Land's End to John o' Groats 2010.

Finished!

2010-07-26T14:55:00.008+01:00

It's a strange feeling now that it's all over. Apart from the physical aspects (like a very sore arse and achy knees) there isn't really anything that shouts out "I Cycled from Land's End to John o' Groats!" My bike is back in the shed, awaiting a thorough clean and service and my bags are in the corner of the bedroom waiting to be sorted, clothes washed and bits tidied away. I feel different, although it's hard to explain exactly how. I've experienced things I hadn't done before and pushed myself, both physically and mentally to extremes that I hadn't known existed. I feel calmer, relieved and a bit humbled.

What would I change if I was to do it again? Well, first of all, I'd stay off that damn stupid A30 between Penzance and Exeter. That was definitely an accident waiting to happen. The same goes for the A9 in Scotland. No no no no no! or should that be Noo noo noo noo for the A9? Again, I took too much kit. Not as much excess as the Leeds & Liverpool Canal ride but still, I could have done without one of the jerseys, socks, boxers, hair gel. I binned some of it on day one! The hair gel, half of the toothpaste, sun cream (If only I'd known how much rain i'd get!) and the two bags of sweets all went before I started, meaning 1kg less to carry. Otherwise I think I got my kit more or less spot on.

My mileage averaged at 111 miles per day over eight days. That really did push me to my limits in the conditions I was enduring. To be riding in constant, often torrential rain for seven out of the eight days was demoralising to say the least. There were more than a few occasions when I would have gladly dumped the bike in a ditch and thumbed a lift to the nearest railway station! Whether the miles would have been easier in good weather I don't know. If I do an event like this again, I will definitely drop my daily limit to about 70 or 80 miles a day.

I am very happy with the way my bike performed. It was comfortable, relatively light (10kg) and I had no mechanical problems whatsoever during the entire ride. I had one puncture on the first day, but the staple that went in wouldn't have been prevented by anything. Even though the bike had a daily soaking it rode just as smooth after a spray of WD40 and some chain lube. Click Here to see the bike I used, including the additions and changes to make it LeJog-proof.

The one piece of equipment I could not have done without was my iPod Nano. This tiny miracle saved my sanity! Through days of torrential rain, knee pain, loneliness and sometimes fear! My Nano was there to keep me company. Sometimes it would play something that would make me burst into tears and other times I would be screaming my head off while coasting down a hill at 40 mph!

Overall I would say that it was an experience of a lifetime, but one that I won't repeat. Not because I didn't enjoy it, although I can't say I enjoyed it because it rained so hard all week that I struggled through most of it! I've done it now and once I've done something I like to move on to the next challenge. Had it not been for the rain I would have been able to take in the sights and beauty of the country I was cycling across. What I will say is that I don't regret doing it because I did get a lot from the experience. Would I recommend it to others? Definitely!

Day Eight - Kiltearn to John o' Groats

2010-07-25T14:08:00.015+01:00

The last day! I'm surprised to be here when I think about everything that's happened over the last week. Injury, constant rain, floods, more injury, water damaged equipment and even my bike is showing signs of rust and it's less than three months old! Kiltearn House is a gorgeous guest house located on the shore of Cromarty Firth, just north of Inverness. I arrived yesterday evening to a particularly warm welcome and spent a relaxing evening chatting with a guest about my experiences so far. Things feel really different this morning. The sun is shining, winds are light and I have a sense of excitement mixed with relief that this is almost over. The surroundings of the guest house contribute towards a more relaxed start to the day. I enjoy breakfast before hugs and handshakes from other guests and the owners upon my departure.

The A9 from here is single lane all the way Latheron (about 70 miles) before turning into the A99 that goes through Wick and onto John o' Groats, 105 miles away. I snap a quick photo of me on the shore of the firth before heading off. Shaun travelled from our house to Edinburgh yesterday and set off from Edinburgh early this morning to meet me at John o' Groats. The morning sun was really nice, although despite a forecast of dry weather all day I still felt a sense that rain would eventually fall after the experience of the week before. Knowing that today would be my last day made it easier to push that bit harder, despite the pain in my knees now being really hard to stand. It took a good twenty miles before they loosened up.

The first thirty miles were really nice. Predominantly flat with a slight headwind but nothing that made me have to work harder. I stopped at Golspie for a snack and five minutes in the sun outside the local shop before continuing. I felt very spiritual today, if that's the right word? A sense of calm, deep thought, as if my mind was coming to terms with everything that had happened over the last week. More than the week though, the last year, with all the planning as well as the actual ride itself. I kept thinking of the finish and what would happen? Would I cry? I wanted to cry when I thought about it! Such an emotional day today but it was brilliant to experience.

I haven't passed a single cyclist going in the same direction as me during the whole journey. I've passed about twenty or thirty going the other way but none going to John o' Groats. Today I saw two walkers, both heading to John o' Groats. One, an old looking guy (but it might just have been his unshaven appearance that made him look old) and a young backpacker. I stopped and chatted with the backpacker for a few minutes before carrying on.

As I reached the village of Lothmore, the hills began to creep up. The A9 follows the coast and the road begins to come a bit further inland at this point. At Helmsdale it really starts to climb. This is where Shaun passed me in the van. He would be in John o' Groats in an hour. I would be another three or four yet! Upon reaching the summit above Helmsdale the road stays pretty high before descending once again. Unfortunately, the wind also began strengthening and I was cycling directly into a moderate north easterly headwind which was to stay with me for the next fifty miles to the end. Adrenalin, impatience and a desire to finish pushed me through those final miles, past the town of Wick and to the turn off for John o' Groats.

About a mile before the finish line there's a B&B by a field. It stands alone, overlooking the main part of John o' Groats. Despite me being desperate to finish, I stopped the bike and stood, leaning against the gate of the field and looked over John o' Groats. This was my little moment of reflection. A bit emotional but a few moments before the official end to let my mind compute what was about to happen. It sounds daft but I needed it, and enjoyed it. I texted Shaun to let him know I would be there in a few minutes and after removing my helmet and shades, jumped back on the bike and belted into John o' Groats heading straight for the famous sign where Shaun was waiting for me.

Totals for the day:

Miles: 104.8

Average Speed: 13.1 mph

Maximum Speed: 39.1 mph

Total Ascent: 3966 ft

Calories Used: 6173

Bike route 629092 - powered by Bikemap

Day Seven - Pitlochry to Kiltearn

2010-07-25T13:20:00.010+01:00

'Welcome To Pitlochry In Bloom' said the sign. More like welcome to Pitlochry in FLOOD! Today is Day 7 of my journey and it has rained every day so far. The rain started yesterday afternoon despite a forecast of dry, sunny weather. It continued all of last night and the area around Pitlochry (Perth & Kinross) had the worst floods for over 17 years! As you can see by Clicking Here many roads were closed in the area. By Wednesday morning, most of Pitlochry was cut off by the flood waters. All road and rail routes were flooded and I had no idea how I could escape the village. I went down to breakfast at 8am and was on the brink of tears again. I felt so depressed. The rain had been more or less constant since I set off last Thursday. Every day I had gotten soaked to the skin and for what? To finally get stopped in my tracks by flooding. The breakfast itself was gorgeous! Cooked to perfection, and the staff, who could see my obvious distress waited on me with a little extra attention, reassuring me that this would be okay, that the roads would be open very soon and that I would be on my way in no time. It was an excuse for second helpings and another round

of toast!

I called Shaun from my room and more or less said that it was over. He started crying, which started me crying and it was like Worcestershire last Saturday all over again. The tears released frustration and built up stress. As if by magic, the rain eased a little and I got news that the A9 had re-opened. It wasn't perfect, and it would be dangerous in the rain, but it was my only way out of Pitlochry and the only way I was going to get closer to John o' Groats.

Once again the computer wasn't working due to the heavy rain yesterday. It wouldn't matter too much as long as I stayed on the A9 as it would take me directly to Inverness, 97 miles away. I thanked the hotel manager for his help and pedaled off towards the flooded road at the bottom of the hill. Even then, I had to wade through water a foot deep to get on the only road open, the dreaded A9! The road itself had been closed to to damage caused by the flood waters racing off the hills. (see pic). The rain was still falling and I had nothing but dread for the day ahead!

Today's route took me across the Cairngorms. What should have been the most beautiful section of the ride , but once again spoiled. Masked by rain, low cloud and the spray from cars and lorries thundering past me at stupid speeds. For almost a hundred miles I was concentrated on a spot, two metres in front of me as I pedaled for my life. No wonder I got such a decent average speed today. Fear and desperation are a good motivator! Inverness could not have come too soon. I was cold, wet, depressed and had given up all hope of finding a quiet B road to make the day somewhat less stress full. From Inverness I knew it was only 17 miles. If I tried really hard I could be in the warm, cosy B&B in just over an hour. It took two hours but never mind!

