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Friday 18 May 2012

LEJoG Reflections

Whilst I'm putting my feet up and letting my Achilles tendon recover I thought it would be an good time to have a look back and reflect on the ride.

Riding LEJoG was a great experience and you do get a great deal of satisfaction from knowing that you have cycled from one end of the country to the other. There were times when I was thinking “why am I doing this?” but there were other times that more than made up for it. The first and last days were probably the most enjoyable, with the freshness and scenery of day one in Cornwall and Devon making for a great ride. I think the early start and lengthy breaks helped too. The final day was fantastic, again having great scenery combined with warm sunshine and a strong tailwind helping me on my way to John O’Groats.


The most difficult aspect of the ride was the mental side of it. When you have been out on the bike for 5 hours and you’re only halfway through the day it can get quite tough, especially knowing that you will be doing the same the next day and the day after and so on. In terms of training I think I was physically well prepared for the ride but it is very hard to prepare mentally for riding 900 miles over seven days – other than actually doing the same in training of course! This especially surfaces when you are faced with heavy rain and headwinds, it can quickly destroy your spirit and the fifth day, when it rained constantly, was particularly difficult.

I was surprised how well my body coped with the rigours of cycling such long distances each day. Whilst it was obviously tiring I didn’t really feel too fatigued at any point, I think keeping well fuelled and using recovery drinks at the end of the day to make sure I took on plenty of protein helped. The only real problem I had physically was the sore Achilles tendon that developed in my left leg at the end of the fourth day. Reading up on this it could be something to do with my position not being quite right but considering it only surfaced 500 miles into the ride, and I had no problems during 1,750 miles of training, my position can’t be too bad. It might be something to do with my shoes not being the stiffest but I’m inclined to think it’s probably down to an increased workload and maybe the tendon not being used to the extra load being put on it as my leg muscles developed.


Other than having to hobble around for the last week I am really glad I did the ride. I don’t think I could have done it without the help of Kerri who has pretty much driven the length of the country twice and also supported/put up with me throughout my training and a lot of the ride itself. Thanks also to those that offered help should anything bad occur although I am glad it was not needed. It was great to get messages of support through facebook and twitter which, along with the numerous donations to RoadPeace, really kept me going. The ride has raised over £800 so far which I am really pleased with. I am reluctant to say that I have raised the money because all I have done is ride my bike which I enjoy doing anyway, it’s the generosity of everyone else that will help RoadPeace. Thanks to all those who have donated, it really means a lot and I’m sure the money will be put to good use.

Overall I am really pleased with how the ride went. I wouldn’t necessarily rush back to do it again, maybe when I’m retired I’ll take a more leisurely tour around the country. Whilst it was good to have set places to get to each day I think it would also be nice to take it at a steadier pace and go where you please and, if the weather’s awful, be able to take the day off! I don’t have any more long distance challenges lined up (although part of me thinks it’d be a good idea to ride a 12 hour time trial!) and it will be good to go back to doing shorter rides again. 


My plan for the rest of the year is to do more high intensity riding to build upon the base I have developed over the last three months and see where it takes me. I will start off riding the club 10 mile time trials and probably try a couple of longer open time trials and maybe even a criterium or road race if I actually manage to develop a decent turn of pace. After that I’ve always fancied racing some hill climbs - in theory I have the build for it, I just need to knuckle down and do some focussed training and develop a bit of power! 

For those that are interested I will be doing a bit of a review of the equipment I used for the ride along with the clothing, accessories, nutrition and accommodation over the next few blogs - hopefully this might prove useful for those thinking about doing something similar. For the rest of you, thanks for reading!


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Sunday 13 May 2012

Day 7: Drumnadrochit - John O'Groats

We awoke to bright sunshine pouring through our window and I knew that today would be a great day for cycling. Following a hearty breakfast I went out to my bike to replace the brake blocks as I had noticed unusual braking performance on the previous evening and seen that the blocks were quite worn. Upon replacing the blocks it soon became apparent that this wasn't the main issue - a crack had developed in my rear wheel rim. The poor road and weather conditions had obviously taken their toll on the ageing wheel and although it was still ridable I was glad to have a spare in the car.

