Paris-Brest-Paris 2003
Jim Alexander's tale of torture
Well the deed has been done. As ever no records were set but I finished inside the allotted time by a couple of hours but as I said before the start 89:59:59 would have done.To say it was interesting would be a severe understatement. The strange excitement starts from the moment you get on the coach from UK and meet all the other PBPers, virgins and anciens (I was the first, I'm now the second). It's funny to meet so many people doing something fairly outstanding and yet not one of them considers it so and certainly never says so.
The ride itself starts at 22:30 on the Monday (18th) in a huge wave of excitement at the stadium at St Quentin-en-Yvelines. As you can imagine, 4,200 people and their bikes all wanting to go at once does create a logistical problem and the standing around for 3 hours doesn't help.
Then we're off in huges waves, cheered on by thousands of locals as we are led out by a motorbike for the first 20K. Never have I ridden in such a large peloton and you do tend to get carried on by the excitement.
The plan for most riders is to get to Loudac (445km) before stopping for rest.
The first stop is Mortagne at 141K and it seemed to arrive very quickly. At no time was I ever more than an arms length from a fellow cyclist and always in sight of hundreds if not thousands. Bashing through little French villages with occasional cheers from inhabitants. My first stop was most unpleasant. I've had a shoulder/back problem for weeks, mainly on the right side but that had gone only to suddenly be replaced by a much worse feeling in the left shoulder. On the bike it was bad, when I got off at the stop I was in agony, ashen faced (I'm told) and almost in tears. I so nearly packed but decided to give 'til the next stop at 221K. I'm glad I did. It very slowly improved so I kept going.
We finally got to Loudac late on the 19th about 24 hours after starting expecting to get a bed and some food. Sadly it just wasn't to be. I ended up sleeping on the ground in a space bag for 1.5 hrs followed by 1 hour in a bed. Then breakfast (of sorts) and off to do the next 350 to get through Brest and on to Carhaix for the next sleep.
We hit Brest in daylight. The weather was very hot and the organisers kindly took us around the hills of Brest, what a good idea.
As expected this area was hillier, we had one 15K climb followed fairly soon by a 6K climb. Not really steep but very tiring and having just done the other sides only hours earlier not nice at all.
We got to our stop and one of our coaches was there. I grabbed some food and my 3 co-riders slept on the coach, I slept in my space bag on the grass as it wasn't cold. 1.5 hours later we were getting ready to go again.
Next stop was Loudeac again at 773km - we got beds this time and slept for a precious 1.5 hours, grabbed food and off into a very cold night to the next stop at 858.
The riders were thinning out now but still bikes were always visible and it made the next stop slightly more pleasant and we go decent food as well as a cold shower (as on the way out). It was very welcome on a hot day.
We stopped at 914Km at one of our coaches and I changed my shorts for the first and last time and then on to Montagne at 1077K. This was the stage from hell for me. Riding in the dark is bad enough but when the roads are arrow straight and just go up and down in long grinding slopes it gets very tiring. By now there were bodies fast asleep at the side of the road at frequent intervals and while the signs said we were getting closer nothing visually or physicaly said so. I'm pleassed to say I was still going strong but decided to try and accelerate away from my mates as increased effort would keep me awake and I could try and organise the beds early.
Thankfully we all go beds and 2.5 hours sleep (absolute luxury). A bowl of rice pudding and a flapjack and off into the last 200k.
We were a bit tight on time for our next stop so we formed a line on the good flat roads and went along at a non-stop good pace to Nogent-le-Roi. A motorcycle filmed us for the video and I had the surreal experience of waving at him because he was slowing us down and I was the leader at the time.
At long last good food with a bit of time and less people to battle in queues. Almost bliss and only about 50K to go.
Two of our party were suffering a little so we split in two and me and my partner got in at about 14:30. The relief was palpable.
Would I do it again? Not at the moment, but I'm already considering London Edinburgh London in 2 years.
The experience was amazing, the people doing it equally so and some of the good will and hospitality from the French was heartwarming.
One things for sure, Brooks saddles and Assos shorts do their job well and certain parts of my body are going to be reminding me of the experience for weeks if not months.