Totals for the day:

Miles: 110.7

Average Speed: 14.1 mph

Maximum Speed: 34.1 mph

Total Ascent: 3583 ft

Calories Used: 6823

Bike route 583238 - powered by Bikemap

Day Six - Broughton to Pitlochry.

2010-07-25T12:31:00.011+01:00

For the first time in the last six days, the sun was shining when I set off from Glenholm in Broughton. The forecast for the day was sunny spells and warmer temperatures of 20c. In addition, the route for today was, for the majority of the day, a gradual descent from the hills above Edinburgh down towards to foothills of the Cairngorms. On paper, it looked like a good day. As ever, I shouldn't have let my confidence show itself! After the torrential rain of yesterday, my bike computer and GPS were having problems again, the same as they did this time yesterday in Kendal. The route map would not display yet the computer seemed okay. I decided to give the computer some sun and followed the same road I left the evening before.

South Lanarkshire is quite beautiful. The sweeping hills in the morning sun were a delight to cycle. Long country lanes, single track with wild fields of heather and the odd farm with livestock grazing in the fields. The first village I came across was Biggar. It looks like a typical North Yorkshire type village with stone cobbled streets and a small but well stocked centre with all the amenities you could need. I stopped at the convenience store for supplies of water, Ibupforen and biscuits before heading off back out into the country.

While taking the picture (on the right) a woman shouted me from further up the road. She was struggling to free a Sheep with it's head caught between the wire of the fence. I pedaled up and we both tried, unsuccessfully, to free the sheep who stubbornly would not move it's head to allow us to free it. Luckily, a nearby farmer had seen us and soon arrived gallantly on his quad bike. He managed to free the sheep within seconds, making me feel a bit useless! The farmer smiled and said something in such a strong Scottish accent that I didn't understand a word. He looked at me as if expecting an answer so I smiled and said goodbye! I got on the bike and daren't look back!

The next 40 miles or so were pretty fast going. With a nice southerly breeze behind me and the first bit of dry weather for six days, it felt pretty good. I flew through Falkirk and Grangemouth heading up towards Stirling. As much as I dislike cycling through towns and cities, Stirling was actually quite a nice place to see. It also saw the first railway crossing of the whole journey! I stopped by the river and had lunch before setting off thinking how good today was turning out to be. Heading out of Stirling the steep ascent led me onto the A9. This was another road that I had been warned about, yet took too little notice of in hindsight. The A9 starts off pretty harmless, It was fine as I cycled through Dunblane but then the problems started.

Like the A30 in the South West, the A9 is the main route through Scotland from Falkirk in the south all the way to Thurso on the north coast. Some of it is single lane traffic but a lot of it is very fast, busy dual carriageway with no bike lane, hard shoulder or path. The last place you would want to be on a cycle! As busy as it was, it wasn't that bad until I reached some roadworks near Gleneagles. The carriageway was down to one lane and there was definitely no room for bicycles. I was stuck, stranded in the middle of nowhere and my GPS was still not working from the rain the day before. I had to phone Shaun for help.

As if to make matters worse, the sunny day began to show signs of clouding over. Black clouds were building and the air was becoming humid. I could see showers falling a few miles to the west. Shaun called me back and suggested the only alternative route. The A882/887 scenic route. It took me into Pitlochry via a village called Crieff, but also over several large mountains, adding about 5 miles to my day and about 2000 ft to the daily ascent. I had no choice but to go for it.

No sooner had I set off, it started raining. The shower had grown and merged with other showers and the sunny day had turned into the wettest day so far! The sky was so heavy that it looked angry, almost black, much darker than I had ever seen before. I scrambled to get the bike bag covers on and unpack my waterproof jacket and lights before pedaling off in rain so hard it was hurting my face! For the second day in a row, weather warnings had been issued for torrential rain and I had no idea that I was heading straight into the centre of it.

I finally arrived in Pitlochry at just after 8pm. Almost three hours over my expected time but more than relieved to be out of the storms that had already caused floods around the village I had just reached. Within hours, the village had been cut off by flooding as the rains continued to hammer down.

Totals for the day:
Miles: 122.2
Average Speed: 12.8 mph
Maximum Speed: 36.4 mph
Total Ascent: 4499 ft
Calories Used: 7335

Bike route 629054 - powered by Bikemap

Day Five - Kendal to Broughton.

2010-07-25T10:58:00.008+01:00

When I woke up my instinct was to look out of the window at the river, which the evening before had been rising to within a few feet of my hotel window. This morning it was a foot away and it was still raining. I really wanted to stay in bed with the thought of the two highest climbs of the entire trip coming today but at 6.40am I knew I had to get up if I was to have time to get my bag repacked, grab breakfast and make a start on those hills. My clothes had dried out from the night before thanks to the towel rail in the bathroom. I relined the bags with bin liners to try and stop rain penetrating through the covers as had happened the previous few days.

I peddled out of the hotel at 7.30am only to stop within yards to find my computer wasn’t playing ball. It wouldn’t display the route for the day. After trying everything I could think of I called Shaun to see if he could find the error message on Google. After ten minutes of unsuccessful searching, the computer sparked back into life without any obvious reason. The route was showing and I was on my way. Riding out of Kendal I stopped at a busy looking petrol station / shop and bought some supplies for the day including a massive cheese bap, some home-made cakes, Red Bull and chocolate.

The rain was still falling as I left Kendal and my left knee and right Achilles tendon were really sore. Since day two I found that they usually wore in after about five or six miles and hoped today would be the same. After ten miles they were as sore as ever, giving me excruciating pain on every push of the pedal. Knowing I had Shap to climb I started panicking and called Shaun again. “I can’t do this” I told him, “I can’t even pedal on the flat, never mind the hill that’s coming”. There were a few tears, a few moments of silence and then a burst of enthusiasm and renewed energy. I was off again and this time the pain seemed less severe, easing off a bit more for every mile I peddled.

Shap hill is not very steep, although at about 1400ft it is high. The incline was masked by very low cloud and the continuing rain. With my head down, concentrating on a point about two metres in front of the bike, I dropped gears and worked my way up the hill, watching the ascent on my bike computer going up. 500ft… 600… 700… Road works near the summit seemed to appear from the murky cloud and just after I reached the summit, marked by a stone and plaque dedicated to the road users and builders. At the summit it actually stopped raining! I don’t know whether it was because I was above the cloud or whether the gods were taking pity on my previous five days of soakings, but the respite was appreciated as I sat behind the stone, sheltered from the bitterly cold blustery wind, eating Jaffa Cakes and downing my second tin of Red Bull.

For the first time in this journey I used the thermal fleece jersey I had brought with me. At the summit of Shap the computer registered an air temperature of just 8 degrees. It could have been the middle of January up there despite it being more like 20 degrees back in Kendal. Wrapped in three layers and satisfied with my morning’s work I set off on the descent towards Penrith and Carlisle. Within a few minutes I was emerging from the clouds, back into what seemed like normal civilisation. After a fast descent of about two miles, the road levelled off and the rain started once again. I stopped for lunch in a bus shelter on the outskirts of Carlisle where I sat quite happily watching the rain and eating my sandwiches for a few minutes.

Upon heading out of my shelter it was a fast descent into Carlisle centre, about a mile before something caught my attention. My right pocket felt different… my bike shades… SHIT! Where were they? I took them off in the bus shelter and must have left them there. I really needed them so I had to turn round and pedal back up the hill to get them. When I got back to the bus shelter they weren’t there, despite looking in the same place a dozen times! I scanned around the floor and outside but nothing. I resigned myself to the fact that I’d have to buy some new ones in Carlisle and got back on the bike for my second descent into town. After about a hundred yards I saw something in the road. Yey! My shades! Still in one piece and unmarked despite being almost crushed by what must have been forty or fifty cars that had driven clear of them. Panic over!

After Carlisle I crossed the Scottish Border and into Gretna, where the rain really started again! It continued as I rode through Lockerbie and over the A701 at Moffat. This is where it got scary. The A701 'scenic' Edinburgh road should be beautiful in the middle of July. It climbs over 100 ft into the hills of southern Scotland. Today was nowhere near beautiful. All of my clothes were soaked and I was now climbing into colder, windier air. I could feel my body getting cold and there was nothing I could do because I had no dry clothes. There was nowhere to shelter, no pubs, houses, bus stops, nothing! I remembered the first signs of Hypothermia from my SCUBA diving days and confusion began when I noticed a red warning light flashing on my handlebars. Confusion because I didn't have a red warning light on my handlebars! It was there though, telling me to stop. The only choice I had was to try and find shelter to warm up. Luckily, a camper van approached and I flagged it down and explained my situation. The kind couple invited me in, made me coffee and could dry off my windproof jacket enough to get me to Broughton.

After a warm up and chat with the camper van couple I sprinted the last twenty miles and arrived to a warm house with a roaring fire and a hot meal of chicken and haggis.

