Bonk!!!

What a day. The weather said it was going to be more mild so I planned a long one. I aimed to get the 6:56 train from Clapham Junction to Dorking so I didn't have to cycle the dull urban miles before getting to the good stuff in the Surrey Hills. I woke up, looked out of the window and it looked really cold. Frost on the roads and icy cars. I decided to get the 7:40 train instead and give the world a chance to warm up.

I got to Dorking at 8:30 and the main roads were ok. I went straight to Box Hill and went up without problem. However, at the top, the roads were white and I had to creep over them. Downhill was ok but the planned route back to the bottom of Box Hill was closed as was the hill up to the Common. I had to go the long way round.


I gradually warmed up and the ice melted a bit so it was all going well. Box Hill, Leith Hill, Winterfold and White Down Hill. All where done straight up, no stopping and aggressively.

Trouble came when I ran out of calories. I stupidly only took one bar and as a result, I had my first big bonk. I started by slowing down and then really slowing down as I got to Ockham. The hill on Staple Lane took me ages. I then got cold and then I had trouble concentrating and nearly ran off the road at one point. My head was swimming. I was about 10 miles from Dorking station but I was never going to make it without hurting myself so I change direction and went for Effingham and found a shop, had a biscuit and a bar and managed to regain enough composure to get to Effingham Junction station. I was a shivering wreck on the train and took a while to feel better. I will never let that happen again. 69.6 miles with around 5500 feet of climbing.