Cycle from Land's End to John O'Groats

Been out a few times on the bike now, starting to make it more regular. Weekday evenings it’s a case of putting the bike in the turbo trainer and spinning away, but getting out at weekends is becoming a habit. The training program is still only calling for 1-2 hrs at a pop at the moment. Got thoroughly rained on today, but was quite happy until I got a puncture at around mile 22 or 23. As I was near home, I turned the bike round and tried to get back before it went flat (couldn’t be arsed with changing the tube in the rain…).

As it turned out, it went flat before I got home so I had to pump it up twice, and it was all but flat again when I finally got back.

I’m already finding it a little easier though, so I’m optimistic on achieving this goal, as long as I keep up with my training and don’t get idle!

The entries for next June’s ride opened on Wednesday 19th September at midday with an early bird offer. Sadly I couldn’t get to a computer at the time, what with being at work and all that, but today I’ve been to the website, filled in my application, paid my money, and dropped myself in it.

I believe it’s actually John O’Groats to Land’s End next year, rather than the other way round, but it’s still just shy of a thousand mile in nine days – truly the challenge of my life! Need to get the bit in between my teeeth now, no slacking off.

Oh blimey, what have I let myself in for?

Yeah, I ummed and arred over joining this year’s ride, and in the end, as time go shorter and shorter, I decided to wait until next year.

I’ve already registered my interest, and on September 19th (as soon as this year’s trip is over, in fact), registration opens for next year’s ride. Really hoping I can put my money where my mouth is and actually sign up for this – the ride is in June next year (it is most years, but was moved to avoid Olympic clashes!), so that’s around nine months of training time.

The thing that puts me off more than anything – and this is typical me, I must admit – is personal logistics. Getting the bike up to the start and back from the finish shouldn’t be a problem as they organise transport for all of that, but getting myself to and from the start and finish worries me more than it should. Train? Plane? Day of start/finish? Day before/after? If the latter, where do I stay? etc. etc. The list goes on, and I know it’s my self-confidence failing me in its usual insane manner.

I also know all that cycling can only help improve my fitness for Kendo, and help strengthen my legs, to boot!

Just do it, I reckon.

Let’s be honest, LeJog (or JogLe, depending on your preferred direction of travel) is THE classic challenge route for cyclists in the UK (and plenty of folks from other climes come here to take it on too), and if you’re of a certain mindset and find a need to set yourself ridiculous challenges every now and then, then this is surely going to come up sooner or later. Raising money for the charity of your choice into the bargain is no bad thing either, it can often be the motivator to get yourself out there and training when the wind is blowing or the rain is pissing down (as it tends to do here…)

There’s a big (around 700 people or so) organised trip coming up in September, and I keep thinking about signing up for it. It’s expensive, yes, but it takes the logistical hassle out of everything for you. I know there are about 50 places left, but keep umming and arring on signing up, as there’s only six months left. Can I realistically expect to get my lardy arse into shape this quickly, or should I wait another year until 2013? That’s a long wait, after all. I KNOW this is one I WILL do, but when?

It’s a hard version of the challenge ride – the route is approximately 960 miles broken into 9 daily stages averaging 106 miles, and I think that’s a hard ride by anyone’s standards, barring perhaps the most committed of hardcore cyclists, and I certainly don’t think I fall into that category!

Quo vadis?

I’ve been right around the coast of the country on a 90cc motorcycle for charity (and visited bouth Land’s End and John O’groats in the process), and I’ve effectively walked most of the way across the country (I did the Hadrian’s wall trail walk in Easter), so now there’s this one to tick off the list. Cycling seems the correct way to do it, as it’s somewhere between the two previous trips in distance, and cycling is somewhere between the two modes of transport.