Hell on wheels. It's all built up to this point, six days of hard riding, ~100 km per day. We are now at the launch point for the final push to Land's End. We're still not quite sure of our route, it depends on the weather and how our energy levels will be in the morning. Today we hit the West Country right proper. All the hills we complained about over the previous days had not prepared us for the terrain we are traversing now. Hilly is an understatement. We can have absolutely terrifying descents reaching speeds of 40+ miles per hour followed by endless climbs which sap every ounce of energy from your body. And just as you have ascended what you thought was clearly the highest hill in Devon/Cornwall, the next one is only a stones throw away.
We do take breaks along the way. Some of our breaks are just water breaks where we can take a quick breather, while others involve our support team. The support team meets us for long breaks with food, drinks, spares and drugs (legal ones, of course) at least twice a day. At times, Steve and I feel like steam engines that require a constant supply of fuel shoved into them at regular intervals. It must be working because we are here!
Tonight we are at our most tired. We both pretty much hit the wall today and had nothing in the tank for some of the big hills. There is not much you can do except take a break and dig deep for the next push. I think everyone has some little room in their mind in which they go to in order to break through the pain to just carry on, one foot over the other. Today was particularly hard for me as I have contracted a cold from somewhere in Norfolk (you know who are). My lungs are burning and its pretty painful to swallow. Steve is suffering from a common cycling ailment, sore bum. Not much we can do for either but carry on.
I'm writing this early tonight (10 pm) so I can try and gain back some of the lost energy from the previous six days by getting a good nights sleep.We are at a B+B in Bodmin, just what we needed.
Distance covered: 107 km
New top speed: 71.5 km/hr (scary)
Strepsils consumed: 1/2 box
Cream applied to sore bits: Loads
Hills climbed: 0, as I have wiped that from my mind forever
Chuck
p.s. Last Day Tomorrow! Thank goodness as my clothes are really smell.
2 comments:
Good luck for the last leg and then you can get back to normality (work) on Monday!
There were really dead today and I can't believe they have made it! I'm just support and I'm tired. I am so proud of them. I think they have learned a valuable lesson - don't train in Cheshire if you are going to ride 100km over moors :) Also a big thanks to John for looking after the boys while I have had to return to work. Good luck for tomorrow and Congrads on making it all the way!!!!!!!! Maile
Post a Comment