They Think It's All Over..... It Is Now

They advertised it at 300 miles in 2 days. When they gave us the actual route is was 329, they said Amsterdam 300 sounded better than the Amsterdam 329. Due to signs being blown around or missing it was actually 348 miles!

9pm Thursday 72 brave or mad cyclists set off from Blackheath for this real test of endurance, cycling through the night we reached Dover at 4:30 Friday morning. 90 hilly miles done. An hour later off to the ferry port for the 6:40 ferry to Calais.

9:15am Calais. Back on the bikes for another 90 miles into Holland, fortunately this was flat. I suffered a puncture in a rather inappropriate place – some of us had inadvertently strayed onto a motorway. Whilst I fixed my bike the others climbed up the grass verge to re-acquire the cycle path. Just as I was about to the police turned up and I got landed with a 90 Euro fine!!

We finally arrived at our campsite for the night at about 9pm, after a 45min wait for the ferry !!

5 am Saturday we were woken up to prepare for the final 130 miles, we were faced with strong headwinds and frequent showers, but we peddled on, some enjoying it so much that the missed some signs and did an extra 25 miles on our first 45 mile leg!

After fighting the elements along the Dutch coast, we finally turned inland towards Amsterdam and the finish.

9.15pm Saturday night I finally pulled into the hotel, 48 hours after starting and 348 miles later, tired, sore but unbowed. All in the name of charity – us mad 72 have raised in excess of £100k!!

Yes it was tough, but looking back now a couple of days later, still a little stiff and a very sore and swollen right hand, it was enjoyable, a laugh in places, but as Steve Redgrave said “If anyone sees me planning one of these again, they can shoot me!!!”

Well done to all of the other riders and to Scope and Action Challenge for organizing the event.

I hope you have enjoyed this blog

Daniel

Just a few days to go now

And it's looking good.

Went out for a couple of hours of night riding Friday and Saturday night, then followed it up with a 30 mile sprint Sunday afternoon, and the good news is that my right legs felt fine after last weeks accident. It's still a bit bruised and sore but otherwise ok.

After that I stripped the bike down and washed, oiled and greased everything that needed it and put it back together.

Both man and bike are ready to go now.

One little tip. I suffer a bit with my knees, but I have found tha applying some ibroprofen gel to them prior to setting off, a bit more mid- day, and then another application after showering after the days ride stops any aches and pains occuring.

So now I am looking forward to Thursday evening and getting underway.

See you on my return.

A week and a half to go...And CRASH !!

Just 6 miles into my first run on Saturday I went flying. My front wheel clipped the edge of a pothole and wipeout.
My right leg looks as if it has lost a fight with a cheese grater at the moment and is very stiff and sore. I also managed to take a chink out of my right elbow at the same time.

On the plus side, I dusted myself down, checked the bike and then got back on to carry on for another 75 miles. After completing the first 30 mile run, I made myself a coffee and then tended to my wounds, before going back out.

So 80 miles in a good time and the only after effects are the throbbing in my bad leg.

A week and a half for it to clear up then it's off to Amsterdam we go.

2 Weeks to go. Looking a bit better

After last weeks honest assessment of where I was, I managed to get out for a good 75 mile ride on Sunday. Not as much as I would have liked but better than nothing. Afterwards I felt really good and no aches and pains followed on later.

I have a clear day this Saturday and I am planning to replicate a stage of the ride, by doing a 30 mile run, 30 min break, 30 mile run, hour break then another 30 miles. I am also hosting a quiz Saturday night so a bit of an endurance test as well.

Tomorrow sees me bid a fond farewell to an old friend. I have decided to sell my old Giant XTC SE that I did Twickenham to Paris on in 2007, and was also my back-up bike for Land's End To John O'Groats.

Until next time

3 Weeks to go and it's time for an honest assessment

Well we are now 3 weeks away from the ride and it's time for an honest assessment.

When I set out with this blog it was with the best intentions of keeping you up to date on my progress and passing on any tips that I could think of.
Well the house move and the 3 W's (Weather,Work and Wedding) have had a severe impact on my preparations.

Yes I have done a lot of cycling, however I haven't been able to get on any really long rides ( 90 - 100 miles), and I haven't been out on any overnight rides (I am still hoping to get at least one in).

Am I concerned by this? The answer funnily enough is yes, but not too much.

The old saying "It's just like riding a bike", is actually quite true here.
I have done this sort of thing before, 2006,2007 & 2009, and I have felt in my rides that my body is remembering what has happened before, a 30 - 40 mile ride has been no problem, upping the pace at times hasn't hurt like I thought it would.
Yes, this ride is different, it's more endurance, doing 300 miles in 2 days, as opposed to 3 or 4 on previous rides, but I know I have the stamina for it, I am actually in better shape than my previous rides, I know that my legs have got the strength to go the distance,
I have got better equipment than prior rides and feel peronally better equipped to deal with the ride and I have got the mindset of bloody determination that I will do it.
The only difference between this ride now and the others, is that before I had trained hard to ride easy (except the first one as I didn't know what to expect !), and now this ride will be just what it's called, a challenge.
Maybe, in my subconscious I have decided to make this, my last big ride, a real challenge, or maybe part of it is that I have just got fed up of going for a really long challenging ride on my own, the after effects of doing Land's End to John O'Groats on my own.
Another reason why I an not overly concerned is the fact that the ride is predominately on the flat, apart from the UK stage, which fortunately is first when you are fresh, as opposed to the equivalent of going up Everest twice which was LE - JOG.

I apologise if this blog hasn't been the idea fest I promised but, I suppose that due to my own problems trying to fit preparation in around other things, it might now be a good blog to read on how not to do it !! LOL

Anyway, I'll post again before the ride and hopefully put some video footage up afterwards.

Until next time.

Apologies for the lack of posts

Greetings all.

Apologies for the lack of posts but things have been hotting up (not just the weather!!).
The wedding plans and preparations and coming along nicely and the invites have been sent (sorry if you haven't received one).
Most importantly the cycling is coming on a storm. Taking full advantage of the weather I am out most evenings for an hour or 2 and out at the weekends as much as possible.
I am trying to fit in a few overnight rides, but it's difficult to find the time.

Until next time

Daniel

Update - not been on for a while

Greetings Dear Reader,

Apologies for the lack of updates in the last few weeks but I have been a bit busy.

After a spell of illness prevented me from cycling, I am now back out on the road, and have been hitting the tarmac a fair bit. Just last week I cycled 30 miles to work and then of course the 30 miles home again.
I have been going for shorter (20 mile) rides in the evenings, and upping the distance at weekends, and working on getting the sponsorship for the ride.

All this whilst sorting out the plans and booking various services for my wedding in November.
Oh yes, and work as well !!

I'm feeling good on the bike and the everything is starting to look rosy.

Only 73 days to go now, so it's now the time to up the pace a bit more, and still fit in everything else, along with football stewarding duties now the start of pre-season friendlies is upon me.

Roll on the end of November, I'll be ready for a good rest then !!!

Until next time.