Totals for the day:

Miles: 109.5

Avergage Speed: 13.2 mph

Maximum Speed: 35.5 mph

Total Ascent: 4583 ft

Calories Used: 6833

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Day Four - Nantwich to Kendal.

2010-07-18T20:40:00.007+01:00

After the shock of my knee injury yesterday I was wary about what today would bring. Deep down, I knew in my mind that today would decide whether I was able to seriously consider the rest of the journey. My confidence was low, the rain was already falling, again, and I wasn't expecting a good day. It's a good job people don't pay me to make predictions! The rain was on and off during the morning but my knee felt tons better! Unlike yesterday, the miles were flying by and before I knew it I was making my first 25 mile break. I'd come from the Shropshire / Cheshire border, through Nantwich, Middlewich and Northwich all in the space of under two hours. Fab!

The miles continued to fly as I raced through a quiet Warrington and towards Wigan. With my iPod blasting my Pet Shop Boys songs I was singing, or screaming, depending on your opinion through the streets of Wigan, attracting stares and several comments that I couldn't hear over the music!

With 55 miles done and the rain, once again, starting to get heavier and more persistent, I stopped by a bus shelter and had lunch, several cheese sandwiches, very kindly prepared by the B&B owner from last night. A young lad walked past me smoking a joint. I would have swapped my Desert, a Wispa Duo, Caramel and a 500ml bottle of water for that joint! Refuelled, I was ready to polish off the last 50 miles, hopefully as well as the first 55.

You see, I did it again! I got confident and the big man in the sky thought "sod you matey" and turned the cold water taps on. I'm serious! I didn't know it but a weather warning had been issued for up to 75mm of torrential rain and I was heading straight into it. From Preston, through to Lancaster and onto Kendal, for over three hours it rained, and rained, and rained. Torrential is an understatement! Just as luck would have it the climbs started as well. Not too steep or long but enough to have me spitting and swearing at cars who were drowning me in their wake.

I arrived in Kendal at 5.15pm looking like a drowned rat on a bike. As a treat, I had booked a nice hotel to mark the halway point. The bad news was that the idylic riverside view had turned into a flood waiting to happen! I'm now halfway to John O' Groats but the real hills start tomorrow!

Totals for the day:
Miles: 104.8
Average Speed: 14 mph
Maximum Speed: 29.7 mph
Total Ascent: 2202 ft
Calories Used: 6444

Bike route 629029 - powered by Bikemap

Day Three - Bristol to Nantwich.

2010-07-17T20:57:00.009+01:00

After a surprisingly peaceful night in my prison cell room in Bristol, I was keen to get on my way after a less than pleasant stay in B Wing. I left at 7.30am feeling quite buoyant about my 126 mile trek to Nantwich. The first two days had gone pretty well, and apart from my usual achy left knee I felt fine. I think that this early confidence was a bit premature for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the climb out of Bristol was a killer. Secondly, I just couldn't get into the 'zone'. Some people talk about this 'zone' and I completely agree with it's existence. On days one and two I hardly looked at my bike computer and the early miles passed quickly. Today was different, something wasn't right and the miles were really dragging during the morning. I stopped after about two miles to take a photo of the Severn Bridge before starting off again.

One thing I've learned is that however hard the going, however weak or unmotivated I feel, the best thing to do is to keep the wheels turning. It's easy to stop for a break but then it's even harder to get going than it was before. Today was definitely one if these days and after what seemed like an eternity I still only had ten miles on the clock! After climbing out of Bristol I was soon in Gloucestershire, then Worcestershire and through into Staffordshire. That's when the real problem started!

I stopped for my 25 mile break. Got off the bike and had a wonder around, stretching my legs and shoulder, taking a drink and some biscuits. When I got back on the bike I clipped my left leg into the pedal, pushed down and SNAP! Imagine somebody pushing a knife into your knee and twisting it. That's what it felt like. Everytime I pressed down on the pedal that's what happened. I jumped off the bike and the pain disappeared as quick as it came on. Got back on and it did it again! I had to try and work it so off I went, making my right leg take most of the work. After a few minutes the pain eased off and I started peddling normally.

The day was really dragging now and the shock of what happened had me convinced that I would have to give up. With nothing but busy main roads and this pain, my mind was racing and I was getting more and more wound up. I stopped after an hour, got off the bike as before and got back on. It did it again! My heart sank. This was it. I'd failed and would have to give in. Even if I struggled through to a meeting point for Shaun to pick me up I would never live this down. All I could think was failure! I was gutted.

I tried carrying on but didn't get far before I had to stop. I rang Shaun to tell him what had happened. When he answered I began to explain and then burst into tears. All of the stress, frustration and pain came out in floods of tears. We talked about giving up, Shaun stressing that I couldn't risk permanently damaging my knee. In the end it came down to sheer determination. The tears had released some stress and I actually felt better, more relaxed and found some strength to carry on, despite having another fifty miles to do!

As mysteriously as the pain came on, it disappeared as quickly. My knee ached the rest of the day and felt really sensitive, but I was able to get moving, albeit slower and having to be careful climbing hills. The miles were still slow but I was getting there. I eventually arrived just south of Nantwich after six pm. A beautiful B&B, tucked away on the edge of a forest and run by a very friendly couple, Linda & Richard, who gave me a warm welcome from the rain and soon had me fed and watered before a relaxing evening in front of the TV.

Totals for the day:
Miles: 126.4
Average Speed: 13.9 mph
Maximum Speed: 34.2 mph
Total Ascent: 3769 ft
Calories Used: 7649

Bike route 629023 - powered by Bikemap

Day Two - Okehampton to Bristol.

2010-07-16T19:49:00.005+01:00

Unlike last night, I slept like a log in Okehampton. When I woke up my clothes were still hung in front if the open window to dry off properly and my bike computer and phone were charged up. The forecast was for showers this morning and heavier thunderstorms later in the afternoon. Joy! Luckily, the wind was still a strong South / South Westerly which meant I was in for some help from mother nature, even if I was going to get drenched! After a shower and breakfast I headed off. It's been a funny day as you'll soon read, and it started off with a mile and a half climb out of Okehampton. Not enjoyable when your legs haven't warmed up yet. I also decided today to stay off the A30 today, finding an very scenic alternative route (A382). I have to say that was the right decision. Despite some nasty hills, it was a more enjoyable morning as I headed towards Exeter through Dartmoor.

Most of the day was relatively uneventful. After leaving Exeter I steadily increased my average speed and headed towards Somerset. I stopped for lunch in Bridgewater and then spent an enjoyable couple of hours with a tailwind and flat ground that brought me to the foot of the Mendip Hills. That's where the fun started!

The hills just seemed to keep climbing, and climbing, and climbing! To add to the fun, it started raining, then thundering, then really raining hard. The hills became fast flowing rivers and I was getting soaked to the skin. Should I stop? There wasn't any shelter! I had to keep moving and hope the worst of the storm passed. The hills kept coming, and despite not being able to see anything but sky around me the road just kept going up! At the top of the hill an EasyJet plane flew about 100 feet above me, landing at Bristol Airport. From there it was downhill into Bristol. The rain lasted an hour and a half, only easing as I entered Bristol centre. At least my bag cover and computer survived! The rest of me was completely sodden and my kit is now drying out in my room.

Totals for the day:
Miles: 106.6
Average Speed: 13.8 mph
Maximum Speed: 34.7 mph
Total Ascent: 4425
Calories Used: 6693

Bike route 629006 - powered by Bikemap

Day One - Land's End to Okehampton.

2010-07-16T18:53:00.009+01:00

I didn't' sleep very well last night and I was wide awake by 6am. A combination of nerves, excitement and anticipation. The heavy rain was continuing when I drew the curtains, disappointed that my first day would be a wet one. After showering I had to re-pack the bike bags due to one side been heavier than the other. It caused a few wobbles on my cycle from Penzance yesterday. After breakfast I double checked everything and was waved off by the owners of the B&B. It was only a 5 minute cycle ride to Land's End and I was surprised how commercial it is, full of shops and minor attractions. A bit like Blackpool but only one building! It was however, empty. Everything was closed and the only people I saw were a group of French cyclists who were just setting off as I arrived. I waved to the first few but after getting a dirty look I ignored the rest. They were on high spec race bikes with bright, sponsored jerseys and a support (nanny) vehicle following them.

So there I was, all alone at the Land's End sign, overlooking the cliffs and crashing sea. It was spitting with rain, made worse by the 50 or 60 mph gusty winds. I took the obligatory photo and sat on the saddle for a moment thinking 'oh well, this is it then, here we go!', before pedalling off. Despite the rain, the wind was from the South West and it gave me a helping hand the whole day. The first ten miles to Penzance flew by and I soon had my target average speed of 15 mph. It was very hilly though. Short, sharp ascents and descents, but not too much of a problem at this early stage.

