Summer Challenge 2006 (Land's End To John O' Groats Cycle Ride) (17th to 25th July 2006)
The life of the campus minister is not a quiet one. My work is only possible with God at the centre of my life. There are, however, certain things that can make it harder for me to be available for God to use, even when my focus is on Him. One of those, both in the short- and long-term, is a lack of fitness.
I didn't think this would be a problem for me but at the beginning of this year I found playing more than 15 minutes of football quite difficult (compared to how I'd felt in the past). This was definitely unacceptable and something had to be done - I needed to get fit.
I'm sure millions of others made the same decision at the beginning of the year but I'm pleased to say I wasted no gym membership! Instead, I worked out a 9 mile route through local towns to cycle on a regular basis.
With the route decided I needed a challenge to work towards so that I would train consistently. The challenge chosen was the Land's End to John O' Groats cycle ride. These two towns are the furthest apart on the British mainland, Land's End at the south west tip of England and John O' Groats at the north east tip of Scotland - 874 miles apart.
The plan was to cycle an average of 115 miles a day for 8 days and take a rest day but not everything went as I had planned.
Day 0 - Preparations (16th July 2006)
Not long after the dawn on Sunday morning I set off for the train with all I needed for the ride in a bag on my back. The trains were all running on time and I made it to Paddington station with plenty of time to spare. As the train headed to Penzance I settled back in my seat with the smallest New Testament I own.
God was so great in giving me insight that would be invaluable for the ride. Concisely, here it is: after 40 days of fasting in the wilderness, Jesus and the devil had a fight. The devil fought with crafty words, suggestion and persuasion. Jesus fought with the Word of God. Obvious so far. This time, though, was the first time that I saw that both Jesus and the devil were fighting with the most powerful weapons at their disposal. Now, when we are tempted by the devil he still uses the same weapons. If we are wise we will use the most powerful weapon we have; the Word of God. Success on the ride would require some fighting not just physically but spiritually, and it wasn't long into the train journey that the devil knew I could do everything through Christ who gives me strength!
As the train sped past Exeter and through the hilly landscape of the English South West I started to realise the magnitude of the challenge I was undertaking. "God speed, Javed," the words of my Mum ringing in my ears. "I can do everything..." the words of Paul in Scripture on the page in front of me.
Arrival in Penzance signalled the start of the cycling, a hilly 10 miles to the youth hostel. The staff looked incredulous when I explained that I would be leaving at dawn to ride 130 miles. They were very helpful, though, and made sure I had access to the bike store before opening hours.
After eating a mountain of pasta I had a night of sleep that's like the ones you get the night before an early morning flight. You know, those where you wake up a couple of times slightly concerned you've missed your alarm.
Day 1 - Land's End To Exeter (17th July 2006)
| Start Time | Finish Time | Ride Time | Distance | Average Speed | Max Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06:27 | 20:00 | 8h 34m 18s | 131.02 miles | 15.3 mph | 36.2 mph |
Sitting down to breakfast just before dawn I had no idea it would take over an hour to eat a ham and cheese sandwich and a banana. This was the first time I've had to force myself to eat but it wasn't the last during the ride. Even with this delay, when I got to Land's End to start the ride I was so early that the famous signpost (that indicates the direction and distance to John O' Groats) was missing its arrows. Apparently they are brought out at 9am every morning and stored overnight so they aren't stolen. Anyway, the picture is of the signpost.
Crossing the start line at 6:27am I made really good progress to the 60 mile mark with only one incident of note: I fell off the bike. It wasn't anything serious, just highly embarrassing. When I slowed down to allow a car to pass me I didn't get my shoes unclipped from the pedals quickly enough and I toppled!
The only other significant incident of the morning was an Achilles tendon strain. Have a look at the last photo in the photo album and guess which one it was. After praying for healing I pressed on.
By 12:00 the sun was beating down as I rode along the A30 with all the trucks and cars flying past at 70mph. As the shade temperature topped 25C (77F), progress slowed as I had to take breaks much more often and climbing the hills seemed much tougher. Thanks to the pub owner and the farmer who refilled my water bottle when the supplies ran low.
