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Week one into my training schedule and I think it is fair to say that for most of the last 7 days you could have found me sat on my bike muttering one phrase over and over like some crazy lycra dressed cat lady. “What was I thinking?”
However always one to take the learning from a situation I can happily report that I have already gleaned some vital knowledge to pass on to the prospective long distance charity bike rider. Before telling the world that you intend to do a 100 mile charity bike ride over mountains in November consider the following 3 Golden rules:
1. Discuss the idea with your spouse. Hmm yes Michelle was a bit shocked when I casually informed her of my scheme having already garnered over £100 in donations. Suffice to say she was not that impressed that as a result I would be spending most of my spare time on my bike. “Think of the underprivileged Kids” I offered feebly, to which she replied “You have three children here who want to know why their Father keeps going out with those very tight pants on.” A challenge that leaves one pondering your role modelling behaviours.
2. Study your route – I have quickly come to realise driving is not the same as cycling. Just because the M62 goes direct doesn’t mean that your bike route will. In fact I have discovered with mounting horror that my bike route will take me in a very circuitous route round and about various previously unknown towns, villages and hamlets nestled in the darkest recesses of the Pennines. All adding significant mileage to my already daunting schedule.
3. Check what gear you will need. It is more than just a bike actually, and I realised after my first, rather sweaty training ride, that one pair of cycling shorts wasn’t going to cut it for a weeks riding unless I wanted my welcome in the contact centres to be somewhat arms length. Luckily good old Mike Ashley at Sports Direct has had a generous online sale of biking gear virtually giving stuff away and I filled my boots and got a free mug into the bargain. No wonder they can’t afford anyone decent at Newcastle Utd.
So it was with mounting trepidation I started my training this week, setting off on Saturday for a 10 mile ride, which turned into a 20 mile ride as I got hopelessly lost in the Cheshire countryside. There is something very 21st century about standing astride a bike for 15 minutes, in a deserted field peering at your iPhone as google maps struggles to download at 0.005 mbps and then realising you are 300 yards from home.
Having got, however inadvertently, 20 miles under my belt on Saturday, I felt pretty confident heading into the working week and planned to ride to and from work, which I duly did on Thursday. This is a trip of 13 to 16 miles each way, depending on which route you take and going in to work I chose the fast and direct route.
Riding to work really does make you appreciate the places that you whizz past every day in the car, and at 7.15am on Thursday what really struck me were the number of places on my route which had the suffix, “On-The-Hill” attached to them. Helsby – on the hill, Dunham – on the hill and of course last but by no means lease Preston Brook – on the hill. You also get a real appreciation for the variety of different commercial vehicles on the road and how their various exhaust fumes serve as a less than appetising breakfast treat. I was reminded as I laboured up another hill, sucking in another gulp of white van diesel fume, of the scene in “Apocalypse now” where Robert Duvall sniffs the Vietnam air and proclaims “I love the smell of napalm in the morning”. Frodsham high street is not exactly embattled Saigon but I kind of knew where he was coming from.
So in my first week of training, having covered 46 miles and climbed 1,078 feet , which roughly equates to the PB to Bury leg of the journey, I can confidently declare I now know what I have let myself in for. The most important lesson of the week I realise as I shift uncomfortably whilst writing this, is that you can never have too much padding on your cycling shorts – now where did I put that cushion?
You can sponsor me here http://www.justgiving.com/Martin-Lally0
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