The Last Post

Hi

How are you?  All good I hope.

Well, it's finally here, my last ever LEJOG post, and it's been a journey, hasn't it.  I'm glad I had you along for the ride.  Firstly I should update you on the final day of the LEJOG adventure before I conclude on the journey as a whole.

The Final Day
It was great to wake up on the Thursday morning with nothing to do, the lingering threat of another lycra clad day had faded along with the fog and pouring rain the night before.  There was time for a leisurely breakfast (12 pieces for £6!) before we all said our goodbyes and made our way from John O'Groats to home - the SatNav read 750 miles to go!

Carla and Helen shared the driving as Rob and I provided entertainment from the back (after a quick post-breakfast snooze).  It was strange seeing all of the miles unravel so fast, day 10 then day 9 were quickly reversed as we stared out of the window at the fantastic Highlands countryside.  I guess at this point you might expect me to say that I felt sad it was all over or perhaps a feeling of anticlimax, but I didn't, it was just an overwhelming sense of relief, like a weight that had been sitting on me for the last 6 months had been removed.  The responsibility of the ride felt heavy and had weighed on me for some time, I was worried that my body would give up on me (particularly my knee or latterly, my achillies), so I was really pleased to have completed what I set out to do, for earning the generous support and sponsorship we had been given and for the first time in a long time, I felt I could properly relax.  Mission Completed!

I must pay tribute to Carla and Helen, not only were they fantastic during LEJOG, running around after us, making food, cleaning up, doing this, doing that, they barely got a minute to themselves and at the end of it all, they drove for 16 hours to get us back home in the early hours of Friday morning.  Quite simply amazing - this tune is for them!

Conclusion
So from the vantage point of John O'Groats, looking back over the last six months, what was running through my thoughts?  How do I sum up the ride of our lives?  Was it as we expected?

I can tell you, unequivocally, it was incredibly tough.  I put in so much training, many 100 mile cycle rides that went very well, but nothing prepared me for some of the physical torment I would suffer.  Having to stand and cycle for the first few miles of several legs because I was too tough and stiff to sit and pedal was incredible. I'd suffered cramps before in the past, but the amazing pains I would suffer in my quads that made it almost impossible to turn my legs over.  The soreness and stiffness in both of my achillies that meant I staggered and limped on the rest day in Inverary.  None of these pains and aches were as I anticipated, they were more severe and I was scared they may put a premature end to the adventure.

You could be forgiven for thinking that with two people smiling down on us the road would be a little easier, a little flatter, a little kinder, but it wasn't.  An accident on day one, huge hills in the early days, driving rain and wind in the latter stages and thick menacing fog on the last day, LEJOG didn't roll over for us, we had to earn it, every single mile, every single foot of climbing.  I'm glad we did, the pain and the hardship made it a worthwhile challenge, it was a genuine test, it was worthy.  I'm delighted and relieved we overcame it.

There are a few more strands to the story than that though.  One of the things the utterly blew me away was the amazing support we had.  I never thought cycling for several hours a day would generate much interest, but the amount of people who got behind us which helped us on our way was truly great, from messages and donations through to joining us for part of the ride or for a few days, it was incredible and it really gave us a great lift.  You'll probably not appreciate how much you helped us keep those pedals turning, it really did help.

The fog on the final day!

My first blog of the actual ride was titled 'Day 1 is for disasters and demoralising' or something along those lines.  It was a tough day, hot, hilly, long and of course we had an accident at the end and finished the day in the dark.  Brendon and I spent a fair bit of time feeling sorry for ourselves, we managed to pick ourselves up and keep going, but it we bemoaned our bad luck.  It wasn't until we reached Knutsford and had my bike checked over in the local bike shop that we were given a different perspective by the bike shop mechanic. He was amazed that we were not in hospital, the damage done to Brendon's bike was terrible, that sort of damage isn't done easily, it takes a very big impact.  We'd spent so much time feeling terrible about the accident, we just didn't appreciate the good fortune we had to both be physically OK and to have only damaged one of the bikes - we were lucky to be able to carry on, so perhaps two people were smiling down on us all along.....

Finally I would just like to thank some of our sponsors:

• Marquis Motorhomes - we had an amazing time in Herbie Swift, a cracking campervan, plenty of power and a great base.  Waking over the shores of Loch Fyne was fantastic, a really memorable experience and we were sad to hand Herbie back.  No wonder Marquis are the biggest, they certainly were the best!
• Decathalon Bolton - our printed cycle tops were quality, we really looked the part in them, brilliant.

Happy cycling

Mike

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/CycleOfOurLives

Day 12 - What have you done today?

What have you done today to make you feel proud?
It's never too late to try
What have you done today to make you feel proud?

You could be so many people
If you make that break for freedom
What have you done today to make you feel proud?

Heather Small

954 miles down / 0 to go

48,647 feet of climbs, equivalent to 167% of Mount Everest (at 29,096 feet)

78 hours, 9 minutes, 15 seconds

A strange feeling at the beginning of the day, I haven't got much of an appetite. A mix of apprehension and excitement turns my stomach as we load the bikes on to Brendon's car for the final time, somehow i feel sad we're doing everything for the last time, but every part of me cannot wait until this is over!

The 15 mile drive to Brora, where we finished last night, is a quiet one, silent contemplation of the day ahead, some mental preparation. Odd really as it will be our shortest ride by far, a breeze compared to everything else that has gone before.

There's a few people gathered to see us off, Mum, Chris and Rob gather round to take pictures and very soon, we're off!

I can't really remember the first 10 miles now, it was very 'up and down' I know that much, progress was painfully slow as I wished and willed the miles to count through more quickly on my Garmin.

I start thinking about the last stage of the Tour de France. The winner is effectively decided on the penultimate stage, the final stage is more a procession, am easy saunter up the Champs Élysées.

At about 12 miles Mum and Chris pass us just after a roundabout. We can see a huge climb stretch out ahead which then bears right and climbs still further. There's one thing I've learnt to accept over the last few days is LEJOG isn't going to roll over and have its tummy tickled, we're going to have to fight every step of the way. We climb nearly 800 feet into thick fog, it's hard going, it begins to rain.

The fog is a bit of a worry, visibility is severely reduced, the prospect of it all ending early due to a careless, hurried driver is all too real, and seeing how things went yesterday, it's all too realistic.  We carry along the top to the hill for sometime before a steep descent followed by another steep and winding climb.

The support crew catch up with us just after the summit and it's a good time to adjust our light and put on waterproofs, the rain has now picked up as has the cold wind. Lovely for August!  Brendon and I are quite relieved to had the team follow is for the next 5 miles through the fog!

The support crew push on and we then knuckle down over the next 7 miles to the final feed stop of LEJOG - beef and horseradish sandwiches await! 

