Another poor nights sleep and I really didn’t feel like driving to Theale and winching the fixie round a hilly 110k in the rain. Still I dragged myself away from my computer game and into the car and shoved Sabbath Bloody Sabbath in the CD player to try and get in the mood.

Parked and got me bike out then went to collect my frame number and timing tag and say hello to fellow Vegetarian Cycling and Athletics Club rider Steve. Being an audax rider who just does this particular sportive I still find being surrounded by several hundred other riders a bit novel. A good look at all the carbon fibre and narrow tyres about revealed a couple of other riders had mudguards of sorts but I couldn’t see anyone else with just the one cog.

The riders doing the Anthony Maynard Sportive 190k option were mostly on their way and it was the turn of us on the 110k to have our chips dibbed then be sent off in groups. I’d have done well to have noted the time so I knew whether I was on target for the bronze standard 5hr 30m I was after but ended up having to work on the assumption that we were dibbed at 8:40. Steve hung back for the first few kilometres then passed a good few of us as he disappeared impressively up a hill.

Was it raining already? I can’t remember but suffice to say that the few dry bits were the exception rather than the rule. The first climb up onto the downs surprised me by it’s apparent absence, we somehow ended up on top by the Four Points Pub without me even having to get out of the saddle. We rolled along into the wind through the ups and downs of the road through Compton and the Ilsley’s. Some stitching broke on my saddle pack so I had to stop a couple of times to make sure all was secure and to do something about the infuriating knock of buckle against mudguard. I held my own till the long descent down Chain Hill into Wantage but then had the inevitable experience of many riders whizzing past as I feathered the brakes to keep my cadence at a bearable level.

I’m familiar with the steady climb up Hackpen to the first checkpoint and local knowledge assured me that we’d be downhill and out of the wind immediately after so I enjoyed the climb up in the rain past the photographer. In fact I seemed to be going pretty well and the disillusioned morning mood had swung out the other way into the dizzy ‘isn’t this rain great’ glad to be alive that can come with riding a favourite bike on a fine route.

I ate a banana and refilled my water then grabbed a packet of organic mashed lentil baby food for later after being reassured it wouldn’t do strange things to my stomach. Less than 5 minutes stopped and I was heading downhill for Lambourn. The rain was giving us a brief break and I thought I’d entertain myself by counting the discarded gel sachets that sportives are reputed to leave in their wake. In fact I saw only one during the next five miles – just wish the motorists were so conscientious with their empty cans and bottles.

The turn eastwards at the Lambourn ‘bifurcation’ was rewarded with a noticeable tailwind but also with a particularly wet period which left me wondering just why I was lugging a jacket round if I wasn’t going to put it on. I was quite warm enough with a base layer under my shirt though so couldn’t see the point. This stage was the easiest of the three but the combination of Newbury Downs flint and the wet had caused an epidemic of punctures and I must have passed dozens of riders changing tubes by the roadside, amongst them club mate Steve. I waited for the gentle bump of rim against deflated rubber but it never came.

I was making good progress and reckoned I could easily meet my target time even if I did have to fix a flat. Without problems finishing in 5 hours seemed a possibility though I knew not to under estimate the lumps in the last section. I tried to open the baby food with my teeth then realised I was on track for a messy experience and stopped for 30 secs to open and consume the cold lentil curry. Hmmm – odd but nicely savoury!

Less than 5 mins stopped at the next checkpoint then onwards over the series of bumps known locally as the Boxford Alps. I doubt any of the climbs exceeded 50m but there are at least 4, I felt near enough the finish to put my all in as I honked up them passing twiddling geared riders then watched the same riders pass as I had to use the brakes on a couple of the descents. The rain stopped and a sign saying ’10k to go’ inspired a couple of small groups to wind it up and pass me. I hung on to a group but they were doing 35kph and while I maybe had the energy my tired legs really didn’t like the cadence so I let them go.

One last hill, Red Shute, where I passed a couple then we popped out the end of a little lane and the finish was in sight. I dibbed my chip and went inside to hand it in where I was given a little printout slip saying 4:48:55 Bronze. I reckon I was about halfway down the field which is good enough for me particularly on fixed. Bike in the car and I headed home feeling as cheerful as I had miserable on the journey down.