After leaving Penzance the A30 suddenly becomes very busy, another lane appeared and the traffic gets faster! After talking to other people who have used this road, the advice was to use the mini-hard shoulder. At only a foot wide in places it really is 'mini'. I soon established that this safer alternative was covered in glass, stones, flints and other bits of road debris. Unfortunately, the alternative was heavy traffic moving at upwards of 90 mph. I decided to take my chances with the hard shoulder, after all, I had puncture resistant tyres fitted. These sort of tyres can only do so much and I soon found that out when I suddenly felt the bike wobble while coasting down a hill at 36 mph. The wobble turned into an uncontrollable shaking and the bike veered off into the first lane of the road. I heard a lorry brake sharply to avoid hitting me and within a second or two I had gotten the bike under control and slowed to a stop. The culprit was an industrial size staple lodged right through the tyre and tube.

So, my first brush with death and only 60 miles into the trip. I decided that I'd take my chances with the traffic instead. I put my very hi-vis jacket on and stayed on the main road. I stopped at Fraddon for some lunch at McDonalds before heading off the wrong way and having to do a 2 mile detour to get back en-route! The wind was picking up and the rainclouds starting to gather behind me. I was still 30 miles from Okehampton and the A30 was getting frustratingly busy. Not a good time to be getting blown into the path of traffic by strong gusts of wind! More than once I got beeped at and some obscenity shouted at me from behind the glass. I couldn't help it! The winds got hold of my bike and threw me up to a foot or two into the road. It was only luck that prevented me from being hit.

Finally, after a final big climb and wet descent, I arrived in Okehampton. To say it was raining is an understatement. Once I dropped my stuff in my room I walked the 500 yards to the local supermarket only to get soaked to the skin. I had to spend the rest of the evening naked in my room, drying my clothes with the hairdryer! My advice to anyone doing the LeJog is to definitely avoid the A30 between Penzance and Exeter. It's okay from Land's End to Penzance but it just not worth the risk from there on.

Totals for the day:
Miles: 102.7
Average Speed: 15 mph
Maximum Speed: 40.1 mph
Total Ascent: 5732 ft
Calories Used: 6502

Bike route 628998 - powered by Bikemap

Day Zero - Sennen

2010-07-14T20:36:00.006+01:00

Well here I am. Sat in a beautiful B&B in Sennen, about a mile from Land's End. I set off at 10.30am this morning from Doncaster, travelling First Class all the way to Penzance. I booked the tickets in advance and only cost me about a hundred quid. It's been a long, but nice journey. The bike was stored in the front coach of the train from Doncaster and luckily First Class was the next coach so I only had about ten yards to walk. I had half of the coach to myself all the way to London with regular coffee and biscuits from the over-friendly trolly dolly. I think his name was Dierdre. It was a relatively quick journey to London at just under two hours. On arrival at Kings Cross I had to find Paddington station for my connection to Penzance. Jeeze! What a stress biking across London! It only took me 15 minutes but it felt like an hour! Busses and Taxis really don't give a toss about cyclists and just cut you off without warning. I've never cycled so defensively in my life.

Anyway, I arrived in one piece at Paddington with 20 minutes to spare. Paddington is a strange station. It seemed to be more like an underground bunker when I saw the main entrance. Unfortunately, this train's cycle storage was at the opposite end of the train so I had what felt like a half mile walk to and fro to lock my bike up. My seat was in the 'quiet' coach in First Class. I sat down and relaxed into the plush leather seat ready for five hours of travelling in peace. This was rudely spoiled when two guys in suits came bumbling through the carriage guffawing and talking loudly, taking the seats right behind me. I quickly cottoned on that they were politicians by the way they were talking. Mainly bollocks, but mentions of committees, business department and something about forty thousand jobs?!?

For the most part, after the Tory boys disembarked at Exeter, it was a really nice journey, despite being over five hours long! Beautiful rolling hills, aged forests and many marshes and tidal plains. The section between Exeter and Newton Abbott is especially beautiful. The railway runs right on the edge of the sea for miles, through towns like Exmouth and Dawlish. Spectacular in my opinion. The railway then moves slightly inland before passing through Plymouth, Bodmin and then winds it's way into Penzance. At Plymouth I was cheered along by Carole & Sam. (see picture).

For the last half hour of the journey I had the whole coach to myself. Not a soul in sight. I decided to change into my bike gear where I was sat. There was nobody about so why not? I stood up and took my trackie bottoms off, folded them and tucked them in my bag. I unfolded my cycle shorts and then I heard the carriage door open. One of the train cleaners walked in. I was stood in the carriage in my Armani pants and nothing else!!! I went bright red and tried explaining that I was just changing. The woman grinned and just said "Oooooooh, alright!" and stood watching while I hurriedly fumbled my cycle shorts on.

Upon arrival at Penzance the sun was shining. Most of the way down there had been heavy showers. It was really blustery though, from the South West, a headwind for my cycle to the B&B in Sennen, eight miles away. All I can say is that if the whole LeJog was like the 8 miles from Penzance to Sennen, I wouldn't dare attempt it! Talk about rollercoaster hills. I got a cramp after 5 miles, mainly due I think to been sat on the train all day (I hope!). I know that the first two days are going to be the worst but I hope my knees survive!

So I arrived at the B&B at 7.30pm. Wet and flustered after an hours riding into a 30mph headwind and a heavy shower for the last mile. I'm staying at Mayon Farmhouse, where a warm welcome and cream teas with scones were waiting for me. The room is gorgeous and overlooks the hills and sea. I'm having breakfast at 7.30am with a view of setting out at 8am. The weather forecast is for very heavy rain along with gales. Pile this on top of the 4200 feet I have to climb and I am sure that if I survive I will be able to claim myself as a hardcore LeJog'er!

No Route, No Brainer!

2010-07-07T13:15:00.005+01:00

Mad! Crazy! Idiot! Amateur!

Just some of the names being thrown at me this morning and it's funny as... well, let's say fudge. Yesterday I tweeted that unlike 99.9% of other people who cycle from Land's End to John O' Groats, I wouldn't be taking a pre-planned route or GPS maps to guide me. I've decided to set off and make my own way the 1000 miles to John O' Groats.

For the doubters and other critical beasts who think I should be castrated and locked up (why castrated I don't know!), here's why I'm doing it this way.

First of all, I am different. I've always been the strangest boy in the class for some reason and I want to do this differently to everyone else. Of course I understand the benefits (or need) to having a pre-determined route, but for me that takes away a large element of fun, the unpredictability. My idea of making this an enjoyable, memorable and interesting challenge is to make it as unpredictable as possible. I want to have to make choices and decisions on the spot. I want to be able to cycle as much or as little as I want in a day, not be constrained by a daily target.

So it's decided. No route, no pre-booked accommodation, no maps, no GPS. Maybe the straitjacket is a good idea after all... woop woop woop, jibber jibber.....

My LEJOG Bike 2010

2010-07-01T11:02:00.006+01:00

Here she is! After loads of research, reading reviews and asking people their thoughts and experiences, I've kitted the bike out with what I hope is going to be the most efficient equipment for the job.

The bike now weighs just under 20kg including all the extra kit. Almost double the bike's original weight. I'm really happy with this because my last event (The Leeds & Liverpool Canal) had me carrying over 28kg, and that was for a two day trip! The difference this time is that all of the carriage weight is in the bag and panniers rather than on my back like last year. That mistake cost me chronic saddle sores that took weeks to heal.

The biggest challenge I faced this time, even before I set off next week, was exactly what I would need, the best kit for the bike and how much space I would need for my stuff. It's difficult to find answers when people have different opinions based on their own personal experiences. Then when I have an idea of what I need there's the question of which I choose. For example, which of the 30 odd puncture resistant tyres do I buy? Which of the dozens of racks and bags is the best for me?

I'm sure many people who decide to do these long cycle expeditions for the first time must have similar problems. Therefore I've dedicated a couple pages to what I bought and why. Just click my Bikes and Equipment pages. My final choices came down to practicalities, value for money and the highest amount of positive reviews from other buyers.

Shopping Over, Cold On It's Way Out!

2010-06-26T19:47:00.003+01:00

This last few weeks has been an arse! My budget for the stuff I need to make this trip work has gone up and my income has dropped a little due to the untimely release of iPhone 4. On top of this, some learned being decided to give me a chest infection, two colds and a broken toe. All this three weeks before I'm due to cycle a thousand miles! Cheers, freak!

Anyway, I've got everything I need now to make the event possible. I've had to ditch the idea of buying a new cycle computer (Garmin Edge 705) as I've run out of funds. Hopefully, a combination of preparation, my iPhone maps, my Garmin 305 and a good sense of direction will see me through.

The list of equipment I am taking with me can be view by clicking the 'Equipment' page on the top right hand page menu.

Anything Else You Want To Throw At Me?

