Progress!

I have come to a decision about the final route, I'm not changing it and will just have to put up with the steep climb to Shap at the end of a an 80 mile day. It might take longer and I might have a 101 mile day to cover following that but I have little choice given the number of days I have chosen to do the challenge in and a reasonable distribution of daily mileages. It will just make this section harder but then the last few days are fairly easy in terms of mileage. I think I will just have to suck it up and see - if I real can't carry on to Shap then I'll just have to doss somewhere.

I would like to stay in Kendall at a recomended B & B (the owners are bike nuts and 'sort you out' when you arrive). There is 18 miles between Kendall and Shap with an hours climbing at the end of it. I can't help that, the hill will be there the following morning so I will have to do it at some point. Once I have climbed to Shap and done the following 101 miles things should get easier for the next couple of days. The other positive is that by Day 6, I should be settling into the tour by then.

Training has been getting back to normal and my knee is feeling good. Last Sunday I decided to cycle to Oxford, through the town centre and up the Woodstock Road and then on to Woodstock. Coffee and cake came to a whopping £5.35 in a crappy cafe with indignent types reading the Times. I annoyed them all by sweating heavily - the weather was awesome. Back to Summertown to watch Ben playing football at Cuttslowe Park and then home via the A34. The point about this trip was that I went at a slowish pace (above tour pace though) which put very little stress on my legs. I finished it in great shape and not really that hungry. It was relaxed and enjoyable; I tried not to think of reaching the end of the ride and I kept the computer on time referring to the mileage only occassionally.

CDC have sent through all of their fund raising material along with a large banner for my spin events - all systems go now. I've even got some old fashioned collection tins (made of plastic of course).

Finally, I could have trained at the gym this evening and I could cycle tomorrow but I am resting; I have trained everyday for the last 6 days. I will go to the gym tomorrow evening and start a-fresh, I just don't want to upset my knee. I'm ready to start the challenge now; more training just risks injury and I will not get that much stronger and fitter. The clock is well and truly running; train tickets now booked from Reading to Truro and the bike has a reservation too.

.