Putting things into perspective.

David Walliams completed his massive 140 swim down the Thames yesterday and a friend attempted to swim the Channel at the weekend but was pulled out after 15 hours – too choppy and the tide had changed. Both of these are huge achievements and must have required a lot of mental strength to keep going when it hurt.

Although cycling from Cornwall to Scotland doesn’t even come close to either of the above, there are similarities in the approach to training and mind set.  Having finished Saturday’s ride, I was definitely ready to stop and 70 miles would be an easy day in my 11 day schedule.  Admittedly I had only eaten before and had a large sandwich halfway round – normally I would have had another meal break which would have got me up to the 100 mile mark. My biggest fear is running on that empty feeling and not being able to continue, but that would be bad planning.

Someone said once that the only thing to fear is fear itself – maybe but then there is mechanical failure, illness, knee failing, running out of staples in the highlands, not enough to drink etc etc etc.