With all the major hill climbs out of the way Brendin and I can really go for it on the final 32 miles and we average something like 18 mph.  I'd be lying if I didn't find the final push emotional, occasional waves hit me, Heather Small strikes up her lyrics every now and again, images of Lisa and my dad play through my mind as do images of the epic journey and the moments we've had.

All these thoughts seem to push me on, in fact, we go so fast we get to the finish line ahead of the support crew! Luckily everyone rallies around shortly after and we can take some pics.

So, this is nearly it for our little adventure, we've done the cycling, there's a long journey (in Herbie Swift) to return home and then things will start to get back to normal, I'll be able to sit comfortably on my bum, Carla will stop force feeding me porridge, Helen will stop getting our journal stamped at campsites and you and I will no longer share this dialogue.

I'll certainly miss sharing these thoughts with you, the highs and the lows. It's been fantastic having you along for the ride with me, it's felt to me as though you've been pushing me along when I've struggled, so a heartfelt thankyou from me for that. I've enjoyed having you as my riding buddy!

I hope I have inspired you in some way, and if I have, whatever challenge it is that you plan to face, let me know, I'd love to hear about it and cheer you on to your success. It may well be tough, but just think of me, an ordinary guy who picked up a bike and just went for it, I'm the living proof that you need that it is possible - so go for it, make yourself proud.

Happy cycling and all my love

Mike

Day 11 - the greatest day

This could be, the greatest day of our lives,

Before it all ends, before we run out of time

Take That

890 miles down / 67 to go

45,015 feet of climbs, equivalent to 155% of Mount Everest (at 29,096 feet)

Hello

It's getting close now isn't it?

We had a lazy morning at the campsite, with a cooked breakfast and who knows how many cups of tea.  It was my birthday today, I woke up to lots of lovely messages, but with the ride ahead, it just didn't feel like it.  In someways I had a bad feeling about the ride ahead which was disconcerting.

The route took us along the western bank of Loch Ness heading north for 18 miles to Dumnadrochit.  The views of Loch Ness were amazing as the route climbed and dipped and we made some very good progress. 

I guess you'd expect me to be full of beans on a day like today, the finish line is getting near, it's my birthday etc but I just didn't feel like it, perhaps it's road weariness, but I really battled psychologically with the ride.  It was great riding with Brendon today though, he allowed me to ride out in front and stayed close by as we nattered about this and that.

I turned my thoughts to more positive things, what we're doing, seeing Paddy and his mischief on day 2, how lucky we've been.  Despite going well the miles were seeming to drag on, I guess getting close to the finish, they would seem to.

As we reached Drumnadrochit we turned left and climbed up behind the town in one of the toughest climbs to date - over 1 mile of 15% gradient! A really tough one.

A rewarding climb and perhaps just what we needed to get us going. It was followed by what seemed like several miles of steep descents, they were amazing as we hit nearly 40mph at points.  There was one nerve wracking bit as we descended through a narrow avenue an artic' truck passes from the other direction, the backdraft from the truck was really powerful and caused my bike to wobble! 

We headed across country heading north of Inverness towards the A9 and our first feed stop of the day on the bridge of the Firth of Cromarty at 43 miles.  The A9 at this point is a terrible road, very busy, full of cars and lorries in too much of a hurry, many of whom happy enough to get too close. 

The road is in an awful state, we juddered and bumped along, I'm now sporting blisters on the palms of my hands and highly unusually, Brendon had to stop after 10 miles because the vibrations were making his wrists ache. To add insult to injury, the North Sea wind was blowing in our face, the ride was turning out to be a bit of a nightmare, not an enjoyable way to spend your birthday!  

Progress was slow and painful, my quads began to seize up again, cars whizzed by with inches to spare and cycling uphill was incredibly tough. Fortunately we turned off the A9 after 15 miles, well over an hour of battling energy sapping conditions, and on to some back roads. At about 60 miles down Brendon and I both chatted through the progress, we would both have been happy to call it a day at this point, it really wasn't enjoyable and we both just felt flat.

We pulled over for a quick drink and so I could massage and stretch my troublesome quad. I could literally feel the rightly bunched muscle creak as I pedalled. Thankfully we only had a few more miles for me to limp on until our next feed stop - the Glenmorangie Distillery!  What a cracking place to stop off - Rob was in full on holiday mode as he purchased a 3ltr bottle of whiskey, a pourer and an umbrella! 

A deep massage and a few drinks and we were on our way to complete the last 21 miles. Most of them were in to a strong headwind and uphill so they passed slowly, but then we started to see signs for JOG, less than 100 miles away! Yippeee!  My mum and Chris we're we're joining us for dinner having travelled up from Aberdeen where they were visiting family so there was much to look forward to.

I almost began to feel a tinge of sadness that this great adventure is now coming towards an end, but then I quickly remembered the pain and agony I've been in as 13.5 hour days in the saddle slowly past by.  

I'll not be sad to complete the challenge, but I'll hold on to some great memories of achievements, great support, laughs and giggles, overcoming adversity and raising a good wodge of cash in memory of some fantastic people - and when I finally had a chance to settle on that thought, I realised that alone made it the greatest day!

Happy cycling

Mike

Day 10 - Another turning point

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road,

Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go,

So make the best of this test, and don't ask why,

It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time,

It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right,

I hope you had the time of your life.

Green Day

803 miles down / 154 to go
38,297 feet of climbs, equivalent to 132% of Mount Everest (at 29,096 feet)

Have you ever just enjoyed a hot shower so much you don't want to leave it, you could stay under the cascade of hot fresh water forever, it feels fantastic. It certainly felt like that tonight, despite there being barely any power in the shower and having to push a button every few minutes to turn it back on! Not the best shower system ever, but it still felt like a dream!

In some ways it was a shame to leave Inverary this morning, a beautiful place and The Argyll Campsite was a stunning place overlooking Loch Fyne, but we packed up and were ready to go at 0930. The rain had returned so it was another wet start, things were grotty for the first few hours.

Nevertheless, we made good progress as we tracked up towards Oban, covering the first 30 miles in a little over two hours.  If you've never been up the west coast, you really ought to make a trip, the scenery is so stunning it can almost distract you from the aches and pains of riding to it from Cornwall. 

We snaked up the coast, the road skirting various sea lochs and inlets, a bit of a windy route, but fantastically enjoyable. It seems the local traffic don't enjoy cyclists as much, so we got the odd bit of abuse hurled at us from passing cars - nice!

We arrived at the first feed stop ahead of the girls, it's quite nice to actually be riding well enough to be ahead of the game, so we continued on another 5 miles to a small village shop at Onich where we stopped for a few minutes before the girls arrived.  I couldn't go on any further, my quads had cramped up terribly and I was finding it difficult to pedal, Carla came to the rescue with a leg massage! On a brighter note, having moved the position of my cleats the pains in my achillies did not seem to interfere, so despite the intense cramp, I was in a better place physically and able to enjoy the scenery.

