23rd April 2014
Hello again dear readers, you know they always say that you should build up to a big event slowly, let the legs and lungs get acclimatised to a bit of exertion. Well I thought I’d done all that over the past few months, so when a “friend” said she was doing the Coast to Coast from Whitehaven to Tynemouth I jumped on the bandwagon. The trouble is that a piece of paper (map) or computer screen doesn’t really convey the enormity of some of the inclines along the route. Those of you who have had a go at the C2C will recognise Whinlatter, Hartside, Garrigill, Allenheads and Stanhope. All lung bursting climbs that somehow always felt much longer than the short descents that followed! It’s definitely not a route for the fainthearted, or indeed those that haven’t prepared, as it turned out when the originator of the idea jacked in on day 2 when she was in danger of being overtaken by a jogger and she couldn’t stand the pain in her nether regions!!
Although I didn’t finish the full C2C – who wants to trudge through the flat industrial landscape of Tyneside – we did complete 36 miles on day 1, 46 miles on day 2 and 32 on day 3. For those of you into calorie counting that was approximately 7000 calories (it’s amazing what technology can tell you these days). I don’t know where they’ve gone because my waist is still the same size!!
Anyway enough of the serious cycling chat, now that Whinlatter has been conquered what left is there to fear, 38 miles around the highways and byways of Cumbria, a piece of cake – or a large 99 overlooking Bassenthwaite on the way down Whinlatter.
But what of the other Psyclos I hear you cry……..
Whilst I was coughing and wheezing through Cumbria, Northumberland and County Durham, some fellow Psyclos were out and about on their two wheels, budding musician (come on you remember)…….. John Morris was tackling some of the highways and byways around Keswick, 32 miles allegedly. Newbie Psyclo James Rudd did most of the Preston Guild Wheel, strangely missing out the hills (Those familiar to the guild wheel will be thinking what hills?? – exactly!). Disturbingly the other Psyclos have gone silent, perhaps indulging to much in those Easter goodies!!
So there you have it dear readers, a little bit of light training before the main event, we might even slip in another Preston Guild Wheel!
As a wise man once said “if you don’t get a sweat on, it’s not worth botherin'”
Up and at ’em chums.