With the heat as it was it was really important to drink lots of fluid. Every hour I was mixing another 500ml of Tangy Orange Cytomax - a top quality energy and electrolyte replacement drink. The food intake also headed up sharply. Bananas, sandwiches, pasta and dried fruit bars were all consumed in large quantities before I arrived in Exeter at 20:00.
Thank you to the couple at Woodleigh and the gentleman in Exeter whose directions saved me a few miles and plenty of time as I headed for the house of Jon and Jo Soper, the pastors of Exeter Network Church. Big thanks to Jon and Jo for their wonderful hospitality.
Getting this far had taken a greal deal of fighting. Praying Scripture and singing worship songs over in my head kept me positive and pressing on. There is no way I would have got this far without God calling me on.
Day 2 - Exeter To Welsh Bicknor (18th July 2006)
| Start Time | Finish Time | Ride Time | Distance | Average Speed | Max Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | 22:00 | 7h 51m 42s | 113.33 miles | 14.4 mph | 36.2 mph |
Oh, how I slept after day 1. The warm overnight temperatures had people across the country struggling to sleep but as soon as my head hit the pillow I was asleep. The downside: I missed my alarm so the intended 06:00 start became 08:00.
Jon, Jo and their son Bart prayed for me, for my health and for the trip and I got started. After a quick stop to stock up on food, I was making good progress north on the A38.
At Taunton I saw a Post Office and stopped to send some surplus equipment home. The bag had been feeling very heavy so the lock cable and a couple of slightly lighter items were sent on their way back. With the bag now more than 500g (1lb) lighter, I set off again.
It wasn't long before the route covered long and steep hills. With the temperature again over 29C I was back to taking lots of breaks. When trucks came crawling up the hill I realised it wasn't just me who thought it was steep!
Bristol brought some map problems but with some excellent directions over the phone from my support team at home I managed to get back on the road and at 18:30 I was nearing the Severn Bridge.
Just before the bridge I had to make an emergency stop for a pack of sandwiches and an energy drink. Let's just say it wasn't a comfortable meal.
Having eaten I rode across the bridge into Wales and after a brief stop for food in Chepstow was on the way to Welsh Bicknor, about 20 miles away. By the time I got within 5 miles of the youth hostel the daylight was fading and the route plan didn't match the roads on the ground. A very helpful gentleman drew me a map and pointed me in the right direction and I set off in a race against the light. I lost. When I was descending through the Forest of Dean at 28mph it was nearly dark and I was praying the road surfaces were good. They were.
Day 3 - Welsh Bicknor To Worcester, Worcester To Stafford (19th July 2006)
| Start Time | Finish Time | Ride Time | Distance | Average Speed | Max Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06:45 | 13:30 | 3h 56m 47s | 53.64 miles | 13.6 mph | 33.7 mph |
| 21:10 | 02:00 | 2h 47m 49s | 42.97 miles | 15.4 mph | 32.2 mph |
Five hours was not enough sleep but I had to get on the road early to make the most of the cool hours. The problem with leaving before 07:00 is that if you have problems with the route it's too early to call anyone to get an Internet check. I was glad of the compass in my bag as I knew I was at least heading in the right direction.
By 10:30 the sun was blazing and an hour later an alarm sounded to tell me the air temperature had topped 30C (86F). Not a good temperature to climb Frome Hill on the A4103 between Hereford and Worcester, especially as there was no shade on the road.
At Worcester I decided to sit out the next few hours and to ride the next section after sunset.
The Worcester Cycle Centre didn't have any appropriate lights but the lady behind the counter gave me excellent directions to Halfords and I found a reasonably suitable light there.
Having stocked up on food I set out on the A449 to find a shady spot to get some rest before nightfall. The picture is of the spot I found. It's difficult to sleep when the temperature is over 25C but I did get some rest.
The night section started at 21:10 and I made amazing progress through Kidderminster and Wolverhampton.
In Wolverhampton I had the most surreal experience of the ride, a 5-minute conversation with 4 guys in a car who drove alongside me at 20mph on the A449. They couldn't believe what I was doing but wished me luck before driving off.
As I neared Stafford I stopped for my regular food break but no matter how much I knew I needed to eat, I couldn't. The effects of mild heat exhaustion were setting in. Pulling out the windproof sleeping bag liner from my rucksack I settled down on the grass behind a crash barrier to get some sleep.