2010-06-25T17:42:00.002+01:00

With just over two weeks until my Land's End to John O' Groats cycle I should be training hard. I wanted to be doing two or three hundred miles this week and next week in preparation but illness and injury is forcing me to take it easy.
My chest infection from a few weeks ago is still bothering me and now I'm full of cold for the second time in a month! To add to all that I broke a toe earlier this week which is making it difficult to wear my cycling shoes because of the pain!
It's so frustrating having to take it easy when I know I should be pushing myself as hard as I can to make sure I'm ready for the work to come but I'm hoping I'll be ok by early next week.

The Date Is Set!

2010-06-14T19:40:00.004+01:00

After two years of thinking and months of planning, the date is finally set for my Land's end to John O' Groats bike ride. I start the event on the morning of Thursday the 15th of July from Land's End.

I'll be travelling down to Penzance by train the day before, leaving Shaun at Doncaster Railway Station with instructions on how to work the washing machine and what to buy at Tesco so that he doesn't starve!

It feels strange now... it's real! I booked my train tickets an hour ago and reserved by bike space. I've reserved a room at a nice (cheap) B&B near Land's End, well, about four miles away but it's a ten mile bike ride from Penzance station on Wednesday evening. When I wake up on the Thursday, it'll be a big breakfast and a four mile warm up as I head for the start line at Land's End.

The next step is to finalise my route and sort out where I'll be sleeping during my trip. The route is now set and I'll be posting details of it in a few days.

Chest Infection Be Gone!

2010-06-05T13:22:00.005+01:00

At last! It's been the longest I've ever had something like a chest infection. Ten days and I'm finally starting, only starting mind, to stop coughing, (although I'm coughing something up as I write this!). So bollocks to the infection and back to some training. A steady ten miles or so today after a similar ride yesterday that tired me out. (Too much too soon and all that).

I took Scott, my mountain bike, out to my favourite trails through Hooton Pagnell, Brodsworth and Hickleton. I've attached a map of the area and highlighted the trails in white. You can see just how beautiful this area is from the aerial shot. This is my favorite time of year to bike through the woods and fields. The smells and colours are amazing! Wild garlic at the moment fills one of the woods while another is blanketed in Bluebells. Although the three villages are only a mile apart, the trails can go on for about ten miles.

Crazy thing happened this morning. One of the forests smelled like an old teacher of mine from junior school. How random is that? He wasn't there but it brought back memories of Mr Hepworth and his strangely large nose. ha ha! Well, I've got three more days of anti-biotics and then I can resume proper training. Bring on the rain!!!

Live Tracking

2010-06-03T18:20:00.006+01:00

I've been looking for a good, reliable GPS tracking system so that my friends, family and followers can watch my progress live as I cycle from Land's End to John O' Groats next month. I've begun trialling a system called 'InstaMapping' today. It works by using the GPS receiver on my iPhone and can be tracked on any PC or iPhone on my website. Click the following link for a preview of the Live Tracker. http://www.colindobsononline.com/Live%20Track.htm

The only drawback with this system is that is drains my iPhone battery flat in about four hours, but I'm trying to sort something out with that. If anyone knows of a better system for live GPS tracking, let me know.

Back In Training (soon I hope!)

2010-06-02T17:56:00.002+01:00

So bored and frustrated!!! Aaaaaaaggghhhh!!!! I could smack someone, and believe me, I have a list! My chest infection is getting no better and my coughing fits are horrible, especially on a night. The time away from training is dragging and now that the weather is getting nice again it just makes waiting even worse. The doctor said to give it three or four more days but if I feel better soon I'm going to have a test run on Friday or Saturday.

The good news is that I now have all the funding I need to complete the LEJOG. A very generous donation from the guys at www.green-bros.com on top of other support and savings means I can now get the final bits and pieces I need to set a date for the event. The only thing I need to do now is get at least two or three weeks intensive training in so that I can get up to full fitness.

My thoughts at the moment are to go towards the end of June, or failing that, the end of July. It still depends on cash flow and weather conditions. Stay tuned!

Thanks For The Support!

2010-06-02T17:48:00.003+01:00

I'd like to thank James, Mike, Peter at Green Bros in Pontefract for supporting my upcoming expedition, cycling from Land's end to John O' Groats. Their donation brings the total raised so far to £3,300. Shaun and I buy all off our supplies for our electrical business from Green Bros. They sell electrical and plumbing supplies as well as bathrooms and accessories. I will be promoting Green Bros throughout the next two months of my event training and the ride itself as the main sponsor of the event. Thanks guys!

Planning, Shopping & Writing Lists

2010-05-30T18:11:00.005+01:00

Still feeling crap! I think it's just a cold and a bit of a chest infection, but I'm still not fit for training and I can't stop coughing. It's alright in a way because it's cool and very windy today, so in effect, I have a note to excuse me from training!

The time off has given me a chance to get my list of equipment together that I'll be taking with me on the LEJOG. My last expedition, the Leeds & Liverpool canal ride taught me a lesson where I took far too much stuff that I didn't need. The biggest mistake was carrying it all on a back-pack. In hindsight, I was a tit! Not only does carrying extra weight on your back make your back hurt, but it also contributed towards my chronic saddle sores and made my balance on the bike more difficult.

So rule number one this time around is to fasten my load to a rear rack. Rule two is not to carry anything that I won't absolutely need. Rule three is to make sure there's always room for enough chocolate to last half a day (that's a lot more than you're imagining. No... even more than that!).
I won't bore you with the list of stuff yet. I'll save that for a day when I can't think of anything to write on here. I'll confess that the original list of stuff to take has gone from two full A4 sheets of paper to one, and I want that down to half a page before I go.

Poorly, Sick, Dying...!

2010-05-28T12:10:00.002+01:00

I've got a few days off training, Woo Hoo! No, sorry, I mean D'oh! I started with a cold a couple of days ago and now I think I've got a mild chest infection. So just to be on the safe side I'm taking a few days off and drinking loads of chocolate milk to sooth my acky throat.
On the plus side, I've been checking out some of the other blogs from people who have done the LEJOG and have picked up some really helpful tips. Things like certain places to avoid or roads that seem to have stupidly high cyclist death rates (very interested in avoiding those!).
So it's off to my sick bed, poorly bell at my side and a few days to watch my stories and get better. (cough cough).

Heatwave Part 2.

2010-05-23T17:42:00.002+01:00

It's still hot hot hot! 32 degrees in our garden at 10am this morning! Phew! After yesterday's punisher I decided on a nice, easy going recovery ride on my mountain bike. A couple of hours taking easy around the tracks and trails of Hooton Pagnell, Brodsworth and Hickleton. (Brodsworth hall in the pic). These three villages and the surrounding countryside are my favorite areas for biking. The roads are really quiet, the woods and tracks are always deserted and I usually get them all to myself. No Snickers bar today. I didn't fancy licking the contents out of the wrapper! Instead I had chocoalte buttons... ha ha! No, just water.

Heatwave!

2010-05-22T19:13:00.004+01:00

The hottest day of the year so far. 28 degrees, no wind and a blazing sun. Perfect weather to punish myself with a 50 mile training ride! I got my two bottles full of water, my double Snickers tucked away somewhere cool (Ha!) and my very skimpy favourite 'Fox' cycling jersey on. Today's training ride challenge was to cross into all four counties of Yorkshire. I started off where I live in West Yorkshire heading south towards Sheffield. That's South Yorkshire sorted... then across, heading east towards Doncaster before going north toward Selby and East Yorkshire.

I took a break at the 20 mile mark and licked the melted Snickers bar from the wrapper and downed 500ml of my water in about 3 gulps. Break over, time to go west and cross the border for a few minutes just outside Womersley into North Yorkshire. Phew! Pontefract was only 3 miles away before heading home through Ackworth.

50 Miles , just under 3000 calories and an average speed of 15.7mph. Perfect!

Meeting Mark Beaumont.

2010-05-21T21:04:00.004+01:00

On Wednesday 28th April I was lucky enough to go and meet one of my hero's. Mark Beaumont cycled the world, over 18,000 miles in 194 days, 17 hours. Beating the existing record by a massive 81 days! Then, just a few months ago, he cycled over 13,000 miles from Alaska to Southern Argentina in 268 days. The entire length of the Americas, including climbing the two highest mountains on each continent (Mount McKinly & Mount Aconcagua).

I've been following Mark's adventures since he began in 2007 and although he doesn't agree, he really is a hero to me! Such an inspiring man and a legend in my eyes.

When I met Mark I was surprised how tall he was to start with. People always look taller on TV so I don't know how that happened! Anyway, he is a really nice guy and after handing me a signed copy of his book I got some fantastic advice on how to stay motivated. "Just keep the wheels turning. Keep the wheels turning and you'll soon be a little closer to your goal. The worst thing you can do in your darkest moments is to pause to gather your thoughts. real momentum is built during those moments when despite everything, and against all odds, you keep the wheels moving. Each turn of that wheel is taking you a step closer to your goal."