Having pedalled further on the first leg it was only another 20 miles until our next feed stop! What a bonus.  We cycled the 10 miles or so to Fort William which is practically at the feet of Ben Nevis, then headed along the Nevis range towards Spean Bridge and the Commando Monument which looks back all g the valley towards the Nevis Range. Amazing scenery, perhaps just reward for our cycling to date.  

After about 10 miles or so my legs cramped up again. It was a real struggle to pedal, I could actually feel the tight muscle in my left leg creaking against the movement I was trying to make.  There was a long climb up to the Commando Monument where we were able to sit for a whole and look back at the Nevis Range and absorb the view. I worked on my quads whilst we waited for the girls - we'd managed to beat them to the second feed stop too.

The last leg was another 20 mile stint to Fort Augustus, at the foot of Loch Ness.  The route was mainly downhill, followed by a few miles of canal path to our campsite.  The much maligned midges we there to greet us, clouds of them were along the canal side and their favourite trick was to fly into my eyes as we cycled along!

A big bonus was that our friend, Rob Shelswell, had flown up from Southampton and driven a hire car from Glasgow for 3 hours to spend the rest of the trip with us! Great to see him and he gets hero of the day for making the effort.

Happy cycling

Mike

Day 9 - Wherever you will go

If I could, then I would,

I'll go wherever you will go,

Way up high, or down low,

I'll go wherever you will go

The Calling

Today's been a fantastic rest day, we awoke on the banks of Loch Fyne, which was mill pond smooth this morning, an absolutely beautiful setting and definitely worth a visit.

I'm not sure my iPhone camera does it justice, but hopefully you get the idea.

It was a rest day with a twist, as it was also Carla's birthday.  Perhaps not the way she'd choose to spend her birthday, but I think it's testament to the fantastic support that she has given me through this epic adventure, from the very start through to the culmination of activities now - I'm a lucky guy!

We spent the day relaxing at Loch Fyne Hotel & Spa. Ordinarily I would be keen to explore the local landscapes and sights, there seems to be quite a lot in the beautiful place, but we've all been content relaxing.  I had a fantastic massage which has loosened me up, I was struggling to walk properly, the girls also had a massage and chilled by the pool.

This evening we all gr together at Loch Fyne Restaurant, it's a small private enterprise and not the high street chain, some amazing food and a great way to celebrate Carla's birthday.

So, tomorrow we head on to the base of Loch Ness, we'll cycle past Ben Nevis and I'm told we will have some amazing views. It's another 92 mile ride, so it will be a test, thankfully it's reasonably flat and will only rain a little at the start and then ease off.

Whatever the weather, distance or hills, I'm blessed to have the support of an amazing wife. Happy Birthday Carla and thankyou for going wherever I will go!

Happy cycling 

Mike

Day 8 - A winter's day

707 miles down / 251 to go
33,631 feet of climbs, equivalent to 116% of Mount Everest (at 29,096 feet)

Ev'n you, on murdering errands toil'd,

Lone from your savage homes exil'd,

The blood-stain'd roost, and sheep-cote spoil'd

My heart forgets,

While pityless the tempest wild

Sore on you beats!

Robbie Burns

We're up and raring to go at around 10am, I say raring to go, it's more like something out of a zombie film, going through the routine of bike prep, heading out to the start point, getting on, getting going. Today's the last day in the saddle before a rest day, we need it, badly.

Before we head out, Brendon has jumped ahead in the puncture stakes 3-2, a loud pop from his tyre can be heard from Herbie as Brendon fidgets outside ahead of us getting up.

We head on A roads from Kilmarnock to Saltcoats, where we stayed the night before. After 14 miles or so half a dozen seagulls issue a piercing call to announce our arrival on the west coast as we trundle through the town. A dreary place, downcast much like the weather which has been grey and sodden since we started.  We pedal along a coastal road, past a penny arcade and shabby buildings, the town appears depressed, perhaps it's the constant tip-tapping of the rain bringing it down. We pass a grotesque green attempt at crazy golf as it waits patiently for customers that will never come, this town is well past it's best amd we're glad to head out of it.  Two seagulls bow mornfully as we head on through.

Both my achillies and my right knee are uncomfortable from the off, it's a 91 mile day so it'll be a while before I can get off the bike, I can't push hard to finish quickly at the risk of injury, I just have to put up with it.  Rain pours constantly, we're drenched, it's an appalling day. I think of log fires, comfy sofas and lazy days that weather such as this inspires, my achillies prevent a full day dream developing which is just as well, the thought is too seductive and we need to just push on.

Thankfully the course is relatively flat as we head up the coast in search of the ferry to Argyll.  The girls fly past occasionally and hurl encouragemt at us, the rain is torrential and they recognise we need a boost.  Strong winds try to push us back, occasionally we face violent gusts, this is not pleasure cycling by any stretch, this is just about covering distance, getting it done, a means to an end. This is more November than August!

Soon we're at the ferry, 42 miles done at a good pace considering the driving rain the the blustery headwind that has built up. Grit teeth and get to the finish, I'm not seeing the scenic west coast that I'd hoped for.

As we head off on the other side both Brendon and I shiver with cold, my teeth chatter. We're concerned the cold may set in, conditions are rough and getting cold could be problematic. I struggle to turn my legs over, I think it's psychological, but I have issues when I try to sit down and pedal, for about a mile I have to stand and cycle before I can bring myself to sit down, the pain in my knee and achillies is making life tricky, but we're nearly halfway and it took just over 3 hours to do the first leg so we're doing well.

The road to Argyll runs alongside a loch, the surrounding hills are as picturesque as the Lake District and take the edge off the driving rain.  Thankfully we are somewhat sheltered from the wind so we make good progress as we head towards Loch Fyne and our next stop at 72 miles, the original Loch Fyne restaurant (not part of the chain) about 10 miles outside Inveraray.

There's ups and downs but nothing too horrific as we head down one side of Loch Fyne before rounding the top and heading down towards the restaurant and the welcome respite of Herbie.  It's tempting to stay put in Herbie, comfortable, warm and dry. We've been cycling into rain constantly for six hours, some sort of excuse to finish would be easy to find now, but we just need to compete another 19 miles into Inverary and then a long climb back out towards Oban - the trick is not to hang about and indulge the thoughts of being dry, being relaxed and being rested.

We push on quite quickly over the last section and manage to finish by 6:45, one of the earliest finishes to date, a huge relief and a great sense of achievement. Tomorrow is a much needed rest day followed by the last 3 days of LEJOG - it feels like we're getting close, but there's a way to go yet!

Happy cycling 

Mike

PS here's our donation page:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/CycleOfOurLives

Day 7 - Once more into the breach my friend

615 miles down / 343 to go

29,786 feet of climbs, equivalent to 102% of Mount Everest (at 29,096 feet)

We were up and about relatively early on day 7, but there was little in the way of spring in the step, we were like battle weary soldiers and were not rushing to get to the front line!