Two hours later I was woken by the rain, sparking a mad rush to find some nearby shelter. A mile down the road there was a solid bus shelter, which stank like a public toilet, but at least it was dry. Given how tired I was it was no surprise I managed to sleep till 07:30 on the concrete floor.
Day 4 - Stafford To Woodford (20th July 2006)
| Start Time | Finish Time | Ride Time | Distance | Average Speed | Max Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00 | 16:15 | 3h 13m 17s | 49.57 miles | 15.4 mph | 31.1 mph |
Waking up in a bus stop is not a pleasant experience.
I made a phone call home to see if there were any youth hostels near Stafford where I could rest for the day. There weren't, great!
However, I managed to eat a banana and a couple of sandwiches and felt much better. I decided to do the ride to Woodford, no sense in staying in the bus stop.
As you can see from the stats I took a lot of long breaks on day 4 but my average speed was quite good. I was so glad it wasn't too hilly.
A note for whoever is responsible for the maintenance of the A34: it needs a lot of work on the 15 miles south of Alderley Edge. Nearly, but not quite, the worst road I cycled along.
At 16:15 I landed on the front doorstep of Paul and Cath Bretherick in Woodford, a day later than planned. Cath made sure I was OK, washed my dirty cycling kit and conjured up a wonderful meal. What a star.
Since my return train ticket was booked from Edinburgh on Wednesday (day 10) and the heat exhaustion I'd been contemplating some scenarios other than riding all the way to John O' Groats. "Should I take my time and ride to Edinburgh by Wednesday?" "Should I write off the illness day and make it to Inverness before catching the train back?" Cath made me see sense and got my focus back on finishing, even if it meant booking another train ticket back for a later day.
I'd never have completed the ride in 9 days if it wasn't for Cath's encouragement.
Day 5 - Woodford To Kirkby Stephen (21st July 2006)
| Start Time | Finish Time | Ride Time | Distance | Average Speed | Max Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06:45 | 20:00 | 6h 32m 06s | 99.65 miles | 15.2 mph | 42.8 mph |
Even though I got to bed at 20:30 the alarm didn't wake me at 04:30. Thankfully Paul woke me up at 05:30 and I was able to get on the road by 06:45.
The journey into Manchester was one of the easiest parts of the whole trip. Bus lanes on the A6 meant I wasn't competing for road space with any cars, just the occasional bus and taxi. It's also quite a flat route and within an hour I had covered the 15 miles into the city centre. If you live in the Stockport area and work in central Manchester, I'd definitely encourage you to try commuting by bike, at least in the summer.
After getting a little lost in central Manchester I discovered the use of maps at bus stops - directing lost cyclists! Once on the A56 I made great progress to Bury (though I managed to drop my compass in a lay-by somewhere) and on to Accrinton on the A680.
It was there a stray nail halted my progress for half an hour. As I fixed the puncture a gentleman walking his dogs stopped for a chat. An avid cycling fan he was really interested to hear about the trip. After telling me that the Tour of Britain often uses a climb I was to do later in the day he wished me well and sent me on my way.
The temperature was back above 25C as I cycled along the A59 and into Gisburn. I was greeted by a sign that read "Experimental Road Surface". It should have read "Corrugated Road Surface, Cyclists Hold On Tight".
Once through Cleatop it was onto B roads to cross Blea Moor in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. With hardly any shade and the sun high in the sky this was a trying time but at least the road surfaces were good. There were plenty of climbs across the undulating landscape but the accompanying descents were definitely worth the climbs. Reaching 42.8mph on one descent I decided higher speeds weren't worth the crash risk and pulled on the brakes. The Tour de France riders have some ticker to race down mountain roads at speeds closer to 50mph.
Just through Hawes I was offered the only lift of the journey. As I was sitting by the road mixing more Cytomax a low loader truck passed and stopped just around the corner. The driver jumped out of the cab and ran towards me. “Which way are you going?”
“Kirkby Stephen.”
“I'm going that way. You want a lift?”
“I'm going to ride it. Thanks though.”
“Cool.” And off he ran.
The last 20 miles was amazingly beautiful. Most of it was along a small river to which the picture here doesn't do justice. It was ideal scenery for the end of a hot day's ride.