Start of the day with new rear wheel
New wheel fitted I set off on my way around 10am with 134 miles ahead of me I settled in for a long day in the saddle. I soon hit the first climb of the day and was missing the lower gearing I had on the old rear wheel as the gradients hit an indicated 26%. The steep section didn't last for too long though and I met another group of touring cyclists once the road started to level off who commented that i was doing it the easy way as I didn't have any panniers! I was certainly glad i wasn't carrying the loads that they were.

View over the Cromarty Firth
The roads on the initial part of the day were delightful and with the tail wind helping me on my way I was able to take it easy and admire the views.

I thought this was Scotland? Note tailwind though :)
Kerri and I had agreed to meet in Tain for lunch and I made good time and was able to enjoy a lunch of a bacon sandwich along with the lions share of a red velvet cake. We found a nice little park to eat in and it was really quite warm to sit and eat in sheltered from the wind.

Refuelling in Tain
After an ice cream in the sun I was back on my way and crossing the Dornoch Firth. This wasn't a particularly enjoyable experience as I headed North and the strong cross wind attacked me from the West. The road continued to head North until it passed Loch Fleet and turned North East and I could pick up a tail wind once more.

View from the A9 - great road
The A9 was a much more pleasant road than I had expected and I made good progress towards Helmsdale. Despite the lumpy terrain the wind powered me on and I completed 20 miles in under an hour. The gloss was taken off this slightly when another rider passed me on a time trial bike as if I was standing still, presumably on a record attempt!

A bit Alpine
Out of Helmsdale the road headed uphill quite steeply and I was soon regretting getting carried away on the flatter parts of the route. The road also turned North so the tail wind turned into a cross wind and I decided to stop and have a quick refuel to keep me gong. With hills to the left and the North Sea to the right the scenery was once again amazing and I soon picked up the tail wind again and got back into my rhythm.

And a bit Cornwall at times
With a couple of swift descents in valleys followed by steep climbs out of them the road took on something of a Cornish coastal feel, albeit the gradients were 13% rather than 30%! With these out of the way I took one last refuelling and refill stop for a pint of coke and some more water before heading over the moors to John O'Groats.

First view of the sea from the moor roads at the end of the ride
Intially I regretted choosing the smaller roads to the finish, rather than the A99, with gravel pasted road surfaces stretching out in a straight line as far as the eye could see. I was rewarded with traffic free cycling and the only company I had were small birds singing in the evening sun and lambs running to their mums for safety. Heading North once more the wind was no longer in my favour but the proximity of the finish spurred me on. Soon over one of the many small hills the moorland views gave way to one of the North Sea and I knew I was nearly at the end of my journey.

John O'Groats at last
Racing down towards the sea was really exhilarating and probably the best part of the whole week. Shortly before 8pm I arrived in John O'Groats to be greeted by Kerri and a bleak gathering of dilapidated buildings. The run down hotel and the closed stores were unable to dampen my mood as I was elated to have completed the ride. Following the obligatory photo's in front of anything that said John O'Groats on it we headed off to find somewhere still serving food and celebrated with a fish supper followed by a drink or two.

Happy to be finished on what was a great day

Thanks to everyone for their support, especially the following
  • Kerri for driving the length of the country twice and being generally ace in supporting me throughout my training and the ride itself
  • Di & Malc for their motivational messages whose offer of support should anything bad happen was thankfully not needed 
  • Everyone at the Manchester Wheelers for their support, advice and company on my many training rides
  • Everyone who has tweeted me and messaged me on facebook with their support 
  • All those that helped me along the route with lovely accommodation and great food
  • Everyone who has made a donation to RoadPeace, it really means a lot

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Friday 11 May 2012

Day 6: Callander - Drumnadrochit

Looking at the forecast for the day it was clear it was going to be a day of two halves. The morning would be one of heavy and sometimes wintry showers before clearing up in the afternoon. After shedding my panniers now that Kerri was with me I put any thoughts of extending the journey to 8 days behind me and decided I would push on an complete it in 7 as originally planned. This thought was re-enforced upon seeing the forecast for the weekend with Saturday looking glorious and Sunday showing heavy rain all day.

Light drizzle at the start of the day

At the start of the day I was greeted by light showers and as the road started climbing I soon shed my waterproof layer as I warmed up. It soon became apparent that it would be another day of strong winds but knowing that the weather would brighten up and the winds would become cross- rather than head-winds once I reached Fort William and turned North East helped keep me going.

