January - the first two weeks...
I woke up on New years day at my friend's house feeling more than a little worse for wear but determined to get out on the bike. We managed 10 miles before I felt rather unwell.
I'd fallen a long way from riding 100 miles in October. I'd pretty much stopped riding long distances. 10 miles at the gym and the 3 mile commute to work was about all I'd managed during November and December. Boy it showed that day. A colossal hangover and some Christmas excess got my training off to a bad start.
It was freezing that day. Ice on the roads made cycling a little tricky. The temperature made knowing what to wear a little tricky. I went for a lot of layers and fleecy clothing. Overshoes, thick socks, leggings, shorts, four tops, a neck buff, ear warmers and two pairs of gloves - and I pretty much kept those layers on for most of January.
It snowed heavily in the first couple of weeks of January. I braved the cycle to work on my mountain bike and I managed one ride 30 mile ride on my road bike but otherwise I hit the gym. I did 10 or 15 miles several times a week and I also ran several times a week too (call me a glutton for punishment but I'm running a half marathon in March).
What I did do during this time was plan. I made a Gantt chart, a route plan, mapped each day out... and then made very anal lists of the hilly bits of and the roads to take.
Thursday, 14 January 2010
What possessed me to do it
It was probably a little bit before new year's day when I decided to do it.
I told my family and friends before I fully realised quite what was involved. They got quite excited. Before I knew it everyone was asking all manner of questions and very quickly it became too late to back out. People were counting on me. Younger cousins were looking up at me as if to say "there is hope in the world."
So on new year's day I made it my resolution: to cycle from Lands End to John o'Groats. On my own. In nine days. Before June.
There were two reasons why it makes sense to do it this year. One: Helen, my girlfriend, is researching for a PhD. As long as she can pack enough books into our support vehicle (a trusty Volkswagen transporter van), she can work on the road. Or in cafes up and down the country. And for that, I am eternally grateful (and more importantly, happy to pay for our food, petrol and accommodation costs on my credit card).
And two: I'm currently working for Greater Bristol's Cycling City team. I work with a bunch of keen cyclists, sympathetic to this challenge. And I spend my time at work writing about cycling. It just seems to make sense to do this ride this year and somehow combine it with raising awareness of the project I'm working on.
The distance is one thing - or about 925 things to be precise - but it's the planning that's the hardest thing. Especially finding a route and finding places to stay.
As I've been preparing for this challenge I've found lots of detail about people who've ridden the journey in fourteen days. Or on a trike. Or camping. Or in a shade over 44 hours (Gethin Butler). But I haven't found anyone who's done in exactly the way I want to do it.
And here's how I want to do it:
- Riding over 100 miles a day for nine days.
- Stopping at Okehampton, Bristol, Shrewsbury, Preston, Gretna, Cumbernauld, Dalwhinne and Skibo Castle
- Alternating between staying in the back of a van and youth hostels or bed and breakfasts.
So I thought writing this might help others looking to do something similar...
I told my family and friends before I fully realised quite what was involved. They got quite excited. Before I knew it everyone was asking all manner of questions and very quickly it became too late to back out. People were counting on me. Younger cousins were looking up at me as if to say "there is hope in the world."
So on new year's day I made it my resolution: to cycle from Lands End to John o'Groats. On my own. In nine days. Before June.
There were two reasons why it makes sense to do it this year. One: Helen, my girlfriend, is researching for a PhD. As long as she can pack enough books into our support vehicle (a trusty Volkswagen transporter van), she can work on the road. Or in cafes up and down the country. And for that, I am eternally grateful (and more importantly, happy to pay for our food, petrol and accommodation costs on my credit card).
And two: I'm currently working for Greater Bristol's Cycling City team. I work with a bunch of keen cyclists, sympathetic to this challenge. And I spend my time at work writing about cycling. It just seems to make sense to do this ride this year and somehow combine it with raising awareness of the project I'm working on.
The distance is one thing - or about 925 things to be precise - but it's the planning that's the hardest thing. Especially finding a route and finding places to stay.
As I've been preparing for this challenge I've found lots of detail about people who've ridden the journey in fourteen days. Or on a trike. Or camping. Or in a shade over 44 hours (Gethin Butler). But I haven't found anyone who's done in exactly the way I want to do it.
And here's how I want to do it:
- Riding over 100 miles a day for nine days.
- Stopping at Okehampton, Bristol, Shrewsbury, Preston, Gretna, Cumbernauld, Dalwhinne and Skibo Castle
- Alternating between staying in the back of a van and youth hostels or bed and breakfasts.
So I thought writing this might help others looking to do something similar...
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