We were ready to go around 0930, we loaded the bikes onto the car and Katie dropped us off in Great Orton and we were soon ready to go. We donned the waterproofs, rain was forecast and it had already started to drizzle. 

In my tired state I'd not set up the Garmin properly (our satnav) so we got off course pretty quickly. Brendon as ever kept us on track by navigating using the iPhone and a OS map! Before too long we were in Scotland.

There was a sense of relief that we'd made it, although in reality it was only just over halfway.  To greet us, the rain started to pour hard - lovely!

To keep ourselves entertained we took turns to hum tunes whilst the other guessed what was being hummed. A silly game but then you need something to take your mind of the ride when the miles tick over quite slowly (about 1 every 4 minutes).  As the rain poured even harder still the games gave way to us putting our foot down to try and get to the first food stop at 46 miles as quickly as possible.  

Effectively you're riding on your own in these circumstances so you need to turn your attention to something else to pass the time.  I sang along to myself (I never normally do this) and played games with the mileage, counting down multiples of 10, multiples of the journey to our rest stop, anything I could think off to break the journey up and keep the carrot waving in front of me so I kept pushing on.

We arrived in the small village of Auldgirth where the girls had found a small store and tea rooms. We were doing well time wise so indulged ourselves with a cooked breakfast - I decided for the works which included haggis, and it was polished off in no time.  If you're passing by, I recommend you stop in, Kava is a great host and made us very welcome!

So far there was no pain other than the usual aches and niggles and we were well on track for a good time.  It's always tricky to get going after a stop though and the legs were stiff as we pedalled off.  My achillies was painful in both legs which hinders me as we push on for the rest of the 40 mile climb (yep, 40 miles of climbing!) through the hills between Dumfries and Kilmarnock.

Thankfully the rain eased off and stopped so as we pedalled on we play silly sods again. As we passed one field I 'mooed' loudly to the cows, quite excitedly they ran alongside us for a while until a wall halted their progress. They looked on disappointed as we continued on our way, it was tough going with the constant climbs so it was nice to have a little bovine support!

The scenery was impressive, but I wa running out of batteries on my phone to take pics, sadly the rainwater had swamped my extra battery which decided not to work. Here's the best I could do. 

Fingers crossed it's back online tomorrow as we head up to Inverary!

The feed stop on 76 miles could come soon enough (a recurring theme), I was flagging badly and the constant aching of both achillies meant that I was incredibly keen to get off the bike.  Add to that the free Scottish massage we were having en-route - there are several poor sections of road where we just juddered along the tarmac, it slowed progress and added to the discomfort.

The girls were waiting for us at 76 miles and looked just as tired as we are. Nevertheless they rushed around getting us drinks and treats to perk us up again. We struggled to move off and rested up a little longer than planned - there's something about the level of weariness, we knew it wasn't good for us to hang around but we just couldn't help it, these brief windows of rest were a delightful oasis in the painful trek across Scotland.

We had just 18 miles to go until we hit the outskirts of Kilmarnock and the end of the day's ride. A glorious descent from the 40 mile climb lulled us into a false sense of security as several long and step climbs followed. We stopped for a quick pic outside a Robbie Burns monument before we pushed hard and time trial rode the last 10 miles at a good pace. Before long we were loading the bikes on the car and heading back, both stiff, both aching - dinner and bed beckoned - one more ride until rest day. 

PS here's our donation page:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/CycleOfOurLives

Day 6 - No pain, no gain

521 miles down / 435 to go

27,445 ft of climbs (94% of Mt Everest at 29,096 ft)

We woke around 7am at Brendon's house and started kitting up for the day. I was worried about Brendon, he had got in after 1am having been arranging a replacement bike with a guy who had returned back from holiday late in the evening.  It took some time for us to get the van loaded and the bikes prepared, but it's important not to rush these things.

We headed to Preston to the Marquis Garage and were greeted by the staff - wow, what a welcome! We were treated to teas and bacon sandwiches and one of the gang had tackled LEJOG himself a few years ago raising money for MS. I really can't thank the Marquis gang enough and we've grown quite attached to Herbie Swift - it's a cracking motorhome.

We set off around 11:15, our latest start but in good spirits after a great Marquis send off.  Another slow puncture for me evened up the score to 2-2, it's the same as the last so we changed the tyre as well as the inner tube.

We wound north towards Lancaster through mainly farmland.  The fields stank of freshly sprayed slurry, flies filled the air and made a tap tap noise as they bounced against our helmets. I managed to inhale one and after a coughing fit I decided to clench my teeth as I breathed to stop the rest of the swarm joining!

Brendon and I took up singing, much to the bemusement of the locals. Ring of Fire became the theme tune of the ride, quite fitting, the backsides have had better days - der der da da da daaaah, der der da da da daaaah!

For once there were no injury concerns, so we piled through the flat approaches to Lancaster.  But perhaps I spoke too soon.....

The right knee had not raised even a whisper and whilst my right achillies was mumbling discontent, it hadn't got anywhere near the shrieking complaints of previous days. It was now time, at about 30 miles, for my the inside thigh on my left leg, it felt initially like a small tweak, the kind of injury you run off, so we pressed on.

As time wore on the tweak got more and more painful and I was struggling to pedal. I gave myself a bit of a talking to, adjusted my cleats, gave the knee a brief massage but nothing seemed to be making a difference. The pain grew as I pedalled on and as it did so, I get increasingly angry, frustrated and upset. I'd cycled nearly 2,000 miles in training and not had one niggle, I'd worked hard for this and this just wasn't meant to happen. I began to think about Brendon completing the ride on his own, maybe if I pulled out of the rest of the day I could see a physio and get back on track later. Perhaps it had finally beaten me after all? Rubbish; this just wasn't the plan, there was too much at stake, the reason I was doing this was far too important, why couldn't my body play ball?

The first feed stop couldn't come soon enough at 48 miles, I wa having to get off and push the bike up the hills it was so painful. The girls were really excited to see us and have a surprise, some megaphones to shout encouragement with. I just needed some time on my own to get control of my emotions.

Back on Herbie Swift we got a heat pack on my leg (thanks to the Wilkinsons!), Carla massaged my thigh which nearly had me on the ceiling, it was tender and very sore, but perhaps it had just got a very nasty knot. We were doubtful, but hoping for the best. 

I'm wasn't beaten yet, I couldn't give up.  We pedalled off towards Windermere from the first feed stop and the slice of heaven that is The Lake District. It really is idyllic, if you have never been you really ought to, make sure you take your walking shoes or a good bike or better still, both!

We headed up to Ambleside, climbed up from Grasmere and in to Keswick. The views of the fells and meres were amazing and although the knee was still painful, it had eased a little, so it must have been a knot and not a strain - hurrah! We arrived in Keswick slightly after the support crew, we'd made good progress.