Heading up the first climb of the day
It was also great to cycle through such wonderful countryside and actually be able to see it after the rather bleak scenery and dreadful weather of the previous day. Snow-capped peaks, dramatic mountains and some fantastic feats of engineering made the day much more stimulating visually.

Pretty dry at this point
With Kerri having set off from Callendar a while after me she cuaght up with me after about 34 miles at which point the conditions were still ok. The light drizzle hadn't deteriorated into anything worse and the hills hadn't proved too taxing.

8 miles later, it's shelter in the car time
We had agreed to meet again at the Bridge of Orchy for lunch but shortly after Kerri drove on the heavens opened in earnest. Whilst I was climbing it wasn't so bad but I soon hit a descent and the heavy rain hit my face like ice and I was glad to meet Kerri again and have the chance to dry off a bit and warm up in the car.

Climbing into the Highlands
After a big tub of pasta and sitting out the worst of the rain I was back on my way climbing up into the highlands. The scenery was still amazing but the weather was really closing in and the headwind starting to make itself felt in my legs. The road itself wasn't too busy but any time a truck passed it the opposite direction the wind blast would almost stop you in your tracks and it was pretty demoralising.

I think this wins the biggest sign of the week award

Pushing on into Glen Coe the headwind wasn't letting up but I was certainly glad I no longer had my sodden panniers weighing me down as I passed another cyclist with a huge amount of luggage struggling into the wind. Approaching the summit of the road in Glen Coe the sun finally started to make an appearance and I was filled with hope for the remainder of the day.

Heading up Glen Coe
I was certainly glad the weather hadn't been any more wintry as I made my slow way down the descent towards Fort William. The stats would later back up what my legs were telling me that the headwind was really slowing my progress. According to my Garmin I averaged a measly 16.6mph on the way down Glen Coe and my heart rate indicated I was having to work hard just to achieve this!

View near the top of Glen Coe as the sun starts to come out
Once I reached the bottom I could relax knowing that the worst of the terrain and the weather was over. Upon reaching the flat and pushing on I really started to feel the pain in my Achilles again and, having left my medication with Kerri, I took the liberty of giving her a call and asking her to meet me a bit earlier than planned. Applying a bit of pain relieving gel and taking some pills as I consumed another pot of pasta I was concious of the need to press on as I still had 60 miles to go and it was getting on for 5pm.

Loch Leven
I had initially planned on taking the B8004 over the other side of the River Lochy but being short on time I decided to stick to the A82 as the traffic wasn't too bad anyway. There were still one or two small climbs along the way but with a cross wind it was quite so hard going as earlier in the day.

Looking back towards Fort William
It was in the Great Glen that I first really started to reap the rewards for the effort I'd put in during the week. As the sun started to set over the mountains and reflect off the lochs it was really a wonderful place to cycle. I didn't have too much time to sit up and take in the views though as I wanted to get to our accommodation before it got dark. Even the sometimes dreadful road surfaces and the occasional racing Friday evening traffic couldn't dampen my spirits.



The Great Glen
I arrived in Drumnadrochit on the shores of Loch Ness in the gathering gloom, tired but elated knowing that tomorrow would be the last day and I could begin to relax knowing that I would complete the ride. The weather forecast only boosted my spirits further showing a bright sunny day with a west south westerly wind set to assist me on my way.


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Thursday 10 May 2012

Day 5: Gretna Green - Callander

The weather forecast for day 5 wasn't promising and I awoke to find the conditions exactly as expected. The forecasters had predicted persistent heavy rain all day and as I had no reason to doubt them I put on two pairs of waterproof overshoes along with my winter jacket and waterproof jacket over the top. There is a saying that there's no such thing as bad weather only the wrong clothing so I was hoping the more clothing I wore the less chance it had of being wrong!

First of many breaks in a bus shelter
The day started off along the B7076 which follows the route of the A74(M) which means that although it isn't the most pictureque of routes it the gradients never get too steep. The road is also relatively quiet although it does seem to have more than it's fair share of lorries going up and down it.

I'm sure someone will know why this is in Scotland

Whilst I kept dry for the first hour or so the rain got steadily heavier and soon other than my torso, which was being kept dry by my two jackets, I was soaked to the skin. Along with the rain there was also a strong headwind which made to going really tough.

