The Daddy's Training Update

Well, it's not been a bad week for getting some miles in. Managed 25 on Monday with a round trip to Otley followed by a 48 mile trip to Bolton Abbey on Tuesday. Wednesday saw an opportunity to cycle home from York, so a further 34 miles into a strong westerly wind. Then Saturday saw self and Bob meeting up with some other guys for a run around Ladybower reservior that clocked another 22.

Perhaps we should have called it a draw but one of our hosts mentioned, just mentioned mind, that the Hope Valley just around the corner was good so off we trotted. In a nutshell we ended up near Castleton at the bottom of Winnats Pass. We decided to give it a go. There followed what must rank as the most slow and painful climb ever as we cycled to the top, sometimes managing to get in excess of 3mph. Anyone passing would have seen two gentlemen in a state of serious collapse. After getting our breath back and steadying our jellified legs we decided that the descent looked risky so we did a bit of a circuit and found ourselves hurtling down a road that wasn't there in a lot of places; it had slipped away down the hillside. Descent speeds were approaching 40 mph. Hey, if going up doesn't kill you then going down will!

One hour, 4 miles and two seriously cream crackered cyclists!

Nerves of jelly

After feeling quite upbeat last week, it's amazing how fast it can change. A busy week that prevented me doing any real training - a 12 mile meander was the best I could do, coupled with a visit to the York Cycle show yesterday (and lousy weather again today) erodes the confidence. Not getting out to do a bit of training means that my knees ache just going up the stairs. The visit to York Show cost me going on for £200 just on odds and ends - never good to part a Yorkshireman from his wallet, even though the new tyres, pedals and bar bag will probably help me get through this (need the bar bag for somewhere to keep my Jammies!!). I'm having withdrawal symptoms too - must be to do with having porridge every morning instead of a Full English.

Only a month before The Grand Depart - outside it's blowing a gale and lashing down. Next time we do this somewhere sunny!

The good news is that you folks keep telling us what we are doing is worthwhile, and donations keep arriving, so that must prove it. This almost feels like doing a Terry Wogan on Children in Need night - keep making those donations!!!!

The Daddy

Great Yorkshire (Practice) Bike Ride

What a great day out! A long 85 miles but John was good enough to give me some extra weight to carry up the hills! I may have been slow but I got up them all. So well was the event organised that there were even showers provided over the last few miles! Finished nice and clean even if a bit cold.

Good confidence builder too, especially the two big climbs. Also read on CTC LEJOG boards last night that Cornish Hills ain't all they are cracked up to be so just itching to go now, before it starts raining again.

The Daddy

'Proper' Training Commences

What started at 7am from home in Leeds, ended 85 miles, one 'slow motion' fall, a torrential downpour and a sore behind later. Arriving in Filey (near Bridlington, on the east coast), the four of us all fancied doing the extra 15 miles to bring up the ton but opted for amazing Fish and Chips in a clifftop car park. Picture on the left is David & John pre-cup of coffee after a rain-soaked finish.

This was the Great Yorkshire Bike Ride; a ride through the fantastic Yorkshire countryside along with 1500 participants, some doing it for fun, others for charity and a few (us) for training. Apart from a couple of tough climbs we set a decent pace, much faster than we'll be doing on the End to End, and felt pretty fit after - no aching limbs the day after either! So, without getting too cocky, we're all feeling more confident that we'll actually be able to make it out of Cornwall!

Thanks for reading people - please leave a message of support to keep us going or help support the charity by clicking on the link on the right, or both!!

Rich

All About The Charity

As promised earlier a little bit about the main charity we are championing in the gruesome trek across England and Scotland:

Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1976, with the sole aim of ridding the world of poverty housing. Using donated money, materials and labour, Habitat works in partnership with people in need of shelter to build safe, decent homes in over 90 countries around the world, especially in areas hit by severe natural disasters, such as Indonesia, Burma.

To date they have built over 260,000 homes, helping over one and a half million people in more than 3,000 communities.

Your donation will contribute to the extremely valuable work undertaken by Habitat for Humanity around the world, including in the UK. Your donation will also be specifically directed towards a project in an area of South Africa severely afflicted by AIDS, where clean, decent housing is urgently needed for the children who have been orphaned as a result of the virus.

You can find out more on their website by clicking here.

We'd love you to donate as much as you can to support the excellent work the charity carries out and spur the four of us on during those inevitable dark moments! You can do this by clicking on the link on the right side of the page; help us reach 100% of our target!

Thanks for your support,

Richard, David, Andrew, John

Serious training

Riding end to end seemed a good idea at the time but the serious challenge of riding 60, 70 or even 80 miles day after day is starting to sink in, especially at the tender young age of fifty several. The original plan of training by stuffing as many All Day Breakfasts in as possible looks to be flawed. Instead it looks as though some serious pedal pushing will be required before we even start as may need to shed some of the breakfasts already eaten. After doing a mere 27 miles yesterday (plus one full breakfast) and feeling cream crackered by the end it was time to get out and be serious today. Made 48 miles without stopping for a full breakfast or even a cuppa. This despite wind attempting to be in my face as much as it could. Still cream crackered and now wondering if Ikea do comfy saddles?

Almost prepared for the big practice on Saturday 14th June when we do 80+ miles in the Great Yorkshire Bike Ride. Doing this with fully laden panniers and there are some cracking hills. May need to soak knees in WD4o first.

Bring it on!

To start this thing off...

Hello and welcome to the first post on the End to End blog - featuring four men who, on Friday 18th July 2008 will turn the first pedal on this adventure.

Why are we cycling between the furthest points on the British mainland? Mainly to fulfil a long-held ambition for David (and to stop him nagging about doing it); Richard needs an excuse to get into cycling and get fit; Andrew and John have always fancied it and are up for the challenge.

We're also putting ourselves through this torture to raise money for a very worthwhile charity - more details to follow!

This will be the place to catch up on the pre-challenge training and hopefully day by day commentary of events en route. So watch this space!

Rich, David, Andrew and John