All too soon we've passed through the Lake District and were making our way towards Carlisle and the end of the day's ride, just as well as it'd gone 9pm and was starting to get dark.  

Despite the challenges, I was really pushing my body to its limit, another good day's cycling was done. The next day we due to head into Scotland via Gretna.

Happy cycling

Mike

PS here's our donation page:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/CycleOfOurLives

Day 5 - Rest Day

Day 5 was our rest day and is much needed!  A stop over at Brendon's house in Knutsford.

The morning was spent tinkering with routes and talking through the last 4 days, a lot had happened and there was much to reflect upon. Some massive lows but equally some fantastic highs - the messages of support, kind and generous donations, Paddy joining us, family and friends dropping by and some kind help from complete strangers. It'd been an epic journey so far!

The routes took longer to tinker with than we'd hoped (damn technology) but but about 1pm we could take my bike to be checked over post crash. Thankfully all was well, barring a few adjustments here and there, so no significant wallet damage was done.  The bike mechanic was amazed at our tale of day 1, the amount of force required to break those forks is huge and his expectation was that we'd be in hospital. I guess it is sometimes all too easy to focus on the negatives, but there are some huge positives to think about, we're both OK and have done very well so far.

We headed over to The Mere, a lovely luxury spa and resort, for the treat of a free massage and use of the extensive pool and spa facilities. Sadly we only had a few hours to spend there but it was a fantastic tonic. Hero of the day had to go to Helen, not only for arranging the spa, but for working so hard to keep us all going, what a star!

There is also another award for hero of the day, Mike and Adam had driven the 3 hour round trip from Leicester to see us for dinner and give us some support. Adam had also arranged a dress down day at Santander's offices in order to raise funds towards our efforts. We've had a wonderful evening with them and it's all these nice touches that make the lows more bearable.

The next day sees the start of a 3 day stint, we would take on The Lake District and finish just outside Carlisle.  We were to start off from one of the Marquis garages in Preston, the guys who've generously donated a motorhome to us for our trip - it's a cracking base so we've a lot to be thankful for!

Lastly, an injury update. We've both got aches and pains still, mainly knees which we can hopefully resolve with stretches. My right achillies is a worry, stiff, sore and it feels like it creaks as I walk. I'm hoping the small adjustment to my pedals resolves my achillies issues and it holds out until the end of the ride!

Whatever happens, looking back at the last 4 days whilst it's been a real test of character, a nightmare at times, there have been a huge amount of positives and I thank everyone for playing your part in them.

Onwards and upwards

Happy cycling

Mike

PS here's our donation page:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/CycleOfOurLives

Day 4 - Think of the glory, think of the rest day

422 miles down / 535 to go

23,096 ft of climbs (79% of Mt Everest at 29,096 ft)

Day 4 starts late, the night before I finished running nearly on an empty tank, I had barely anything left so there was no urgency to get going today.  Relax, take on some food and take time to prepare for the day. For once I was not struggling to eat or desperately trying to avoid bringing up what I have just consumed, my appetite was back, and in a big way!

We headed off around 10am and rolled gently along some country miles. I was really struggling (again) but this time it was my achillies which shrieked with searing pain in every downstroke. I gritted my teeth, hoping it would ease. My muscles were so stiff and it took a while to get comfortable revolving the legs, to start with I had to stand and cycle, I was so tight and uncomfortable I could not sit down for the first few miles! Thankfully the stiffness eased after a while which just left the pain. 

We soon passed through Shrewsbury (home of the mighty Shrews apparently) and we then reached Whitchurch at about mile 25 and I had to stop.  Perhaps if I adjust the cleats on my cycling shoes to put my foot further forward on the pedal it would ease the pain? A desperate hope maybe, but something I needed to try.

Brendon and I were both tired, really tired. This wasn't just a test of endurance, it was a test of everything and it's easy to forget that in the romance of planning the event.    After 4 days of cycling 10-13 hours a day and the pressure of completing the rides it's difficult not to get ratty with each other and on occasion we both did.  Thankfully we can have a laugh and a joke to break things up, but there is no doubt we need a rest day!

Dipstick of the day went to a HGV driver who passed far too close, I'm sure DHL have deadlines to meet with their parcels, but frankly there's no need to risk it!

Mile 40 is slightly off the beaten track (see picture) which meant we had to walk our bikes for a few miles until we rejoin the road. Ordinarily we may complain at this, but the relief for our backsides is fantastic, the stroll is just what they (our backsides) needed!

We pushed on the Delamare Station and our first feed stop.  We were both suffering from aches and pains, people looked on in amusement as we both used the picnic benches to stretch.

The stop was just what we needed though, we blasted through the next 30 miles at a good pace and made up for some of the slow time earlier in the day. We passed through Warrington before the delights of Burtonwood (even the church and church hall was surrounded by razor wire).  Brendon greeted a guy sat by the side of the road drinking Special Brew, I opted for the make no eye contact option and am glad we passed through at pace, any slower and our wheels could get pinched!

We soon arrived in Billinge for our final stop, some drinks and recounting the tales of the day to the support crew and then we were back on the road for the final 20 miles. We blasted our way to Preston at a good speed before Katie picked us up for the drive back to Knutsford.  After 10.5 hours it was fantastic to finish and have a day off waiting for us. 

Hero of the day has to go to Katie, she was a real star rushing around after us and organising the feed stops. An amazing g job and no wonder she is as tired as us!

The legs have now stiffened up, my eyes are struggling to stay open, so with that, I think it's off to bed and a beautiful rest day ahead!

Happy cycling

Mike

PS here's our donation page:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/CycleOfOurLives

Day 3 - The Never Ending Ride

If you were to call today tough it would be the equivalent understatement of calling Mount Everest a little bump somewhere near Nepal!

321 miles down / 635 to go

19,996ft of climbs (69% of Mt Everest at 29 096ft)

We started off earlier today, 0730 from the campsite just south of Bristol Airport. A steep climb awaited us before we headed towards The River Severn and under The Clifton Suspension - a scenic start!

Shortly after on 12.5 miles there was a loud pop from Brendon's rear tyre as a piece of glass shredded it. A bit of a setback. Fortunately a cycle shop was 2 miles away so Brendon started walking there and I rode on ahead to make sure it was open. Luckily for Brendon a kind man in a transit van picked him up and dropped him at the cycle shop, it maybe because he thought Brendon was cute in his Lycra, but nevertheless, he's our Hero of The Day.  The bike shop was able to sort out my buckled wheel and jumping gears too, so the stop turned out to be a bit of a bonus.