Kamal had arranged for me to stay with a family who had hosted him a few times when he was touring with the Youth For Christ band TVB. After riding alone all day I was glad to have a long chat with John as I ate dinner.
Day 6 - Kirkby Stephen To Edinburgh (22nd July 2006)
| Start Time | Finish Time | Ride Time | Distance | Average Speed | Max Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06:45 | 23:15 | 8h 52m 26s | 142.73 miles | 16.0 mph | 33.0 mph |
Not the really early start I wanted but most people in the UK were still asleep when I left John and Cath's house on Saturday morning, potentially the longest day ahead of me. The aim was to get to Edinburgh and get back on schedule but there was the option of stopping overnight in Galashiels or Melrose should 140 miles be too much for me in a day.
The rear tyre had deflated overnight - the puncture repair clearly not very successful. However, since it was a slow leak I pumped the tyre back up and got out on the road to make the most of the cool hours.
Through Appleby, Penrith and on to Carlisle I made progress northwards as the sun made progress across the cloudless sky. In one of my breaks I set about replacing the rear inner tube so I could get the pressure up in the rear tyre and reduce the rolling resistance. However, since my wheels have quite deep profile rims they require tubes with very long valves. Replacing a tube with an extra long valve with one with a long valve was not ideal and with first inflation the tyre was not seated correctly. After reseating the tyre it took about 10 minutes to get the pump onto the valve properly! A procedure that should have taken 20 minutes ended up taking closer to 45.
With two intact inner tubes I joined the A7 with a fresh excitement. Before too long I'd be in Scotland. Expecting a notable border crossing I was surprised to simply see the sign in the photo.
The A7 was a good choice of road for the journey north from Carlisle. Largely a good surface for riding and not too hilly (rarely steep) I was able to enjoy riding through some very picturesque towns. Selkirk was my favourite. The architecture harked back to a stately time gone by with the old and new (buildings, that is) standing alongside each other without severe clashed notable elsewhere.
Arriving in Galashiels at 18:25 I had a decision to make. Having covered over 100 miles and with Edinburgh about 35 miles further I decided to press on to the Scottish capital.
After stopping for food just south of Edinburgh I turned onto Princes Street around 23:00. Robert, a friend in the Every Nation church in Edinburgh had said I could stay at his house while he was away (ironically, in London) and had left keys with Nathan, a friend of his in Edinburgh. Nathan came out on his bike to meet me in central Edinburgh and he and I rode to Robert's house in Dalkeith. I was so glad Nathan rode with me as I may well have not found the house otherwise, especially as it was dark by this time.
At that time of night and with very mild nighttime temperatures, riding through Edinburgh was a real pleasure. Shame I didn't have time to take in the sights.
Day 7 - Edinburgh To Pitlochry (23rd July 2006)
| Start Time | Finish Time | Ride Time | Distance | Average Speed | Max Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13:00 | 21:45 | 5h 21m 40s | 81.53 miles | 15.2 mph | 35.8 mph |
It was so exciting to be able to go to Every Nation Church Edinburgh on Sunday morning. Having been riding all week this was a pivotal event principally because I was able to join brothers and sisters to worship God but also because it reminded me that the day was Sunday. I had completely lost track of what day it was, working just with the dates!
The timing was also good as Jamie, one of my classmates from the School of Campus Ministry, was in Edinburgh on a summer mission. She knew I was on a marathon bike ride but was very surprised to turn round in church and see me sitting at the back. I had my surprise in the foyer when I saw Tosin Aikomo, a friend from Every Nation Church London.
Unfortunately I couldn't hang around longer but even starting the day's ride at 13:00 I was starting 5 hours later than any full riding day. Still it's only about 80 miles to Pitlochry.
Before I started the ride I had discovered that bikes are not allowed on the A90 between Edinburgh and the Forth Road Bridge. This meant a bit of extra mileage as I took the A8 to the M9 interchange, went straight ahead onto the A89, turned right onto the B800, straight ahead onto the A8000, across a roundabout and onto the Forth Road Bridge to the right at the A90 interchange. I include this as it may be helpful to other cyclists planning the trip. I couldn't find a road cycle route anywhere online avoided the A90.
On the bridge there were more than 40 people riding tandem bikes. One couple cruising around on their tandem were both in their eighties - very inspiring for long-term fitness.