Entering Lanarkshire alongside the motorway
The one ray of sunshine was the knowledge that my girlfriend Kerri was going to be joining me a day early. Knowing that I was going through difficulties and that I had tough day ahead of me she had decided to take an extra day off work and come to support me which I was extremely thankful for.

I have no idea why these barriers were on a cycle path
Along the route there were separate cycle lanes which was a good opportunity to get away from the spray and wind-blast from passing motorists. Some were good sections which were part of the old dual carriageway with one lane left for cyclists and a good bit of separation from the current road. Other sections were quite rough tarmac and had gates on them for no apparent reason other than as an obstacle for cyclists!

Cycle path using the old dual carriageway
The road had been climbing steadily up to Moffat but after that took on a more downward profile into Hamilton. It was at this point that I met two other cyclists from Manchester who were doing the LEJoG in 6 days. Apparently they had miscalculated the route and ended up doing 190 miles in one day earlier in the ride! I think with them starting a day later than me they had managed to miss the rain on Monday (my second day, their first) and told me this was their first day of bad weather.

Another view from a bus shelter
Soon after we parted ways I encountered my first bike problem of the ride - a puncture. It is typical that it always seems to happen on the wettest days - something to do with the water lubricating debris and forcing it through nicks in the tyre. Upon stopping in a bus shelter I could see the air bubbling through the tyre though so it was a straightforward tube swap and I was back on my way through Hamilton.

A nicer view from a bus shelter
Having made it around Glasgow I was left with quieter roads but more climbing. First up was the Crow Road which didn't seem too bad at first as I was sheltered from the worst of the wind until I rounded a corner in the road and hit the headwind straight on. Despite a lessening gradient my speed dropped considerably and didn't really rise on the descent as the hills seemed to be channelling the wind straight at me!

Halfway up Crow Road climb towards the end of the day
Two smaller climbs followed but with the wind, the rain and the fatigue in my legs they really were a miserable few miles and I arrived in Callander a sorry state. Shortly after, however, Kerri arrived and we headed out for a drink and a bite to eat which really lifted my spirits. With my Achilles injury not getting any better and more bad weather forecast for the next day we discussed the possibility of lengthening the ride to 8 days but decided we'd see how I felt in the morning.


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Day 4: Manchester - Gretna Green

Following a good bit of rest and recuperation at home - hats off to the chef - it was on to the roads of Lancashire for day 4. Seeing the forecast I knew there would be rain pushing up from the south during the day so I made a bid to outrun the weather!

View back towards Manchester at the start of the day
The initial parts of the day's riding were all on roads that were very familiar to me so made the going that much easier. First of all it was over Belmont to my Mum's near Preston, a route I have ridden many times. The initial 15 miles was mostly uphill but I knew that they would be followed by a good bit of descending.

Stop off at my Mum's near Preston for a second breakfast
After a bit of refuelling and a quick catchup I was back on my way and heading up through Preston. Again, this is a route I had done many times when I was at university in Lancaster and I figured if I could manage it as an unfit student on a mountain bike I shouldn't have any problem with it now!

Exiting Lancashire at around the halfway of the weeks riding
I was soon off the A6 and onto the lanes skirting around Lancaster and a few small climbs. Upon entering Cumbria I had reached a good landmark of halfway for the week and it was a good psychological boost. There was still the climb of Shap Fell looming though and I took a late lunch in Kendal under a gathering gloom.

Foot of Shap Fell as the skies started getting greyer
After wolfing down a pot of pasta and a sandwich I set off up the climb as the rain finally caught up with me. I knew it was a long steady climb so I settled down into an easy rhythm and with the rain not getting too heavy I was able to make it to the top before donning my waterproofs for the long descent.

Top of Shap Fell
Following the climb I knew there were no other major challenges in the day as I left the A6 once more and found some quieter lanes. On one straight lane I was passed by a tractor and by cranking up my effort a notch I was able to slipstream along behind it (at a safe distance of course) at a decent 25-28mph for a good four or five miles!

Beware - Red Squirrels!

Before I knew it I was in Scotland and despite a persistent drizzle I wasn't too wet as I reached my accommodation in Gretna Green. It had been a good day's cycling although upon climbing the stairs to my room I noticed a bit of pain in my left Achilles tendon that would become more of an issue over the remaining days.

Nice to see Scotland put up a sign just for me!

