4th October 2009 saw an almost uniquely British competitive sporting event – the Brompton World Championships. Equal parts cycle race and eccentric celebration of a design classic, it’s a race in which all 600 competitors race their Brompton folding bikes around a 13km course in the grounds of Blenheim Palace.
Although the dress code calls for suit jacket, shirt and tie to be worn (in a nod to the bike’s commuting day-job) it’s a serious race – this year won by a three-times winner of the Tour of Spain.
On 8th November 2003 my sister-in-law, Jane Allen, died of a heart attack in her sleep. Her family have since been helped immensely by CRY’s work in the area of bereavement support and screening and have raised some impressive amounts of money by running long distances. I felt I might be able to use the race as a platform to raise some further funds and profile.
It was a beautiful, crisp, early autumn day with a slight headwind but no rain, which was a relief: a track with some fairly exciting descents and fallen leaves could become evil when wet.
The sight of 600 well-dressed cyclists (some very well dressed indeed – there was also a prize for best outfit) running to their machines to unfold them and head off around the course was quite something – as if rush hour at Waterloo station had been transplanted to Oxfordshire.
The race itself was great fun. Being able to ride as fast as possible knowing there are no cars coming the other way, or buses likely to pull out in front of you, is liberating. It’s a difficult race to pace yourself on – not a sprint (you’d keel over after the first of two laps if you tried that) but you also don’t want to finish with too much “in the tank”, knowing you could have pushed harder.
It’s also quite a bizarre experience as you race to the best of your ability chasing not a pack of lycra-clad athletes, but seemingly a group of civil servants!
When the results were published I found I’d come in 217th position out of 550 finishers which I was very happy with given that my training amounted to nothing more that pedalling a bit faster on my route to work.
A follow-up email around friends and contacts, with an action photo in novelty sportswear, managed to elicit even more sponsor money and I was thrilled to raise more than double my target of £250.
The total now stands at £521 plus Gift Aid – http://www.justgiving.com/RichardHinkleyCycling
Richard Hinkley
