Getting Sorted

Hi folks,

Sorry I have not posted for ages, been very busy.

Anyway I have finally ordered my bike and it is coming on Saturday. After reading lots of bike reviews and asking people I decided to go for a Specialised Allez with 24 gears.

Today I did a bit of shopping and got some cycling clothes and bought a helmet and some gloves. I still have quite a few bits to get but I can get them gradually.

The fitness regime is still going well, and I am now down to 13st 12lbs. I am hoping to get below 13st before the coast to coast begins.

Well that is about it for now, hopefully I will take my new bike for a test run on Saturday or Sunday, weather permitting.

Bye for now

Hi folks,

Just a quick update today. The training is still going well. I did 18 miles in total this week. I did 9 miles on Tuesday and 9 miles this morning. To be fair it was fairly easy, and I could of done more, but did not want to push myself too much too early. It took me about 30 minutes to do 9 miles, with an average speed of 18mph, so all in all not a bad start to the training.

I was hoping to get my bike this weekend. But with the weather being bad, I think I will leave it until next weekend.

After much debating and reading reviews I think I am going to get a Specialized allex sport triple. Alot of people and reviews have said that this is a good first road bike, and it is not as expensive as some of the other models, we will see. The initial outlay will be high, as I will need trainers, a helmet and a few other bits and bobs, but it will be worth it.

I know I am getting ahead of myself, but I have been thinking that if I manage to achieve the coast to coast and I enjoy it, I might look to do the length of Britain next, from John O'groats to Lands End. I must be mad!!!!!! lol

And then if I manage to do that I would real love to cycle around the entire coast of Britain, but that is a long way away.

Until next time

Bye for now

Training

Hi folks,

Well today I started my long journey of training for the coast to coast challenge. However, there is one slight problem, I have not got a bike yet. I am hoping to buy a good road bike at the beginning of next year and to be fair the weather and the dark nights make training at this point hard anyway. So I have started doing some light training in the gym over this winter period. Tonight I started with an easy 6 mile cycle in the gym. I completed the 6 miles in 20 minutes and had an average speed of 15-18mph.

At the start of my training I will be training twice a week, then as the light nights arrive in the new year I will increase that to three days a week. Also each week I will be increasing the number of miles I cycle and the severity of the cycling course. Eventually I need to be able cycle comfortably 60 miles per day. However, the important point is that I need, eventually, to be able to cycle two successive days of 60 miles, as I am aiming to complete the coast to coast in two days. This will be the hardest thing to accomplish as there is no point in being able to cycle 60 miles in one day and then keeling over and dying and not being able to ride the second day.

As well as doing this challenge to raise money for Cancer research, I am hoping to use this challenge to seriously get back into shape.

So at the start of my journey I weigh 90kg, and I will keep a close eye on my fitness throughout this journey.

Nearer the time of the challenge I will post details of how people can sponsor me and donate money for Cancer Research.

Thanks for following

To drink or not to drink

This is the hardest thing to do,

I need to give up drink for the next six months, I need to be in perfect condition for the challenge, but i just think of my nan and its not hard. So lets give it a go.

Lets hope I can do it

Everything has to have a begining

Hi folks,

It is me again!!! (Now, now don't sigh. lol)

Now some of you might have read my travelling ramblings, and some might be new to me (lucky you!!!).

Since I have been travelling around Europe my whole outlook on life has changed. It has made me realise how lucky I am to have a steady job, a house and food, and all the things that most people take for granted. I now realise that the grass is not always greener on the other side.

To this end, next summer I am going to complete the coast to coast bike challenge, starting from Whitehaven and ending in Sunderland. The total distance is approximately 150 miles. Now just to make it more challenging I am going to try and do the challenge in two days. That is 75 miles on the first day, then stay in a B & B and then 75 miles to the end. And just so you all know I have not rode a bike since I was about 10. lol

I am hoping to raise at least £1000 for Cancer Research as my Nan died of Cancer several years ago.

So I have set this blog up to chart my training progress and how I am getting on.

Wish me good luck guys