Last time out

I wanted to ride today just to keep myself loose but didn't intend going far. However I noticed that i needed another 38 miles to clock up 2000 for the year to date. I set that as my target, but the route I chose was only 30km, so I ended up wandering aimlessly round Warwickshire lanes for the sake of clocking up the miles. I ended up doing 42 miles which takes me to 2004 training miles. It would have been pleasing to finish on 2007 I guess.





I sorted myself out with some contact lenses this week and rode in them for the first time (I haven't been able to wear lenses for 18 months whilst my left eye was busy self combusting), with the intention of combating the dreaded rain trauma. Needless to say it didn't rain which is just as well because I also took the opportunity to wear my shades, which I thought would protect my eyes from drying out (not because I wanted to look cool and impress the local sheep, honest. I might be of Welsh descent but I have better chat up techniques than that). Which was great until I started to sweat and they started slipping down my nose, so I ended up peering over them like a knitting granny. Yea, way cool. However it turned out for the best because as I crossed the A34 on my way back a 4x4 driver going too fast passed me and kicked up a stone which hit me on my right eyebrow. Now, if I lose the sight in my right eye I won't be cycling anywhere. So the sunglasses stay.





A nice feeling really, all my training done. Nothing tomorrow then drive to Land's End on Monday ready for the off on Tuesday. Its a six hour drive which makes you realise quite how far we're going (and that's not even half way). Bizarrely, I checked the Lands End website and it doesn't open until 10:00am, so we won't be starting until then at the earliest. At least we'll get a lie in.

Loads of people wished me well on my last day in the office yesterday, which was great. Please post comments (of encouragement) over the next two weeks I'll need them.

I've posted my training schedule below if anyone, other than me, is interested (although I can't work out how to paste excel and retain the formatting so it looks a bit rubbish), 2004 miles in eight months and then half of that again in the next two weeks: