Last weekend I cycled in the 100-mile cycle sportive around London and Surrey, raising money for Childnet - a fantastic charity.

It was an early start, cycling 5 miles at 6.00am just to get to the Olympic Park. 

I then had to wait for 90 minutes for my start time, which was hardly surprising – it took brilliant organisation to get 20,000 cyclists out on the road (around 320 every 2 minutes - I worked out the maths!).

The race was fantastic - a real experience, cycling on closed roads with all those other cyclists (and all that lycra!). The support was amazing, and with no cars it was easier to relax, enjoy the views and respond to the crowds.

I managed the food and drink intake very well, with good advice from my son David who is doing his PhD in Sports Science. The Surrey Hills were daunting, but I was pleased with the way I went up both Leith Hill and Box Hill - I'm definitely a climber rather than a sprinter. I found the hills fine, keeping a high cadence and occasionally doing a bit of Contador dancing (!) past others in the peleton. Helps being a lightweight I suppose…

I witnessed the aftermath of a few nasty downhill crashes and took reasonable care down the hills – so I was surprised with my logged top speed of 48mph, a new record for me!

The final 15 miles were a bit tough, when my legs certainly started to burn. This was when it was so good to have cyclists around you and crowds cheering you on. It was quite emotional finishing up the Mall with the noise of the crowd either side of you, and I crossed the line in a time of 6 hrs 37 mins. This included all the refreshment stops of around 30 minutes – almost an hour faster than I thought I would ride it in.

Raising sponsor money certainly added some motivation to this event. I want to give a massive thank-you to all of you who supported me and donated via Justgiving. I have raised over £1400 for Childnet, which they are delighted with. They are only a small but important charity, helping to make the internet a great and safe place for children. Internet safety is a big issue at the moment – it is worth looking at their site here for more information about their support and resources for schools and teachers.