Two cyclists in matching gear stand in front of a brick wall, smiling and pointing at a banner that reads "AUDAX UK long distance cycling.

London-Wales-London 2025: A Ridiculous Idea That Somehow Makes Sense

Written by: Terence Lim | Published on: May 6, 2025 | Edited on: May 6, 2025
I was tricked into signing up for LWL by a friend (you know who you are). He hyped it all up, and then conveniently didn’t enter himself. Apparently, he overslept on registration day last year and the spots sold out. Right.
Surrey Cycling Club
Surrey Cycling Club

I’d spent most of winter off the bike, choosing short Zwift rides and skiing over anything resembling real training. As spring rolled around, I found myself low on endurance, high on self-doubt, and wondering what I’d gotten myself into.

The idea of waking up at 3:30am to drive to the start at Chalfont St Peter was about as appealing as a surprise FTP test.

However, my mate Kevin who had also signed up, was bringing along a few other friends. All very strong riders, the kind of guys who eat 400km/4,000m rides for breakfast. The weather forecast was also looking unusually accommodating. So, I thought - what the hell, let’s just get it over with.

Why?

Honestly, I wanted to see how I perform when extremely tired, and which bits of me start to fail first. I’ve done a double century before, so 400km seemed like the next logical form of self-inflicted suffering.

The start

We missed the speedy lot at the start, but made our way through the pack fairly quickly. There was a good buzz in those early hours - chatty riders, decent pace, and a bit of euphoria in the air.
Surrey Cycling Club
Surrey Cycling Club

The first control at Islip came quickly. I tucked into a sausage butty and felt momentarily invincible.

We worked well as a team, rotating on the front, keeping things smooth and efficient.

Next was a long non-stop section to Tewkesbury where we stopped for a sandwich. Followed by another long section to Chepstow. That’s when things got... interesting.

Yat’s Rock: The Climb that nearly finished me

Enroute to Chepstow, with about 200km and 2,000m in the legs, we hit Yat’s Rock, a climb that nearly finished me off. I’d been pulling on the front before we hit it, so I arrived with matches burnt ... and then proceeded to climb too hard, like an overconfident fool.
Surrey Cycling Club

It was steep, relentless, and just kept going. At one point, I genuinely considered unclipping to walk. Never been so close to doing it before!

We eventually reached our next control stop in Chepstow at 3:05pm, still somehow averaging 29km/h. I devoured lunch including a slice of yummy Guinness cake. I was still feeling ok, no game-ending aches and my legs were still turning.

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Tired legs, warm rice, and optimism

By 267km, we rolled into Malmesbury for a quick break. The fatigue was setting in now. I was paying for my earlier brave, but mostly stupid efforts, and started contemplating my life choices.
Surrey Cycling Club

We carried onto Lambourn (315km), arriving at 8:06pm. Spirits were lifted by chilli, rice, and an amazing team of friendly and welcoming volunteers.

I noted that we were still making good time.  The final control wasn’t due to open until midnight, because the organisers don’t expect anyone to finish before then. Normally, I would ride (the remaining) 90km plus a few climbs inside 3 hours. So, it would be temptingly cheeky to get there before midnight, just to show them, right?

Cold, dark and the best Snickers bar of my life

Leaving Lambourn, the sun dipped and the temperature dropped fast. I was shivering for the first 15 minutes, slowly warming up, but still struggling to shake the cold.
Surrey Cycling Club

We were all running on fumes by now. No one was talking anymore, just … silence. The pace had dropped. We knew it was no longer about riding fast - it was about getting it done.

We reached Henley and stopped at a petrol station for proof-of-passage. I bought a Snickers bar. And at this point of the ride, that bar tasted better than any Michelin-star dessert! I layered up with both my gilet and rain jacket and braced for the final stretch.

By now it was pitch dark, we were cold, tired, and my legs were shot. The end was approaching, but we were hit by a never-ending array of climbs. I was climbing slowly to survive rather than with any panache, and our average speed was dropping fast ...

The Finish

We finally rolled back into Chalfont St Peter at 12:40am. A bit outside the cheeky midnight goal (the organisers clearly knew better).
Surrey Cycling Club

It was an epic day. I had an incredible team to drag me along, and we met a cast of wonderful strangers along the way - chatting, riding, occasionally groaning together.

Would I do it again? Ask me in six months, when I’ve forgotten about the pain, and all that’s left is the Guinness cake, sense of achievement, and the best Snickers of my life.

Author Terence Lim
Club Officer and data expert, Terence analyses ride metrics and supports club growth. A leader in G5 and long-distance challenges, he’s also a keen skier and runner, bringing his endurance mindset to every aspect of club life.

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