Yes, I won’t be watching Countdown for a fortnight, have to find something else to keep me occupied…
Nerves are kicking in big time now. The bike is all packed up ready to go (bar last minute items). Weighs a ton and I cant fit anything else in. Bit late now, but front panniers might have been useful to spread the load. Will take it out for a spin later, to see if I can still turn the pedals.
Final preparations under way, the most important being to get the route loaded on to my gps plus route cards as back-up. Slight bit of pressure as I don’t think I have space to take a road atlas as back-up!
Last visit to chiropracter yesterday, who didn’t say I shouldn’t do it, so can’t back out now….

… not long enough to get ready to cycle 1,000 miles!
Haven’t done as many long rides as planned since my last blog, and time is rapidly running out. With flawless logic, I worked out that the reason I found anything more than 40 miles a bit tough to do, was nothing to do with my fitness level. It was obviously the equipment that was at fault.
Rectified that by replacing my Sherman tank of a machine with a much faster/lighter version. I had toyed with getting a Honda Goldwing, but decided that wasn’t in the spirit of the challenge, so settled on a Giant FCR3. Probably doesn’t mean much to most, but it’s definitely lighter, can be faster, and a heck of a lot less comfortable!
When you have no suspension and razor thin, rock hard tyres, you realise just how cr pi poor our roads are. In particular the 3 or 4 feet nearest the kerb, where the bike usually is. Must be some lobby group I can join????
Anyway, put it to the test today and somehow managed the magic 100 miles in a day. If only I’d left at 6am as planned, I’d have been back in time for Countdown…..
Despite all the bumpin’ and shakin’ from the aforementioned roads, nothing fell off, so onwards and upwards. Still not sure whether I can repeat that 11 days on the trot, but then, nobody said it would be easy…..

Yes, it’s darts week this week. Clocked up 180 so far, largely thanks to a scenic tour of the New Forest today. Would have been more scenic without the howling gale – and a tad of sunshine would have been welcome too. Aim to carry on the theme, going for double top tomorrow and treble 19 on Friday

Note to Ian. – bit concerned about a lack of speed in the old legs. Might need night vision goggles to fit the 100 milers in!

Unlike Captain Beefy (see Ian’s last post) I’m not trying to build myself up with weights etc., in fact, quite the oppposite. I reckon that if I can lose enough weight to compensate for the amount of kit, then I’ll barely notice it. Having seen the size of the tent, if I can just get down to 6 stone, I’ll have cracked it.
Swapped my chunky extreme cross country tyres for some semi- slicks in an effort to pick up speed. Not worked so far, but its probably not the tyres fault. Also took the opportunity to stick on the special self healing, puncture resistant inner tubes. You can guess what happened on my second trip out. Yes, 20 mile cycle ride, followed by a 6 mile walk home. Now got a huge blister on my right heel…..

After a nine day break, I’m back out on the bike again. Pains have eased quite a bit and I’m no longer sleeping propped up on a sofa (hurrah!). 30 miler today in the sunshine which was quite pleasant, before visiting the chiropracter. She’s re-assembled my bones again. Moved one of my ribs, which was a first, and explains a fair bit of the recent pains. However, going to have to pass on running for a while, and I doubt if I’ll be delivering directories again………..
Hopefully will do a long ride tomorrow, though it looks as though I needn’t bother with the factor 15.

Mmmm, not good news. Thought the back pains I had last week after running had subsided. I managed 80 on the bike 2 days later!. However on Friday I started delivering directories and only managed a couple of hours before having to stop. Rested Saturday (still hurting quite a bit) but had to carry on with deliveries on Sunday. Needless to say, the pains have been getting worse each day. Fortunately finished all deliveries on Weds night.
I now rattle thanks to the amount of ibuprofen & paracetomol tablets I’m guzzling, have spent the last two nights trying to sleep propped up on the sofa and haven’t been on the bike for a week. Hopefully the pains will subside a bit over the weekend and I can try a gentle ride on Monday?
Only 5 weeks to go now. Hope its not going to be 3 men , 2 bikes and 1 car!

The good? Managed an 80 miler on Wednesday, cycling to Farnham & back. Not quick, so we are likely to have some long days in the saddle, but at least 100 looks attainable.
The bad? Todays 21 miler was meant just as a loosener after yesterday, which was fine, but I really didn’t fancy going much further anyway. Consecutive days around the 100 mark is a little scary still.
The ugly? (make your own jokes!), Tried running again on Monday, which started very promisingly and ended up with an aching back and feeling as though I’ve been kicked in the ribs. Looks like running is off the menu for a while, but fortunately I can still cycle……

Got back from this mornings 21 miler to find an old bike dumped on the front lawn. Before I had a chance to phone the council to complain about fly tippers, bumped into Ian in the hall.
He’d just cycled the 67 miles from his house to ours………… It was great to see him, but I admit I was relieved he was catching a train back home. If he had cycled back again that would really have made me feel old and decrepit!
Anyway, gotta go now. Need to phone Dwaine Chambers for some training tips….

Fortunately not as bad as threatened, so left snorkel at home. Clocked up 48 miles, a new p.b.. Hope to have some feeling back in my legs by tomorrow…..

Took a rest day today and the opportunity to do the exciting stuff in life…..like mowing the lawn, hoovering the house and waiting for the gas man to come. Still, that was distinctly more fun than the last five miles on the bike yesterday, which felt like wading in treacle. No particular reason why, but I just seemed to run out of steam, all of a sudden. Hope that doesn’t happen in July….knackered with 80 miles still to do!
Going to have to put in a long ride tomorrow now, but after the great weather we have been having, it looks like I need to pack a snorkel……………….