Once across the bridge there were a number of relatively minor roads, most of which were very good roads but there was one section near Hill of Beath that came top in my “Worst Roads of the Ride” list.
One surprise was the relative flatness of the region. While there were tough sections the overall progress was quite quick. However, the previous day's marathon had taken a lot out of my legs and even flat sections were tougher than they really should have been. It seems obvious but I felt the same leaving Edinburgh as I did leaving Kirkby Stephen.
Stopping in Perth was quite fun as my Mum grew up in Perth (thousands of miles away in Western Australia). My younger sister, Nafisa was quite taken with the thought I had cycled to Australia. That would be some achievement!
After buying food I got back on the bike and headed north on the A9 into the most picturesque section of the ride. Crossing the River Tay I stopped to take photos but they were nowhere near as stunning as the place itself.
Riding north west with the sun setting behind the hills ahead of me was an awe inspiring sight. A fiery sky behind a hill silhouette could only be a picture painted by one with an eye for the detailed spectacular and the power to control the earth, sky and stars. This was one of God's masterpieces.
Pitlochry youth hostel was on the top of a hill with a great view of the valley. From the dining room you can see some wonderful trails for hiking or biking. I hope to go back soon with a different bike to ride some of these off-road trails. It's a beautiful place that has inspired me to get back out into the great outdoors more often.
Day 8 - Pitlochry To Inverness (24th July 2006)
| Start Time | Finish Time | Ride Time | Distance | Average Speed | Max Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | 17:45 | 5h 31m 29s | 88.57 miles | 16.0 mph | 36.4 mph |
This was a relatively straightforward day with 85 miles of the ride along the A9. Being one of the main trunk roads to Inverness the A9 doesn't have particularly steep climbs or descents but since it weaves through the Cairngorms there are quite a few long inclines. At the Drumochter Pass I was quite surprised at the altitude (460m (1508ft)). I'd been going up and down for days but I had clearly done less descending than climbing at this point.
Going through Aviemore was fun, especially as I didn't feel like I'd done any major climbing. Being Scottish ski country I thought I'd feel much higher up!
As you can tell by the lack of info, this was an uneventful day. The only real event of note on the ride was that there was about 20 minutes of rain! Nothing torrential but annoying enough for a cyclist with glasses who, even when the rain has stopped, has to ride at the edge of the road where the water is channelled to. Wet backside to add to the soreness. Still, it wasn't cold and everything dried out pretty quickly.
After an exhilarating decent into Inverness I set about finding the place I was going to stay the night. Before I left home I had contacted Rev Max Donald, the pastor of Holm Evangelical Church and he had contacted me during the ride to say a couple in the church, Bill and Janice McArthur, would host me for the night. I got to within a mile of their house and then the directions fell apart. Bill came out in his car to meet me and after putting my bag in the car I followed him home. Riding without the bag felt so free and easy. If there's a next time for this ride I'll do it with a support car!
I had a wonderful time at the McArthurs' house. Their hospitality was amazing and even included a quick tourist trip to Loch Ness.
Day 9 - Inverness To John O' Groats (25th July 2006)
| Start Time | Finish Time | Ride Time | Distance | Average Speed | Max Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05:15 | 18:34 | 7h 43m 29s | 124.58 miles | 16.0 mph | 36.0 mph |
Having got to bed early and slept really well, I was able to wake up with my alarm and, after a great breakfast, get going at the earliest time of the ride. With 125 miles to ride in the day it was brilliant to get the early start but, even better, I was in a position to see an absolutely stunning sunrise. There are a couple of pictures of it in the photo album.
With the roads quiet (and relatively flat) and the sun still low in the sky progress was quick to the Dornoch Firth. There were, however, the full spectrum of roads. All were tarmac but there is such a difference between different types and ages. Having to cycle on roads seems to make a person very interested in road construction and finding out why certain types of surface are used when they increase rolling resistance not by fractions but by whole number multiples.
After passing the Dornoch Firth I had my own James Bond moment. Two military helicopters (one single rotor and one twin rotor) were doing manoeuvres above the winding road. As I rode they seemed to be following me quite low to the road. Whether it was deliberate or not I don't know but it was quite cool to feel like I was being chased by helicopters.