Fantastic! To find out more about Mark Beaumont, click this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzhPZjWgLt4

Possible Dates For LEJOG.

2010-05-21T20:49:00.003+01:00

I've given my knee three months of serious hammer in order to make sure it will be OK for my Land's End to John O' Groats ride. At last! I'm happy with my knee, with the bike and I've more or less got the route figured out. This evening I've pencilled in a few possible dates for the ride, all are subject to weather forecasts and some important events already booked that I can't miss.
Shaun and I are going to see the Pet Shop Boys twice in July so I am limited for days to start the ride. At the moment the dates I have in mind are the period of 10th till 20th June, 1st till 12th July, 24th July till end of August. Vague I know, but I wanted to record these early dates on here so that I want to see how it ends up!

Hot Hot HOT!!!

2010-05-21T20:33:00.002+01:00

Don't let the picture fool you. I chose this one on purpose. The Cusworth Cycle Trail takes in some breathtaking scenery of South Yorkshire, including the Dearne Valley. It winds its way through many fields, woods and quiet villages and makes for a perfect bike ride. I use various parts of the 15 mile route as part of my training. Cycling at speed through on narrow tracks through the woods is great for building co-ordination and balance. There are some great hills as you follow the valley up and down, great for hill training with the heavy mountain bike! The woods are the best place for training in the current mini-heatwave we're experiencing. Nice and cool, out of the sun but full of insects. I must have eaten literally hundreds of flies and other flying thingys!!! Oh well, it's protein I suppose. I'm getting my new cycle shoes in the morning so hopefully I can push myself and get a hard days cycling in the heat out on the busy roads.

Breaking In The New Bike

2010-05-14T18:04:00.004+01:00

I've been waiting for the weather to warm up just a bit so that I can take the new bike for it's maiden trip. It was great to get my old gear back on and despite the threatening shower clouds I set out to break the bike in gently. A steady 30 mile round trip later and I'm really impressed with it. The picture is of a village called Barnburgh, near Doncaster. Very hilly and a chance to get just over 40mph out of the bike. It's always a bit nervy getting the bike up to such speeds when it's new. What if one of the wheels isn't fastened on tight enough? What if the frame is faulty and the bike breaks up at 40mph? Anyway, it's all fine. I need to make some adjustments to saddle and handlebar height and I need to replace my pedals but apart from that it's fab! After the adjustments I'll start proper outdoor training with some 100 mile runs.

Time Trail

2010-05-14T12:17:00.003+01:00

I do various types of training five times a week to keep my cycling fitness up to scratch. Once a week I do a time trial. This is where I cycle over a ten mile route and time myself. This week I've managed my fastest so far at just 24 minutes 15 seconds, an average of just under 25mph over the ten mile course.

During other days I do hill training, interval training and other weights and cardio exercises to strengthen my core and keep my cycle-essential muscles at their peak. With only a few weeks to go before the LEJOG event I need to increase the amount of training and change my priorities slightly. More of my training time is now spent on the bike I'll be using. Getting used to the saddle and riding position especially! I'll be making some tweaks to the bike and changing a few things to make sure I get the most out of it.

New Bike For The Next Challenge!

2010-05-01T11:05:00.003+01:00

So after a few weeks of research, lots of shopping around and reading countless reviews, and I mean thousands! I've decided on my bike to cycle from Land's End to John O' Groats. My budget is quite limited but I've ordered a Hybrid bike, a Specialized Sirrus 2010 Sport.

I've chosen this particular bike for a few reasons. First of all, I wanted a Hybrid rather than a Road bike. I find Hybrids a lot more comfortable, especially on my wrists and back, due to the slightly different seating position. Secondly, the ride quality is really nice. Very smooth and the gears feel a lot more expensive than they are! The wheels are standard Road bike size and the bike only weighs in at just over 10kg, so speed should be just as good as my Road bike.
Finally, the reviews for this model really outshined all the other Hybrids. I couldn't find a genuine bad review (apart from the odd guy who hates Specialized).

So, I pick up the bike next week and after a final check between whether I take a Medium or Large size, I'll be out on the roads wearing it in and getting used to it. It'll get at least three months wearing in before the event. Plenty of time to strip it down and rebuild for experience, change the tyres and tubes for puncture resistant ones and maybe change the saddle.

Now I can start looking for new accessories!

Back In Training!

2010-04-24T12:44:00.002+01:00

So I started my serious training this time last week. I'm doing about 100 miles a week in the gym and about 60 miles out on the road. That'll change over the next few weeks as I re-adapt back to my outdoor bike. It takes some getting used to after the winter break and the saddle sores can cause problems if I do to much too soon on the outdoor bike, as I learned last summer!

Slight difference in training this year. Last year I spent 100% of my time building my stamina and endurance by doing cardio exercise such as running and of course bike training. This year I'm spending about 30% of my training time on weights exercises, specifically suited to my biking needs. This includes building my back, shoulders, arms and especially my quads and hamstrings in my legs for pedal power!

I have noticed a difference already. I've been weight training since late last year, just as the outdoor season was coming to an end. Already, my core strength and balance have improved dramatically and I feel more steady on the bike. Don't get me wrong, I'm not building muscle in the 'meat head' sense. Just toning and conditioning to maximise my endurance and capability on the bike.

I'm now searching for the perfect bike to do the next event, the Land's End to John O' Groats in August. I'm definitely using a Hybrid type bike, mostly for riding comfort. It will be a fast model, a sports type version with road bike wheels and as light as possible too.

Change Of Plan!

2010-04-16T13:17:00.003+01:00

Two years ago, I planned to cycle from Land's End to John O' Groats. After 3 months of training I had to cancel the event due to a knee injury. Last year I completed a return trip of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, setting a record of just over 22 and a half hours. I was planning to try and beat that record this year but I've changed the challenge!
After a lot of training and investigations into what caused my knee injury, I am now really confident that I can complete the 1000 mile ride. One of the main reasons my knee reacted so badly was to do with the type of bike I was training on. I've always been ok with mountain bikes but not with road bikes (racing type bikes). I've decided to use a Hybrid bike for the event. This has the streamlined wheels and design of a road bike but the handlebars are designed more like a mountain bike and is more comfortable to ride. The leg distance for pedalling is also shorter, which means my knees won't get so sore.
I'm hoping to do the ride in July or August depending on my training and weather conditions. So check back for regular progress reports on the planning and training.

Thank You!

2010-03-08T19:54:00.002Z

Thanks to everyone who has contacted me with messages of support since my story was in the Yorkshire Post last week. I didn't manage to see the article but apparently it was quite good. If anybody has a copy of the paper (Thursday 4th March), I'd love to see it.
Some people have asked if I would be interested in taking part in a group ride or maybe joining me for one way of the ride between Leeds & Liverpool. I haven't thought about it much but if you are confident that you can complete the challenge I would be interested in hearing from you. I still haven't decided on a date for this year's challenge but it will probably be in late June or July, maybe August, depending on the weather.
Now that the weather is very slowly warming up again I'm hoping to start outdoor training soon. The gym bike is OK but I always prefer to use my own bike to train.
Thanks again for the support guys!

Back In Training

2009-10-14T16:11:00.002+01:00

I can't believe it's been two months since the bike ride! I've still got two dark shaded scars on my backside from the sores, but they don't hurt anymore... thank god!

So, I'm back in training and i'm moving the goalposts a bit. In my last post I set a target of 21 and a half hours for the next return trip in June next year. Well... since I got a new trainer I've been doing better than expected and I'm now looking to complete the whole 255 mile return trip in under 20 hours!

Of course I'll need a new bike to do it, that's the excuse anyway! I'll be dumping the backpack this time and losing all but the bare essentials. Last time, I was carrying just over 100kg made up of me (75kg), the bike (18kg), my backpack (11kg) and water (2kg). I am confident that I can get the over weight down to just over 85kg. A saving of about 25kg on last time.

Challenge 2010

2009-08-21T21:38:00.002+01:00

OK, I have set a record of 22 hours and 38 minutes for the return from Leeds to Liverpool on the route of the canal. The challenge now is to beat it!

I am now planning the next event, to take place in late June 2010 with a target of 21 hours and 30 minutes. One hour, eight minutes faster than my current record.

In addition, I'm looking for anyone who is interested in joining me, either for the full return journey of 255 miles or for a one way leg of the event. Of course, you'll need to be fit and I would be more than happy to help in your training between now and next June.

If you're interested in joining the event, email me at ctdobson@hotmail.co.uk

Record Breaking!

2009-08-13T15:57:00.003+01:00

After days of research, waiting, phone calls and emails I am really excited to be able to claim the fastest return bike ride following the route of the Leeds & Liverpool canal. Confirmation arrived this morning that no-one else has recorded a faster time and that my confirmed time / speed is indeed a record.