We then headed through several industrial estates before crossing The Severn Bridge, an amazing sight- here's the view:

We then tracked up to Chepstow before I got my first puncture of LEJOG to make the scores 2-1 to Brendon.  I ignored the best advice of Brendon which meant fixing te puncture took longer than it needed, consequently I'm the Dipstick of the Day - we had now lost a hell of a lot of time!

My knee started giving me hassle again, but I decided to grit my teeth and just put up with it until we reached Monmouth at around 45 miles.  We passed through The Wye Valley and sailed past Tintern Abbey, beautiful sights.

Monmouth couldn't arrive soon enough and thankfully we found a park bench where I could stretch out my troublesome right leg - I felt the benefit for quite some time after.

The first feed stop was just south of Hereford in a Tesco car park, by then it was baking hot, we'd been through all of our drinks and we're desperate for more liquid refreshment.  We'd arrived by 1530, 7 hours after we'd set off and we'd only covered 62 miles of the route!!

We set off again to cover 25 miles before the next feed stop and kicked on pretty well, covering it in just over 1.5 hours.  It began to feel like we might claw back some of the lost time and get finished around 8pm. Our second encounter with a dog occurred enroute, this time a Jack Russell, I was too tired to cycle faster so instead, as it came nearer I let out my best lion roar which did the trick, it seemed to jump in mid-air and then didn't seem to know what to do with itself!

The last leg of the ride was by far the toughest and by this time both my knee and achillies were hurting quite a lot. We headed to Church Stratton and banked right and up into some huge hills, after such a long day it sapped all the emery from my legs, the views from the top were amazing, but it really took it's toll.

We then pedalled on for what seemed like an age down country lanes for 17 miles until we reached the campsite 13.5 hours after we set off! What a tough day!

Tomorrow is a shorter ride (95 miles) before our first rest day, I'm looking forward to a day of rest more than anything in the world!

Happy cycling

Mike

PS here's our donation page:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/CycleOfOurLives

Day 2 - Different day, different story

Hi

203 miles down / 753 miles to go.

A much better day today I'm pleased to say!

We were up about early this morning and ready to go around 8am.  My bed looked like something out of a crime drama, the sheets covered in blood from yesterday's mishap. Fortunately that accident is behind us now, so Brendon and I can focus on more positive things.

Just as we set off Brendon got the first puncture of LEJOG, so he leads the chart 1-0, an ominous start to the day? I was hoping not!

The first 15 miles were a breeze, some reasonable ups and downs but nothing too hard as we cracked along at a good pace of 14mph.  Some great progress after yesterday!

Then after the first 15 miles we headed across single track gravelly roads, steep ups and winding downs made it hard to build up rhythm. Too make things worse my right knee began to play up again, searing sharp pain on every downstroke made pedalling almost unbearable. I gritted my teeth, but to be honest I genuinely began to think it might be curtains for LEJOG and I began to think of the ignomy of pulling out. 

We also had our first experience of being chased by a dog! Passing a farmyard a very angry Collie burst from behind a gate and chased us along the road for 20 meters or so! Thankfully we managed to get away!

Brendon was a saint with me, I must have been a complete pain in the arse, I was getting absolutely hacked off, cross with absolutely anything and really short with him.  Quite rightly Brendon deserves Hero of The Day for sticking with me and bringing me through!

Our feed stop at 53 miles was incredibly sweet relief.  Carla and Helen in attendance and a special guest star of the day, my mate Paddy who'd come to join us for the rest of the ride.  We chilled for about half an hour and importantly I did some work on the right knee with plenty of stretches.  

The stretches seemed to do the trick, my knee felt a lot better, even better, there doesn't appear to be a fundamental issue with my knee, it's just a tight fibre that can be resolved.  We bashed through the next 20 miles, passed the Rose and Crown in East Lyng (for you Derek) and we arrived ahead of Herbie Swift and the girls at the next feed stop.

Paddy wins Dipstick of the Day, his general silliness brought a light relief to the day and it peaked at the feedstop - he found a flattened dead frog that had decicated and started mucking around with it.  Somehow it ended up in Brendon's helmet which was laying on the ground unsupervised......

The last 10 miles took us up through Cheddar Gorge, Neil & Val (Helen's parents) we're lying in wait to cheer us on but sadly our route didn't go past them - what a shame. Despite getting a little lost we made it to the end in good time - a full 3.5 hours quicker than yesterday's finish!

A great day in the saddle

Happy cycling

Mike

PS here's our donation page:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/CycleOfOurLives

Day 1 is for disasters and demoralising

Hi

Not an ideal start to LEJOG on day 1, but at least we're now in to Devon and have the first 107 miles behind us.

We kicked off the day quite late at 9:45am and by then the temperature was already picking up. Liar of the day award goes to The Met Office for telling us it would be a bit cooler at 22C, it was much warmer than that as I went through 6 bottles of water and several pints of (sadly not beer) drink at our feed stops. 

We snaked our way up through Penzance and up to Redruth, the latter seemed to be a former tin mine and as the faint smell of burning plastic wafted through the air we were careful not to slow down too much as we passed through!  After 5 miles or so I quite fancied a toilet stop, but Brendon told me the story of Jackie Chan, apparently when he was training if a fellow student asked to go to the toilet it was a sign they were not training hard enough and they were made to train harder. I hold on for another 50 miles!

We tracked up the west coast of Cornwall towards Bude and after about 40 miles my right knee started playing up as it had done on my last ride. Sharp pains made me wince every time I peddled, so the pace dropped which given the heat was no bad thing.  

Cornish Pirate of the day goes to Brendon as the cap on one of his front tooth fell off on about 55 miles for some unknown reason, he could now say "Ooooh Aaarrr" and not only sound the part, but look it too!

Our first feed stop was 60 miles and a welcome opportunity for some more drinks and to chow down on some flapjacks and other treats.  Brendon and I tried some stetches etc and we diagnosed knee as a tight IT band for my problematic knee, so some special stretches and massaging were applied.

Off we headed again to a very hilly section as we neared Bude before heading east and inland past Davidstow, home to a large creamery where Cathedral City is produced.  Shortly after we arrived at our final feed stop on 83 miles and took on some more drinks.  The day had been very slow going, it was approaching 6pm and we were looking at an 8pm finish - however, my spirits were finally lifting and I was beginning to ignore my right knee and enjoy the ride.

Our last major town before tracking up to Okehampton was Launceston and this is where things went pear-shaped in quite a big way. Heading in to the town we took a wrong turn down a steppish hill, I shouted back to Brendon behind me that we needed to turn round, but he didn't hear me. I slowed down and began to stop, but Brendon was distracted and did not see me either. Very shortly after Brendon did see me, but it was too late as he piled in to the back of me, all of a sudden we were sprawled out in the road. We lay there for a few moments gathering ourselves. I daared not move to start with, what injuries had I sustained?