Around Golspie the road became a lot hillier and I had the words of the Pitlochry youth hostel staff about a climb at Helmsdale ringing in my ears. Climbs came and went and still there wasn't the worst hill of the trip that I had been told about. The temperature was rising and the hills were getting steeper. The new road at the Ord of Caithness was great but as it was so open and I was running low on Cytomax and water it was quite a tough assignment. Worse was to come though as I found the second toughest climb of the whole ride. A 13% descent followed by a 13% climb at Berriedale was very tough - another one where trucks use their lowest gears. Given the circumstances of the ride, though, it was pipped by Frome Hill to the title of toughest climb.
Passing Dunbeath I hoped to get water at a store in a town along the road rather than down a side-road. However, the towns turned out to be villages and apparently lacking local stores. Finally, 10 miles before Wick a gentlemen painting a fence stopped to fill my water bottle for me. When I stopped at the Somerfield store in Wick I bumped into the same gentleman. I was also stopped by a gentleman who had seen me taking a roadside break before I had stopped for water. Small place is north east Scotland!
Leaving Wick there were only 17 miles left to ride and most of that across very flat land. When I saw the John O' Groats sign I was close to tears. The end of a tough challenge was in sight and the rest of the ride was all downhill! As I arrived at the finish line at 18:34 I noticed that the signpost, like Land's End, was missing its arrows. Since it was after 17:00 they were safely under lock and key but it was quite appropriate given the picture I had at the start of an arrowless pole.
Having signed the register to say I'd completed the ride it was time to get to the youth hostel and get some dinner.
In the room at the youth hostel were 6 other guys, all of whom were cyclists - four having done a Land's End to John O' Groats ride. It was great to be able to share experiences of the ride having reached the finish line. Oh, so many stories!
Day 10 - Travelling Home (26th July 2006)
With a ticket on the sleeper train from Edinburgh to London I just had to make sure I was in Edinburgh on time. It was to be a more eventful journey to Edinburgh than expected.
While packing my kit, one of my cycling roommates asked what train I was getting. “The lunchtime one,” I replied, only to hear that he was getting the later train because there wasn't room for his bike on the lunchtime train. Another one of the cyclists, Simon, needed to get the train to Inverness and he was in the same boat as I was - neither of us had thought we'd need to book our bikes on this train.
Instead of taking in the sights of the Castle of Mey (the Queen Mother's castle) and Dunnet Head (the most northerly point on the British mainland) on the way to Thurso, I rode with Simon to Wick. We figured that we'd have a better chance of getting our bikes on the train if we went to the end of the line.
This was the quickest ride I'd done in a long time. We covered 18.5 miles in an hour with a single drinks break. Let's just say Simon is a lot fitter than I am. It was good fun riding with someone else, especially the opportunity to talk and also draught each other.
Under the impression we couldn't take our bikes on the train as they were, we stopped to buy some plastic sacks, tape and bubble wrap so we could package the bikes and take them on as luggage. It was all unnecessary as there is a road van that takes bikes from Wick to Inverness while their owners travel on the train. What a brilliant service!
It could have been a very dull journey to Inverness but Simon and I got talking about all sorts of things and the time passed relatively quickly, even though the train was delayed by over half an hour. This delay meant I missed my connection at Inverness but Simon offered to take me as far as Fife. We loaded his van and were soon heading south on the A9, the road I had ridden north a couple of days before.
Travelling at 70mph in the van I realised how long the inclines I had climbed were. They were also steeper than I had thought as I had been riding. Simon said he saw the road differently now he knew I had cycled up it.
As we continued we saw some great trails on the mountains either side of the road and Simon pointed out the towns along the way that are known for their mountain biking trails. I can't wait to go back and ride some of them.
Shortly after we passed Simon's house he dropped me at Markinch station where I caught a train into Edinburgh. On the train I met another cyclist. We got talking and before I knew it we were in Edinburgh. The journey so far wasn't quite how I expected but it was much more exciting.
I was too late to join the ice cream party that the Every Nation missions team were hosting but I was able to catch up with Jamie again and hear some of the great stories of the first 3 days of the mission.
Not long later I was in a bed travelling south.