The total time taken to cycle from Leeds to Liverpool and back, according to the cycle computer was 22 hours and 38 minutes. This is confirmed on my Garmin Edge 305 GPS Cycle Computer, which logs the route, distance, time and speed of each leg of the journey. Unfortunately, someone will probably try and beat this, so it looks like I might have to defend the record next year! Watch this space!!!

I'VE DONE IT!

2009-08-07T20:28:00.009+01:00

On Thursday 6th August, I set off at 5.30am as planned. I had hoped to complete the bike ride in three days but amazingly, I managed it in two. One day there and one back. In the end, my backpack, full with my tent, sleeping bag, groundsheet and other bits and pieces ended up just being 10kg of extra weight that I didn't need. Anyhow, it made the ride that bit more challenging and I learned what I actually needed rather than what I thought I would need. All the details are below. There's some good tips for anyone thinking of doing the ride themselves.

WEATHER
I always preferred to do the ride in dry weather and I was a bit worried that we had had one of the wettest July's on record! It had rained nearly every day and we only had 2 or 3 days of dry weather before I set off. Surprisingly, the entire length outward to Liverpool was pretty dry. There were a few stray puddles (the type that never go away) and some of the more exposed parts of the path were soft, but none of it was particularly muddy or heavy going. Having said that, on the way back there had been some heavy overnight showers and a length of the towpath was quite wet. But still, not heavy or very muddy, just puddles.

Be careful of the sun! Even though it was partly cloudy, I still caught the sun on my neck, face and arms. Luckily, I had packed some suncream and I didn't burn. The breeze when you're moving can disguise the strength of the sun.

On both days, the wind was a light to moderate west/ north westerly blowing at around 7 to 10mph. It wasn't too noticeable heading west until I went over the top of the peak at Foulridge. After that I had a headwind all the way into Liverpool, 82 miles away!

THE BIKE
I used my Scott Aspect 55 mountain bike for the ride. It is pretty new and I got it serviced the day before the ride. A service (either carried out by you or a dealer) will make sure everything is working properly and that cables are the right tension, brake pads good etc... It's a good idea to either use an older bike you are comfortable with or if you plan to buy a new bike, give it time to wear in and let your body get used to it. Get to know it well. Carry out minor repairs and learn what to do if things snap or break. Luckily, I only suffered one puncture during the entire 255 journey, and that was only 5 miles from the end! I used a synthetic 'wet' lube that was supposed to repel water and give better performance. In reality, it did the same as basic bike oil. It attracted the dust and gunk and dried out eventually. Next time I won't spend as much on chain lube! Of all the spares, tools and bits I thought about taking, the only things I would advise are,

A decent, lightweight pump.
Puncture repair kit with metal tyre levers.
A spare inner tube or two.
A good quality multi-tool (I got the Alien II).

Everything else just turned out to be dead weight.

THE TOWPATH
In fairness, most of the towpath is pretty good for cycling. The worst parts in my opinion are stretches between Crossflatts and Skipton, where the towpath narrows to the width of a bike wheel in places and rocks protrude out of the ground. Other noticeable poor stretches are between Skipton and Gargrave, there is a very rough part near Church in Lancashire (the halfway point), Then another a few miles after Wigan towards Liverpool. But after saying that, I would say that about 80% of the towpath is good enough to get a decent speed in comfort. The built up areas have the best paths and the worst ones tend to be out in the middle of nowhere.

One thing to be careful of are the old bridges. Some of them are very low as you enter and it would be really easy to skid and end up in the canal. Especially if someone is coming the other way! At the time of writing, British Waterways were improving a long stretch of the towpath in Kirkstall, Leeds. There were also signs for closures in Wigan and Liverpool starting soon. However, there are easy diversions signposted. As you approach the outskirts of Liverpool & Leeds (about 10 miles out) the towpath becomes really good, wide and easy to cycle. Depending on the time of day, you can fly along them and make good time.

TIMESCALE
I originally planned to do the ride there and back over three days but managed it in two.

Day One. I set off from Leeds City Centre, Lock 1 (River Lock) at 05.30. I took a steady pace with 5 minute rests every 30 minutes, half an hour lunch and lost 20 minutes trying to find the canal in Burnley where it disappeared into a tunnel. I arrived at the end of the canal in Liverpool with a total cycling time of 11 hours, 15 minutes. This equated to an overall average speed of just over 11.3mph.

Day Two. I set off slightly earlier at 4.50am (just as it was getting light) and began my journey back towards Leeds. This time, I took less rests and tried to make use of the tailwind to increase my speed. I only took one 5 minute break every hour and had 10 minutes for lunch. I completed the 127 and a quarter miles in 11 hours and 23 minutes. An overall average speed of 11mph. (I would not recommend attempting this without decent rest intervals. See below).

Altogether, my total cycling time was 22 hours and 38 minutes. This was cycling a total of 255.8 miles (the extra mile came from the diversion at Kirkstall in Leeds where the towpath was closed). This equates to an average speed of just over 11mph.

REST, ENERGY & FOOD
If I'm honest, my personal target was too much. I pushed myself too far and in hindsight I took fewer breaks than I should. At the time of writing this section, I have been home for four hours. I have chronic saddle sores that see me sat on a cushion and wincing every time I move. My knees are aching so bad that It takes me ages to sit, stand, bend or do anything except lie down. My back is not too bad considering the 10kg of backpack I just lugged to Liverpool and back. My own stupid fault for being so impatient. But then again it feels great to have done it in 2 days!

Definitely take at least 5 minutes rest every half an hour and at least half an hour every 4 to 5 hours. Get off the bike, take off your helmet and backpack, sit down, walk about, stretch your calves, thighs, hamstrings and soleus muscles.

As for food, I took loads of energy gels and caffeine energy drinks (Lucozade Sports). As it goes, I stuck to water and muesli bars and felt fine, so the gels were a waste of time! I had a good breakfast before setting off and tried to eat a muesli bar or aot bar at least once every hour for the first few hours to avoid fatigue. A box of 12 bars doesn't weigh that much. It's a good idea to have two water bottles as there are long stretches without shops. I took a British Waterways key (Available at http://www.waterscape.com/) so that I could fill up for free at the water points along the canal (and there are dozens). The key also gives you access to toilets and waste bins. Just look at any canal guide for locations. You can even buy a card that enables you to use showers if you are planning to camp out along the way.

I did stop lunch on the outward leg, but next time I won't have a Burger King as it was repeating on me for the rest of the day! I stuck to snacks with oats, sugar and protein to keep me fuelled up. Chocolate seems to give a quick boost and tastes nice but it's short lived compared to oats and honey. The golden rule is never to wait until you're thirsty to get a drink and eat something at least once an hour. You can't really drink too much, and if you do it just means you have to stop and have a wee!

My bike computer has details of my weight, height, BMI and weight of my bike and backpack. It calculated that I burned 8900 calories on the outward journey and 9250 on the return. That's over 18,000 calories in just two days! So you'll forgive me the Quarter Pounder & Cheese I had when I got back!

Clothing
Padded Shorts. These are a must! Even if you have the comfiest saddle on earth (like I thought I did), you still need these. I had a comfy saddle and padded shorts but I still have saddle sores (and boy are they called sores for a reason!). If you don't like the tight Lycra ones, you can get baggy shorts with padded inners. They look cool too! However, a word of warning... get used to wearing padded shorts because believe it or not, they can sometimes make things worse. because your bum isn't used to the tightness of them, it can sometimes cause friction burns during long periods of cycling. I got two patches (about the size of a credit card) of very sore skin that blistered and took over a week to calm down. I also wore an Adidas Climalite t-shirt (Keeps you cool and wick away sweat) in white to reflect the sun. Ankle socks and trainers that are comfy to wear. Even though you're on a bike you can still get blisters from ill fitting trainers. (As i found out). Most important, a helmet. I am an experienced cyclist with many years of road and mountain biking. I thought I didn't need a helmet till I heard about a guy who went flying over his handlebars, hit his head losing conciousness, landed in the canal and drowned. GET A HELMET!

EQUIPMENT
Of the 10kg of equipment I was carrying, I could have done without about 9 and a half kg of it! It's a good idea to have a bike computer (Mine is a Garmin Edge 305). Because it gives you information that's useful such as Speed, Distance, Calories, Elevation & Time. It's something to look at when the open countryside becomes just another field! A bell is also a real essential item. It's so much nicer than shouting 'EXCUSE ME!' every few minutes.

Take a change of socks and underwear. It stops the bacteria from breeding and prevents infection from saddle sores, (sorry its disgusting) and makes you feel fresher. A lightweight waterproof coat is good if showers are forecast and padded, short fingered gloves stop you getting sores on your hands from gripping the handlebar. A multi-tool, puncture repair kit and pump are also essential. I also took some anti-bacterial gel, hand wipes, ibuprofen, suncream, lip balm and anti-mozzi spray that all came in useful.

