Day 5 – Cheshire to Cumbria – 95 miles.

A tough day starting from home today! No motivational shouts this morning just ‘get on your bike and ride’. Fatigue is definitely with us, more to do with the two previous days of rain which have really sapped the energy and positivity levels. I was shocked by how many local inclines that wouldn’t normally draw an effort were making me sit in and push hard.

We were joined by a good friend of mine, Andy Morley (a rival Winsford Wheeler), today and appreciated the fresh legs and optimistic outlook on the day ahead. Sadly I was soon dropped off the back but not before asking the boys to give Andy a testing day. Quite happy to adopt a tourists pace, I pootled along merrily forgetting the shackles of cadence, speed and heart rate and instead setting a pace that felt right. I guess this is a close to a bra burning experience as I will get, and enjoyed every minute of it. That is until I reached Northwich and received a call asking where I was which highlighted I gone 10 miles off course!! 

The realisation (including a loud scream worrying local passersby) of a long, sad and tiring day hit home hard and if it were not for the fantastic support we’ve all received in messages of support and generous donations I might have plotted a course for home. Instead I pushed on at a deflated snail’s pace only catching up with Belters LeJog team at 80 miles. As a result there are no photos yet of the day, but I will try to see what the others got along the way and add these later.

I have to drop a well earned plug because a last minute sports massage at ProPhysio in Chester (www.prophysiouk.co.uk) really helped the tired legs. At my low point I was really appreciative of the team there fitting me in late on Monday evening and it made a huge physical and mental difference. I was also delighted to pick up more sponsorship at the same time! 

It was a funny and mixed route today. A early ride through Delamere forest, followed by industrious Warrington, Manchester, Bolton & Blackburn and all that’s in between. If I could have peddled fasted I would! but it did make for some interesting people watching. This was then topped off with a breath taking route over the West Pennine moors and the jaw dropping Ribble Valley before finishing at Kirby Lonsdale and some steady isotonic ales to assist with pain relief. Sadly with such visual candy comes vertical challenge as the elevation chart shows.

 The positive is excluding the final days short 50 mile time trial, we are now half way. So it’s counting down each morning from here on in which has to help the fatigue situation.

(A small apology to the grammatical OCD’s out there. I’ve just looked over a few of the older posts and realised it’s no modern classic, but being very knackered when righting this means it’s all you are getting. I hope you can over look these imperfections and enjoy in our pain)

Day 4 – Herefordshire, Shropshire & Cheshire - 100 miles

The homeward leg that is still so far from home. Motivational calls this morning were somewhat misguided. ‘Don’t worry Stilly, it’s just the Cheshire Cat and you’ll be in your own bed for the night’. The Cheshire Cat is a annual 100 miles cycle that I have done twice and felt utterly miserable by the end on both occasions. Another day in Herefordshire followed by the previously scouted hills of Shropshire was not an inviting proposition. 

This coupled with the relentless rain made it difficult to get going today. When we did, we experienced 8 punctures all fixed by team mechanic Jenko, despite none of them being his. Our commercial minds have been working overtime and we are challenging Lucy to write a book on cycle shops between Lands end and John O Groats as she has almost visited them all.

Having be told to go on ahead South of Shrewsbury due to a complete lack of legs in the hills, Stilly won the unimportant but very significant Shrewsbury to Bangor on Dee time trial. So close to home, we were met at Bangor by friends and family which lifted the spirits all round. Thanks to all who came, and special thanks to Mike and Jane Jennings who brought much needed coffee & cake.

We’ve basically cycled from Lands end to home in four days which on its own is a big accomplishment. A shame we are not half way yet.

Day 3 – Somerset, Monmouthshire & Herefordshire - 94 miles

Blog for day 3 is a day late as it was Jenko’s 40^th Birthday. Any spare time was spent recovering from previous evening or convincing ourselves we can be elite athletes and have a pint whenever we want one.

Yet again motivational shouts of ‘don’t worry stilly, it’s another flat one today’ were slapped rudely in the face by Monmouthshire and then Herefordshire. Oh my god it’s hilly there, and they are steep! If this wasn’t a shock waiting to happen the heaven’s decided to opened after ten minutes of setting out and we were subjected to rain followed by more and harder rain for the remainder of the day.

We were joined today by on old school friend of Jenko’s, who happily cycled from Gloucestershire to meet us in Clevedon, Fair doo’s! Ian was not our only visitor to call Jenko and old man. Windsor and Penny joined us in for Herefordshire for some celebratory ales’. Not sure if it's fatigue, but we are certainly favouring Welsh ale compared to the south west brews. We lay down the challenge to Northern England and Scotland

Originally committed to not drinking until we finished each day we had a massive fail today by a) choosing a pub for lunch b) being confronted by this celebratory brew. It was as if the cycling gods were speaking to us therefore we were obliged to partake.

Day Two – Devon & Somerset – 96 Miles

A few tried legs after day one but not as bad as expected. Spirits lifted more by Jenko’s comments ‘don’t worry Stilly it’s all downhill, or flat today’. The elevation chart belwo tells a different story of 5,000 ft of climbing!

My shoulders dropped to a new low point when Garmin asked me to turn left onto ‘5 mile hill’! Pretty sure it wasn’t 5 miles long but Eminem’s movie wasn’t ‘8 miles’ long either. Both however were equally challenging and brought about states of nausea not often welcomed.

Many bizarre things have already been witnessed so far and we are only two days in. One being to consider why anyone would take tea bags to the toilet! Today’s mystery had to be when having ridden 12 miles passing giant yellow signs advertising Oakhampton show I overheard hear Kit and Jelly discussing what the 12 large marquee’s in a field were for. Especially as we’d just passed a welcome to Oakhampton sign!

Two different tales of the weather front toady. A glorious morning took us to lunch. The Kit jinxed the day by highlighting we’d broken the back of the day and the last part should be easy. No sooner had I applied more sun screen had the heavens opened and we were lefts with torrential rain to complete the last 28 miles. Thankfully it was mainly flat if not a little scary at times!

Day One - Cornwall - 106 miles

A quick 1 mile warm up and we were taking the team photo at Land's End. It's really real now!!

Day One - Cornwall. A beautiful county but absolutely brutal on a bike!

106 miles of up and down country. 8,500 ft climbed over 7 hours of riding. Jelly was an animal up the hills and Stilly hit the wall (energy wise) several time. See the route and geeky cycling stuff on Strava: app.strava.com/activities/71680758

First of three Ferry’s across the Fowey was a welcomed break after some stunning coast line scenery.

Great lunch in St Austell at 60 miles. Everyone felt great and confident about the rest of the trip. How wrong we were! 40 miles of tough country saw us all a little shell shocked but very happy to arrive in Devon. Tomorrow is a lot flatter and some solace (by Stilly) is being taken from that!

Nice to finally started and get day one behind us. Apparently it is the hardest of the 10.5 days. I really hope so!!!

Trip Down Was A bit of a challenge!

The van sponsor by Jelly was a bit of a squeeze with three seat and five people.

Riders taking the good seats on a two hour rotation. It was a little hot but still a chance for a little shut eye!