Day 11 - Arriving Home (27th July 2006)
With the sleeper train stopping in Watford it was a very short (5.7 mile) ride home to be greeted by a congratulatory sign on the hedge in front of the house. Everyone was still asleep but it was great to be back home.
Ride Summary
| Total Time | Total Ride Time | Total Distance | Average Speed | Max Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8d 12h 07m | 60h 25m 03s | 927.59 miles | 15.4 mph | 42.8 mph |
Living life differently for the 9 days was very eye opening. Physically working very hard for long hours, eating vast quantities of food without gaining weight and then sleeping so deeply felt so good. I think God made me to live this way. Even after riding 120 miles I felt like I could play a football match. Maybe it was just the endorphins talking!
There is no doubt that this was a long ride but it was not a superhuman achievement to complete it in 9 days - running a marathon is probably harder. The riding speed was nothing spectacular; I just pedalled for long hours each day and took lots of breaks.
Overall, especially as it was the first extended ride I had done and I was doing it on my own, this challenge was probably more mental than physical, about perseverance more than any great endurance. Given that, it was great to receive text and voicemail messages from friends saying “You can do it.”
Food
At the end of the ride I wished I had written down everything that I had eaten so I could analyse the difference in intake from my normal diet. Unfortunately, the only picture I can draw is one of broad brush strokes.
If you have ever seen me eat you will know I eat quite a lot for a person so skinny. However, the food I ate on this trip made my normal intake look like a sparrow's breakfast!
Breakfast was usually cereal, often up to 250g (half a box). Then, I would eat at least one sandwich or banana every hour throughout the riding hours. When picking sandwiches I looked for lots of calories and a significant protein content. This meant I ate lots of chicken sandwiches but it's surprising how many different fillings have chicken as a main component. For quicker energy bursts and in between hourly breaks I ate School bars. These are compressed dried fruit and sugar, essentially. Though quite a weird texture and very sweet they were light and high in energy, exactly what I needed as I was carrying my food. Dinners varied but were usually carbohydrate rich with pasta, potatoes or rice as a basis.
I was probably eating between 5000 and 7000 calories per day and was using all of them. The menu was not very scientific. If I do the trip again, that is something I will plan more carefully and with more specialist advice.
Health
Before the ride my weight was 60.0kg (9st6lb/132lb). After day 4 my weight was 63.5kg (10st0lb/140lb). When I got home I weighed myself again and the stat was 61.0kg (9st8lb/134lb). Though start and end figures are very close there was clearly a weight transfer from my waist to muscle mass in my legs.
I probably should have done a cardiovascular test before leaving and when I returned to measure an increase in cardiovascular fitness but, alas, I didn't do it. I definitely felt fitter though.
The only injury sustained was the strained left Achilles tendon although there was a minor tweak to my right calf. A better pedal stroke may have prevented both those problems - something to work on in training.
Credits
There are a number of people who I'd like to thank for their help, hospitality and hard work that made this trip possible:
- Thanks to all my family who gave me directions along the way, especially my brother, Kamal, who is a Multimap legend.
- Thanks to Jon, Jo and Bart Soper for their great hospitality especially as they'd never met me when they said I could stay with them.
- Thanks to Paul and Cath Bretherick for their hospitality that was once again beyond expectations and their flexibility in hosting me a day later than expected.
- Thanks to John and Cath Thwaites for hosting a brother of a friend. I had everything I needed when I stayed with them. Big thanks to Stephen who vacated his room for me for the night.
- Thanks to Rev. Max Donald who found a place for me to stay in Inverness.
- Thanks to Bill, Janice, Daniel and Bethany McArthur for their wonderful hospitality for a stranger.
- Thank you to everyone who refilled my water bottle and to everyone who who gave me directions from their gardens, the pavements and behind shop counters.
There are a couple of products that served me outstandingly well during the trip and deserve a mention:
- Firstly, Cytomax. Not the cheapest energy and electrolyte replacement drink but the best I have used. It's much more than salt and sugar in an orange drink.
- Secondly, Continental Ultra Gatorskin tyres. They really are as good as Continental claim they are. I had a number of cuts in the rear tyre, one quite deep, and I rode over all sorts of debris at the side of the roads but the only thing that got through was a nail that would have flattened a much chunkier tyre.
If you are planning the trip and want a more detailed explanation of my route, please send me an email.