Thankfully scrapes and bruises were all that we had. Apart from one of my big toes, the toe nail is purple and very painful - hopefully it's not broken!  But the bikes on the other hand have taken the brunt of the shunt. The front forks on Brendon's bike had snapped, it would no longer be possible to ride it. We phoned through to the support vehicle where we thankfully had a spare bike available.  A heavy old hybrid, but it would do for now as Brendon could ride it to Knutsford where hopefully his bike could be fixed.  Thankfully my bike was generally OK, The back wheel was buckled, but is was ridable.

For that, Brendon pulls ahead 2-0 in the Dipstick of the Day Awards!

We rolled into the campsite at 9:45pm, it was dark by this point and we'd spent 12 hours on the road during our first day. It's difficult to imagine a worse start, but thankfully it's behind us now and tomorrow we start a new day.  

It's important to remember the two people I'm doing this in memory of, the fantastic support you've all given me and that, despite a bad start, I'm sure there are plenty of highs still to come!

Tomorrow we go again

Happy cycling

Mike

PS here's our donation page:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/CycleOfOurLives

LEJOG Eve

Hello

Well, here it is then, it's finally arrived. Over 7 months of build up, countless hours training, a leg waxing, highs and lows, some nightmare moments and some incredible achievements have all led to one point, a busy and bustling campsite a few miles from Lands End.  I can't wait to get started!

Thankfully the warm weather is set to ease off tomorrow so we'll not be too hot as we tackle what is undoubtedly one off the toughest days of LEJOG.  We're expecting over 9,000 feet of climbs, including a monster climb to Bodmin Moor, before we finish our 107 mile maiden leg in Okehampton.

Before all that hard work we took a bit of time to chill on the beach here - and it's a cracker!  Sorry, the sun was so bright the pic didn't come out too well - a long sandy beach with plenty of surfers - a hidden gem of a place.

Heroes of the day have to be Carla and Helen, they've taken turns to drive our trusty support vehicle, who we've named Herbie Swift, to our campsite inside 6 hours, including a few pit stops.  Here they are relaxing outside with Herbie nearby.

Dipstick of the day has to go to Brendon, as you can see he hasn't arrived yet, he's set off late and probably will not be here until somewhere between 8-9pm - not ideal prep but I think he'll be OK.

The puncture count has now been reset to 0 each - how many will we have by the end of the ride and who will be the prize puncture plum by the end? My money's on Brendon, but then he's stuck on the M5 near Bristol so is in no position to argue is he!

There's nothing much left to say now other than thanks very much for your kind support and generous donations - next time you'll hear from me I'll be 107 miles nearer John O'Groats!

I'm off to start the BBQ.

Happy Cycling

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/CycleOfOurLives

Mike

Hammer Time

Hello

This should be a blog about celebration, OK, a little trepidation too, but what an event and quite some preparation that has gone in to it!  I've taken it seriously, so I deserve my chance to take on the toughest challenge I'm ever likely to face when it comes to tests of fitness and endurance. Instead of being Hammer Time it's Hammer BLOW Time......

I remember as a kid I had a BMX bike that I didn't much look after, battered, never put away properly, unloved and uncared for.  Eventually some scoundrel stole my BMX and to be quite honest with you, I deserved to lose it to hopefully someone who would care more for it more than I did, it certainly taught me a lesson.

Fast forward to an adult me and my trusty steed has led a pampered life, regular post-ride scrub downs, servicing and plenty of spares and parts have been made available to my partner in crimes of lycra. We've been through plenty of highs and lows together as I've trained to LEJOG standard and my buddy has never even hinted at letting me down on any of the 2,000 miles that it proudly rolled around the South Coast with me at the helm.  But that has all changed now....

My bike has developed a crack in the frame and has been condemned, my dear companion and faithful buddy, never judged me in my lycra nor let me down on a hard day's riding in the saddle, but with a heavy heart I have to lead my two wheeled wonder to the knackers yard.

My head has been reeling all day, I'm incredibly busy trying to tie up loose ends in my new job before I head away for two weeks so all of this is quite frankly a nightmare.  We've organised this ride ourselves to ensure that every penny we raise goes to charity, it's been expensive and a taken a hell of a lot to organise, so this last test is just the icing on the cake!

One thing is for sure, this last minute disaster will not beat me, somehow, I will find a way (and I've been chuffed with the kind offers of help and support thus far too - brilliant).

Never give up, never give in and when you're bike is fit and well, look after it and take it on a nice long ride

Happy Cycling

Mike

Tee minus 6

Hello

So how does it feel?  When is it exactly you start?  How's your knee doing?

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/CycleOfOurLives

Yep, these questions are coming up an awful lot at the moment!  Time has flown by and we're now less than a week away to the big ride.  The questions have all of a sudden become the first topic of conversation with whomever we meet of late as the excitement builds towards the big event.  And, how do I feel about it all? These last few weeks of preparation have generally been tough and become a bit of a chore, although the Wiggle Wight Ferry has been a high and my best performance to date.

To be honest, I'm looking forward to it, it's been a long time coming, I've completed 131.5 hours, 1,826 miles and 89,108 feet of climbs in training this year, last year I didn't get anywhere near that over 12 months, in fact, I was nowhere near it, I probably did a few hundred miles at most.  This training journey hasn't been a final polish, it's been about transforming me from a sofa surfing loafer to a long distance endurance cyclist. I've gone from awkward to comfortable in lycra, I've invested in chain tools, gas canisters, pumps and who knows how many inner tubes.  My legs are smooth and freshly shaved and my once skinny calf muscles now have a satisfying bulge (at least in my eyes they do!).  All of this time has passed by in a bit of a blur though, what seemed like an age away not so long ago is now virtually here, before too long we'll be setting off.

All that preparation has helped with one thing, for sure, I'm now very clear as to how tough this is going to be.  There is a deep sense of trepidation, having spent 9 hours in the saddle before I remember vividly how tough that was.  I've got up the next day and completed another ride, but I've never done it day after day after day.  When we started out I had a romantic notion of the journey, there will be some fantastic sights as we pass through Cheddar Gorge, The Lake District and along the the shores of Loch Ness, but now it is balanced with reality.  Cycling from the far south west corner of the country to Preston in the first four days is going to be a big ask, no matter how you look at it - and completing the entire thing is going to be even bigger!  So right now, I'm more nervous than a small nun at a penguin shoot.

I have to take confidence in the training I've done though and hope that my troublesome knee holds up to the demands ahead.  It's not time to dwell on what may or may not happen, I've worked hard, I've got fantastic support, it's time to work through the plan and make sure I savour the moments ahead.  Oddly, my thoughts have turned to something the priest said to my wife to be and I before we got married a few years ago, it was a great piece of advice, something I've used many times since and worthy of sharing.