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Tuesday 8 May 2012

Day 3: Playley Green - Manchester

Day three dawned much brighter than the previous day and I made an earlier start knowing that there were many hard miles ahead.

Start of the day in Playley Green
Initially setting off in cold weather gear I was soon taking off my gilet and full finger gloves, the latter being replaced by summer mitts. It was the first outing for these since the last spell of warm weather back in March!

5 miles in and it was time to take off the gilet & windstopper gloves
I had begun the day feeling quite good, my legs not feeling half as bad as they had following back to back long rides in training.I think the recovery drinks I had been taking each night were doing their job, even if the taste was rather unpalatable! With rolling roads getting hillier as the morning passed by I stopped for lunch in a sunny Bridgnorth.

Beautiful weather all day

Following lunch I followed a section of the national cycle network that took me off the roads for a change. Although I was initially concerned about taking the bike off-road it turned out to be quite a decent surface and made for a good change in pace. In fact the conditions were probably better than some of the roads I would encounter later in my ride!

A bit of off-road action
It was nice to get away from the traffic, the only noise being that of the gathering mud that accumulated between my tyres and mudguards. Now I know why cyclocrossers don't have mudguards! Once I had stopped, taken off my wheels and removed the caked mud I was back on my way.

The bike path followed the river Severn
As the afternoon wore on I really started to feel all the miles in my legs. This was the first time I was doing 3 long rides back to back and it was a voyage into the unknown. Whereas on day 2 I was questioning why I was doing the ride on day 3 I was questioning whether I would complete it. I was finding the ride tough mentally - when you have been riding for five or six hours and still have another 50 miles to go it can get quite dispiriting, which is compounded by knowing you have to do it all again tomorrow.


Bridge over the Severn
The middle part of the day only seemed to get hillier and I couldn't feel any noticeable effect from the tailwind, each hill taking more out of me. So it was with great relief that I finally reached the flat plains of Cheshire and got onto familiar roads. I still had Manchester city centre to pass through though and following one close miss with a driver who didn't seem to understand roundabouts I was pleased to make it home in one piece.

Jodrell Bank meant I was nearly home
 
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Day 2: Hele - Playley Green

Waking up early in the morning to the sound of rain bouncing off the skylight in our B&B wasn't the best way to start the day. By the time it was actually time to get up the rain had eased though and in making a later start I hoped to miss the worst of the forecast rain. I waved Kerri on her way back to Manchester and the morning passed fairly swiftly on rolling lanes. Although the roads were wet the weather was ok with only occasional drizzle.

Judging by the depth meter I got off lightly
It soon became apparent, however, that my Garmin cycle computer which I was using to navigate with wasn't having a good day. Whenever I tried to look at the directions page it would freeze and I would have to turn it off and on again to get it working. I think the issue is caused by the number of coursepoints I had loaded due to the number of turns and junctions there were in the route. This meant I would have to leave it on the navigation screen all day in order to find my way and would not be able to see any other stats, such as the distance travelled or the miles I had remaining, which would become an issue later in the day.

I thought sheltering under a tree was wise at this point

There were a few torrential downpours which I took the liberty of sheltering from but by the time I reached Cheddar Gorge the weather seemed to be clearing up. The Gorge itself is stunning and makes for good cycling as it starts of steep and gets flatter as you go so you gain speed the higher you climb. Following the downpours it had a bit of a river running down it which made some points quite interesting!

Cheddar Gorge complete with stream following the downpour
With the Gorge done there was a nice fast decent and as I knew there were no other major climbs left in the day I felt pretty positive. This all soon changed however as the sky clouded over and the rain started again in earnest. I was soon soaked to the skin and with no blue sky in sight I knew it was set in for the day.

It was at this point that I started questioning my reasoning for doing the ride, knowing that once the day was over I still had another five to go. My mood only worsened when my Garmin once again froze and I turned it back on to find that the 15 miles I thought I had left was actually 25. There was one moment when the sun started to come out and a rainbow appeared and I thought the rain might end but it only seemed to get heavier.

Rainbow towards the end of the day
I arrived at my accommodation in Playley Green in low spirits and started to get myself warmed up and my clothes dried off. Following a nice meal I saw that the next days forecast was looking better and this coupled with the fact I would be returning home for a night in Manchester helped brighten my mood.

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