OTHER TOWPATH USERS
90% of the people I passed on the way were friendly, courteous folk who waved, smiled or said hello. Unfortunately, there were a few who weren't. Towpath people fall into 4 categories:

Other Bikers.
Usually fly past you without a look, hello, 'alrite or a smile. They seem totally focused on getting wherever they're going as fast as they can. Usually hidden behind their cool looking sunglasses and expressionless face.
The Old Couple.
Taking a steady walk along the canal. They don't hear you're bell at 30 yards, or 20, or 10, or 5 or even when you've stopped right behind them! But they see you smile, they make way and you say thank you!
The Young Couple.
Usually hears your bell at 30 yards but although the male stands on one side, the female panics and can't decide between each side or the middle. Then they have to find the dog... "Rover, stay... Rover stay... Rover come here... ROVER NO!!!" Again though, a smile and a thank you as you pass makes it all OK.
The Fishermen.
Now I'm not a negative person but of the hundred or so fishermen I passed, not one replied to my friendly nod, wink, hello or smile. Not one! Some were sat in the middle of the towpath with rods extended so it was impossible to pass. Several wouldn't even move until you had come to a stop in front of them. I'm sorry, but these people need to show some respect for other towpath users. VERY RUDE!

I'm sorry if I sound disrespectful but as polite as I was, saying thank you and hello to everyone I passed, there were a minority who looked at me as if I shouldn't be there. I never forced my way through and always slowed down to pass people but a minority of people and majority of the fishermen were just down right arrogant. (Apologies to any friendly ones who weren't out when I passed). It was hard to maintain my polite manner but I suppose my advice is to be courteous to everyone despite not receiving the same goodwill in return from some of them.

Off I Go...!

2009-08-03T18:56:00.002+01:00

So after weeks of planning, training and research, I've finally set the date for the bike ride. I'll be leaving from Lock no: 1 in Leeds City Centre (The official start point of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal) at 5.30am on Thursday 6th August.

My backpack is full, my bike has a service on Wednesday to make sure it's ready for the hammer it's going to get and I'm keeping a close eye on the weather!

You will be able to follow my progress live on my Facebook profile. I'll be adding photos and keeping you all updated as I go.

If you haven't sponsored me yet, you can pledge on my Facebook or visit www.forbrenda.co.uk and click the 'Donate' button at the top menu.

Sponsorship & Event Timetable Update

2009-07-27T20:02:00.002+01:00

Sponsorship:
I've started distributing sponsor forms this week and have a target of £1000.00 for this event. If I don't manage to get you to sponsor me, please donate online at www.forbrenda.co.uk (clicking the 'Donate' button). Don't forget that all the money raised goes straight to the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Weather:
Because I'm doing the ride unaided with no support, I'm planning the event around the weather. Even in summer, night time temperatures over the tops of the Pennines have been known to drop as low as 4C and summer storms can deposit as much as 75mm (3 inches) of rain. To ensure my own safety, and to avoid overly muddy conditions on the towpath, I need a few days of dry, breezy, warm weather followed by at least 3 or 4 days of at least dry weather.
I've been keeping a close eye on the Met Office forecasts and confidence is high that conditions will start to improve towards the end of the first week in August with high pressure building to the north by the middle of August. (keep your fingers crossed!).

Training Update

2009-07-25T12:36:00.003+01:00

It's been about a month since I started training and all is well (so far!). The bike is wearing in well and going in for it's first service next week. I've adapted to the bike really well and it is more comfortable that I had expected it to be.

At the moment I'm doing about 150 miles per week between road, off road and gym biking. I know this is a lot less than the 254 miles in four days but my training is concentrated on interval training and spinning. Interval training involves short bursts of rapid cycling followed by intervals of slower, rested spins. Spinning sessions are where I cycle continuously for 30 to 45 minutes without rest at a moderate speed.

I am starting the next level of training this week which involves cycling with my full backpack. It's strange because the weight of the backpack changes my balance on the saddle and i need to adapt to the extra weight. This is why I have been building my core muscles in the gym to make sure I don't put too much pressure on my back and shoulders, which may not be used to the extra weight.

5: The Route

2009-06-21T18:13:00.004+01:00

The canal was originally 127.25 miles long, and until recently, the first quarter of a mile at Liverpool was filled in. However, the canal has recently been extended right into the centre of Liverpool at Albert Dock. Both ends of the canal are close to the main railways stations of Leeds and Liverpool. It is possible to cycle along the towpath along the whole canal, the only exceptions are the two tunnels, Gannow and Foulridge. At the tunnels I will have to find my way over the top to meet the canal at the other side.

The route itself doesn't follow anywhere near a direct line. It snakes around the Pennines, heading much further north to avoid the highest peaks. From the starting point by the Train Station in Leeds I head north west through Rodley towards Shipley, following the valley of the River Aire and the railway line. I go through the old industrial heartlands of Saltaire, past the mills to Bingley and then climb to Skipton and out towards Gargrave and the picturesque outlying villages of Greenberfield and Marton. After 45 miles I will reach Foulridge and the summit of the canal at just over 487 feet above sea level.

From Foulridge I head down the Lancashire slopes of the Pennines through Burnley, Blackburn and Wigan. From there it's just over 30 miles to Liverpool and my halfway mark at 127 and a quarter miles.

4: Bike & Bits

2009-06-21T16:32:00.002+01:00

I've bought a new mountain bike for the event. A 'Scott Aspect' bike. I would have liked to have used my old Saracen Xile but it's over five years old already and I don't think it will cope with the hammer it will get. My Scott bike is a single suspension mountain bike, nothing special and chosen for weight and comfort more than features and style. It has disc brakes rather than the traditional V type brakes so they should cope better with the mud and wet that I'm expecting.

I'll be taking essential repair equipment like spare inner tubes, puncture repair kit, tool set and pump. I'll also have a mobile phone just in case of an emergency. My accommodation consists of a small one man tent with ground mat, sleeping bag and a lock for my bike. I'll have a couple of water bottles which I'll fill at the water points along the towpath (some need the use of a BW key). I have to try and keep the weight down but I need to try and get some extra socks and shorts / T-Shirt in there too.

I'll also have my Garmin Edge 305 GPS Computer. This logs loads of information including miles, speed, elevation, cadence etc so that I can analyse the trip afterwards. Im also taking an extra battery for my iPhone so that I can make live updates while I'm doing the ride.

As for food, I'll have some energy gels and rehydration powders with me, and i'll buy my meals along the way from nearby shops.

3: Fitness

2009-06-21T16:16:00.004+01:00

Everybody has varying levels of fitness and different ideas on how you should prepare for an event like this. Most people agree that if you have little or no fitness you should start slowly and build up over a period of time, doing more miles each time until you can manage the daily amount of miles you want to achieve. I am lucky in that I already have a decent level of fitness. During the spring and early summer months I clock up about 100 / 150 miles a week over three or four days. Not a huge amount I know, but regular and enough for what I expect to achieve.

Another aspect is that this ride will be more challenging than a normal road bike ride. Although some of the towpath will be pretty easy to manage, I know that a lot of it will be muddy with long grass and exposed hills with headwinds and steady climbs. My mountain bike weighs 19kg, my kit weighs 10kg, my water bottles about 2kg and I weigh 75kg. A total of over 100kg to pull over the Pennines in what will probably be wet or windy conditions.

There's only one way to prepare for this and that's to try and train in similar conditions. Luckily, the summer hasn't been that hot and sunny yet! As of the end of June I've started back at the gym in order to build up my core muscles and stamina under the watchful eye of my new personal trainer! Hopefully, he can manage my fitness in a way that won't cause any aggravation to my knee.

2: The History

2009-06-21T16:08:00.003+01:00

About eighteen months ago I planned to cycle from Land's End to John O' Groats. When I started my training, I developed pain in my left knee after 20 / 30 miles of cycling on my road bike. The problem got worse and I had to go see my doctor and a physiotherapist. The result was all to do with biometrics. Put simply, my left knee is slightly out of alignment with the rest of my leg which causes extra friction when put under the stresses of cycling with my road bike.

I was gutted because I had put so much time into planning the event. Not to be put off, I got my brain into gear and thought of other ways I could use cycling to raise money and awareness for The Brenda Fox Tribute Fund, which supports the Motor Neurone Association.

As a keen canal boater, I saw that some people cycled the length of the Leeds Liverpool Canal, a journey of 127 and a quarter miles. Another thing I noticed was that i didn't get the same pain when I cycled on my mountain bike that i did on my road bike. So the plan came together to cycle the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. I'll be doing a return journey though to make the event a bit more challenging.

1: The Plan

2009-06-16T17:40:00.000+01:00

The plan is to cycle the entire length of the Leeds Liverpool Canal, and back, over four days. It's a total journey of over 254 miles along the towpath of the canal. Some of it will be fairly easy and some of it will be wet and muddy! I'll be alone, without any support or back up. Just me, my bike, a tent and a few essential bits and pieces. I'll be camping out in the middle of the Pennines overnight and using the canal water points for refreshment.