Life goes by in a blur, this ride has come round quicker than I could imagine, weddings, Christmas, parties, family get togethers all rush by - how often do we say the night has run away and we didn't get a chance to speak to all of the people there, or it all went by a blink of the eye and ended too soon.  Well, these times of great joy will always pass by quickly, sadly that can't be changed, but you can take some time out to absorb the event, to slow down the clock briefly and instead of being so caught up in the madness, take stock and be fully aware of the moment, savouring the surroundings.  At our wedding, we went back in to the church as people began to depart for the reception, alone for a short moment, just the priest attending to some details in the background as we soaked in the day which helped lengthen the it and consciously remember and absorb the events of the day.  It's something I try and do in everyday life, and as the events of LEJOG gear up and place their demands on us, is something we need to try and build in to the days ahead to make the most of them.

Bring it on and happy cycling

Mike

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/CycleOfOurLives

A brief aside

Hello

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/CycleOfOurLives

Well, LEJOG is rapidly approaching, we're now into the twilight of preparations as we have less than 2 weeks until we head out on our journey, about the same time as the Tour de France finishes.

This week my thoughts have turned to the Wonder Years, a cracking US comedy drama that ran in the late 80s and early 90s charting the adolescent trials and tribulations of Kevin; an adult Kevin narrated the programme and in my memory, he started the fashion in US TV shows of the narrator signing off with a deep and meaningful aside, some heart warming moral that often finished the show with a bitter-sweet life lesson.

The theme tune was a Joe Cocker's cover of the Beatles "Get By With A Little Help From My Friends" and it made me think, if I were to summarise my LEJOG show so far, what morals would I share with you? Before that, here is a short clip from YouTube with the opening credits that may jog your memory of the show:

OK, so here goes:

1.  The first ride - get a plan

You may recall reading the blog some months ago, I headed out on my first ride of meaningful distance, 36 miles, and came back wondering what I had got myself in for - I struggled and even more so, I could not envisage consecutive days of cycling 100 miles.  Whilst I needed to keep the ultimate goal in sight, I needed to break it down in to smaller chunks that I could achieve and only then did I really start to believe it was something I could achieve.

2.  The Long One - what can you achieve?
There are two measures of what you can achieve, 1. What you can achieve and 2. What you think you can achieve.  Don't sit on the sofa wishing if only, you only get one shot at living your life, so you may as well give it a go.  I'm living proof of that, with a dodgy knee I really didn't think I could do this, but during this year I've cycled the equivalent of LEJOG twice, I covered 125 miles in one go (The Long One) and have now raised over £7,000!

3. It ain't going to plan - keep your head

The world is a chaotic place and things will not go to plan (but it's still worth having one).  There were a few rides that didn't go to plan, due to technical failure or physiological issues.  The temptation on each occasion has been to get downhearted, particularly if my body has played up, but you just cannot afford to do that (easily said!).  The first reaction to a disappointment is most likely emotional, so it is likely to be exaggerated. Give yourself some time to think objectively and think of the bigger picture, things are most likely not as bad as you think.

4. It's harder on your own - but I get by
Most of my training has been done on my own and I can tell you, without doubt, it's tough! If I were an elite athlete I'd have a team of support staff, all the kit I need on tap, coaching and training, but I'm not elite, so there is none of that.  But, I have something far more powerful than high-altitude training, diet supplements and sport psychology, I have you.  Drawing on the support of friends and family has been massive, from helpful advice, joining me on training rides, generous donations, encouragement and support.  So thank-you. I hope I make you proud and in turn, I hope I can inspire you to take on your own challenge, you've inpsired me to achieve mine - I get by with a little help from my friends.

Well, I hope the above is useful to you!  Lastly, an update on my training:

Wight Ferry Sportive - 5 July

A tricky ride, 10 miles on the New Forest before joining the ferry at Lymington to continue on the IoW for 70 miles, then a final 15 miles back in the New Forest.  I must admit, I really enjoyed this one, it was tougg though - after crossing through the middle of the IoW from west to east  I turned at Bembridge to follow the coastal road back to Yarmouth.

Some really amazing views of the white cliffs on the south coast, but some huge hills, particularly around Ventnor, and a constant headwind made for a though but rewarding ride.  I really belted it out and am pleased to say I was just a few seconds from being in the top 25% of riders, fantastic stuff.  Below is the official video from last year's ride and the usual Strava summary of my ride, but just the IoW bit.

The Magnificat Sportive - 13th July
This was a strange event and one I certainly don't savour.  Perhaps it was a bit close to the start of LEJOG, maybe hearing of Tour de France riders dropping out of the Tour or possibly a mate, who is a far more serious rider than I'll ever be, having knee injury issues, but what ever it was, this ride did not go well.

I had a choice of 83 miles or 128 and had for sometime settled at 83 as a decent pre-LEJOG ride, but as the ride neared I changed tack and decided to push myself one last time and do the 128 mile epic - a serious test and most likely 9.5 hours in the saddle.

It all started at Newbury racecourse, a cracking venue.  After the alarm sounding at 0530 I pulled into the well marshalled car park and just felt ill at ease.  I don't know why, I just felt like a chancer who had got in to through the back door of a party, I didn't really belong amongst the serious cyclists all kitted up and prepared, this is not for the hobbyists, the Sunday strollers, this is serious stuff for serious cyclists, not for the likes of me.

Such thoughts are unhelpful and I put them aside and just got on with things, but for whatever reason, I just could not settle.  After heading west and then south towards Andover and then Stockbridge, the route took us north of Winchester towards the South Downs.  The route itself was quite nice and I always enjoy the climb up Winchester Hill at Warnford.  I even chatted to a few people along the way, even an old school mate, and all said they were finding things tough.  Me too.

My body niggled like nothing before, in particular the sides of my knees hurt.  I've never been on one of these rides hoping, praying for a mechanical failure, but on this one I was.  I just wanted out, how totally absurd!  As I headed to around 75 miles the welcome sight of some supporters lifted my spirits, but by then I was already struggling with my knees and with my head.  I battled on for another 10 miles, but by then I was struggling, I could not stand up and pedal without it being painful, was it genuine pain or psychosomatic I just don't know, one thing was for sure, it was time to can the ride and reflect on what had happened.

I've now had plenty of time to think about the ride and I have mixed views about it.  On the one hand, giving up is just something I do not do, it's taken me aback a little and I'm disappointed that I didn't achieve what I wanted to.  My preparation was poor, so I really didn't give myself the best chance of being successful and for something like this, you must do that, it's a huge endurance test and I just don't think I gave myself the right opportunity.

On the other hand, I did cover the miles I had originally planned to and from what I can tell, I am physically OK, but I'll complete a short test ride next week to confirm.  Perhaps it is better not to go in to LEJOG overconfident, better still that I now have a point to prove, determination to steel and, if you've ever had chance to read the rules of road cycling, brush up on rule 5 - "Harden the **** up!" (see http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/).

Here's the Strava from the weekend


Happy cycling!

Mike

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/CycleOfOurLives