer as we greeted the Port of Dover sign was loud and hearty.

A key moment had come just 5 miles outside Dover, with a long and particularly arduous climb to be negotiated before the drop back to sea level. It was cold, it was wet and the skies were so black we were losing the light. One of the hand cyclists was some way back with my fellow Ride Captain ‘dt’ but we were out of radio range. There was some pressure to drop them and to take the rest of the bunch into Dover. As the Ride Captain present it was my decision. I called them together and explained; we could go on to Dover where they could get warm and dry, or we could wait in the cold for the final member of their team and all ride in together. Their response was instantaneous, they would wait. Kirsty organised some aerobics to get everyone moving and we pranced around at the side of the road. Did anyone moan, NO. Was it worth it, hell YES. Once back together we had a fast run into Dover, and made it though the day. I knew then that this journey was going to be very, very special.

With typical HotChillee organisational aplomb we were duly booked on a later sailing, but it did mean that by the time we got to our hotels in Calais it was past 11 pm. Bed at midnight, up at 5 am. Another long day awaited. The weather on Day 2 was particularly atrocious. Driving rain, strong winds, hail stones that stung our faces. Not just for a while, but for hours and hours. At the top of each climb the upright cyclists waited for the hand cyclists who at the steepest sections could only climb at 3 or 4 kph. Sometimes waiting for as much as 20 minutes, the team got truly frozen. There was never one word of complaint though, not ever. Each of us quietly pleaded for a break in the rain so we could at least get warm, and finally we were granted a respite. Sunshine interspersed with showers became the norm in the afternoon. Our moving average was annihilated by the conditions, by the terrain and by tiredness. It took at almost 10.5 hours on the road time to cover the route from Calais to Amiens, average speed only 16.2 kph, and 12.5 hours of elapsed time. Arriving at the hotel everyone was exhausted. There was relief in getting through Stage 2, but we also all knew that we had a strict timetable the following day to roll into Paris and it seemed impossible that we would make it. There were some difficult decisions to be made.

‘dt’ led the discussions and on Saturday, to be in a position to join the victory peleton, cut off times were set along the way. When we set off at 7 am we all knew what we had to achieve, both hand cyclists and upright cyclists alike; the peleton would have to work harder than they had before on the rolling flats and descents to maintain a high speed to give the hand cyclists, Alan, Danny & Luke, a fighting chance on the climbs. We had enlisted the help of our head Ride Captain, Bull, to give the group some additional support.

What I saw that morning I will never forget. The collective will of the group was colossal. The atmosphere was electric and I could feel new levels of energy rising from deep within everyone. Some were in a good deal of pain, some were truly exhausted, and some still doubted whether they had it in them. There were tears but no-one stopped, and we all worked together, as one. We got a great start, the sun was shining, and we were flying. The peleton of upright cyclists was the slickest I have even seen, better than groups who have been riding for years. We worked as a group, with ‘dt’ and Bull supporting the hand cyclists. The hand cyclists fought as if their very lives depended on it – these guys have already overcome so much and it was apparent that they were not going to be beaten. They are made of granite rock. Every fibre of every person was directed to those timing targets, and we smashed them, and then smashed them again. We rode the ‘hill climb’ section and smashed that too. We arrived at the last stop before Paris, average pace on the road 22 kph!  It was a Herculean effort, especially coming at the end of such a physical and emotional roller-coaster, and I saw that day the true meaning of mind over matter. It was a rare honour and total privilege to be a part of it.

All that was left was the procession into Paris. Group 7 was given pride of place. The hand cyclists led in a 1.5 km long peleton of over 450 riders, including such luminaries of the sport as Stephen Roche and Maurizio Fondriest. They rode the cobbles of the Champs-Élysées, past the Arc de Triomphe and finished triumphantly under La Tour Eiffel. Emotions spilled over and uncontrollable tears flowed freely. So too did just a little champagne, then, and into the wee hours.

Those three days count among the best of my life. I learnt so much. It was incredible, humbling, inspiring and I still well up with tears just thinking about it now. Dreams really do come true.

Many special mentions;

• HotChillee for putting on the best show on the earth and for giving me the chance to work with G7.
• ‘dt’ – I can’t think of a more professional and nicer ride captain to work with. You are a gentleman.
• Bob & Julian – awesome in support.
• Julian, Rachel, Andrew, David, Claire, Grant, Jeff, Tim, Hayley, Kirsty, Clare, Paul, Susie & Tom – you rode like demons and then like pro’s. I hope to count you all as friends going forward.
• Alan, Danny & Luke – you are men of steel, grit and determination. Big men, but even bigger hearts. I love you guys. You dared and you believed.

"Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstances." Bruce Barton

[You can find out more about the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville here, http://www.buckshealthcare.nhs.uk/NSIC%20Home/spinal, and about Stewarts Law here, http://www.stewartslaw.com/. The Jimmy Savile Stoke Mandeville Hospital Trust is one of the nominated charities of the event and the team is raising funds for much needed specialist sport therapy facilities to assist with the rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injury.

If you would like to sponsor the team you can make a donation on JustGiving: http://www.justgiving.com/StewartsLaw-L2P/.]