Update after Day 3 -Ride Across Britain

Sorry I haven't had a chance to update my blog this week it's been a busy last 4 days, we got into John O'Groats in plenty of time, the weather was absoulutely glorious when we arrived never seen it so nice, the sea was flat calm and we were treated to a stunning sunset. It was all a bit of a mad rush to get ourselves organised for the next day, finally got my head down at 11 and was awake at 4, I don't actually think it gets dark up there for long this time of year.

Day 1 we probably went a bit mental and were in under 6 hours for 104 miles, loads of hills but the weather stayed really nice for us, Day 2 we started a bit slower, but we did do a few hill climbs early on and and easier run into the finish at Fort William in the shadow of Ben Nevis, for 99miles. Day 3 today was really tough it ended up as 122 miles through Glencoe down to Glasgow, long long day, many riders still out well after the 12 hour cut off. Legs are holding up, my left calf has a bit of a twinge, been to the physio so it feels a bit easier now, hope it doesn't get any worse. Easier day tomorro 103, on big hill to go up and down as we head down the A74 to Carlisle. That's all for now as I am tired and need my lovely sleeping bag in my tent, will update later and add some photo's and my Garmin links when I can find a PC with an SD slot.

Richard

Has Anyone Seen My Wheels ?

Well it's T Minus 2 Days and counting and I don't feel in the least bit organised, so I am quickly updating my Blog before I shoot back home to finish my packing ready for tomorrow morning. The Scottish contingent of the Cisco Ride Across Britain Team will be joining their southern Collegues tomorrow morning as we get picked up bright and early in the Minibus from our Trilogy Office. Hopefully there will be some great nervous banter on the way up to pass the miles, it's a long way to JOG even from Glasgow, oops I nearly burst into song their :-)

I am hoping by the way when we get to John O'Groats that my bike doesn't quite look like my picture, missing wheels would not be a good start to the event, but it looks very shiny for once after I cleaned it,  how long that will stay that way no one knows, that will all depend on the weather forecast next week. Don't worry my wheels were found and reattached to the bike, so we are all good to go.

I thought at this point it might be useful to include 2 valuable links, the first is a long range weather forecast, but equally if not more importantlly is the Midge Forecast, these little blighters can make your life a misery if the weather is warm and wet !!, I have a feeling we could be meals on wheels for them next week, as he reaches out for his Avon Skin So Soft apparently a miracle cure to stop them biting as well as giving you a nice skin complexion.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/uk_forecast_weather.html

http://www.midgeforecast.co.uk

Well I have just come of the Exec Sponsor Call for the Cisco Team doing the Ride Across Britain, it was very humbling to hear the amazing work GBParalympics do for our athletes, they are hoping to have 300 Athletes at the London 2012 Games, we were second in the Medal Table in Beijing in 2008, I just hope with all your support in terms of Sponsorship we can help these 300 Athletes in London 2012 achieve even greater things in their home games,  it means so much for these athletes to be able to take part in these games, so your amazing support is really appreciated.

There are a number of ways you can tune into this event next week, I have created a blog which I will be updating on a regular basis as energy allows, hopefully with pics and videos of us along the way, there is a Facebook Community Page you can 'Like',  a Twitter Hashtag and also a website mapmytracks you can view our progress via GPS. Hopefully you will take the time to check in on us.......

http://richardridesacrossbritain.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/CiscoRiders

#ciscoriders, @richardatcisco

http://www.mapmytracks.com/events/ride-across-britain-2011

Thanks again to you all for your support and I will catch you all tomorrow as we head to JOG for the start of the 2011 RAB

Oh and I nearly forgot here's my link to the Just giving website please please keep donating if you can and thank you in advance if you do.

http://www.justgiving.com/richardrideacrossbritain

Richard

Weekend Wonderings on the Ride Across Britain

Well it's Saturday night as my thoughts turn to where I will be this time next week, hopefully in my tent fast asleep feeling very satisfied of my days efforts having just completed the first 104 miles from John O'Groats to Kyle of Sutherland with the rest of Team Cisco. I've been putting in a load of extra miles this week, given up the running to focus on the cycling and have done a number of back to back sessions and what a difference it has made, my endurance has massively improved and my climbing has come on leaps and bounds. Feeling stronger every day now and ready for the challenge now both physically and mentally.

When I was out on Thursday night I overtook another cyclist on one of the hills on the A70, I was averaging around 22 mph at that point so I was not hanging about, as the road flattened out, the cyclist caught me up and drew along side for a chat, when I asked if he had been much out this year he had admitted that in the bad weather he hadn't been out much, then again he said when you get to my age "70" you have to look after yourself, I tell you what if regular cycling makes me half as fit as this guy in his 70's I'll be keeping this up well after the Ride Across Britain. After a short chat, he let me get on my way, but said he would try and keep up, well as I hit the next downhill section I was pushing really hard up to 32mph and to my amazement he stuck on my wheel for the next 3 miles before he turned off to head back home. That's one of the great things about cycling I have met some really great people on my travels.

Today Steve T  a fellow RAB participant treated me to a fantastic ride out around the Kingdom of Fife, I hadn't been out on my bike that way in ages and although the weather wasn't brilliant it, cold air and drizzling at times, the conditions were probably ideal considering how hard the climbs were and how much steam we produced by the top of them, as we powered our way up them. It was just short of 50miles, but it felt like 50miles of vertical climbing at times, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and so nice to be able to cycle a new route today, thanks Steve for a great morning on your home turf.

I suppose that's one of the things I am really looking forward to about the Ride Across Britain, every day will be different and there will be parts of the country we will be cycling through I have never actually been to so I have no idea what to expect. Maybe that is a good thing as I am sure there will be a few hidden gems of hills along the route, so it's probably best not to think about them too much.



Here's a short Video of Steve as he reaches the top of Cleish Hill, not that was a great climb, last time I climbed this when I did the LEPRA, Edinburgh to St Andrews Charity Bike Ride there was an Ice Cream Van at the top alas it was not there today when we got there today, mind you it was pretty chilly up at the top with that cold North Easterly wind, brrrrr !!!

Well I had better get off to bed planning another 44miles early tomorrow morning with Mike G, I am sure he has a few more testing hills up his sleeve around where he stays, Mike is definitely the King of the Mountains in the office when it comes to hills so suspect I will be seeing a lot of his back wheel tomorrow as he disappears vertically in front of me in his Green Jersey.

Well in case your interested here's my Garmin output from today's ride with Steve, check out some of those ascents and descents.

49miles Around the Kingdom of Fife by rmoir50 at Garmin Connect - Details

Thoughts for Tuesday

Well it's Wednesday morning and it's 10 days and counting to the start of the Deloitte Ride Across Britain, the days are disappearing fast so it's going to be upon us before we know it.

We are now working through the finer details of the logistics on how we get bike and rider to and from the start and finish of each stage. It's great to see so many people taking part from Cisco and no matter how far you are cycling this will be an amazing challenge and a great experience for everyone involved.

I hope everyone is remembering to get their Sponsorship site setup on www.justgiving.com, and linking it back to Cisco's RAB Fund Raising page, http://www.justgiving.com/teams/CiscoRAB, I believe there will be a number of Paralympic Athletes taking part so hopefully we will get a chance to meet them and be able to share our experience with them to show our support for them in  2012.

I took a night off the training tonight to let the legs recover but I'll be back in the saddle again tomorrow night, weather is suppose to be improving again towards the end of the week so hopefully I can get a few more miles in the legs before I start to taper next week. I have posted a few videos on Youtube tonight from Monday nights training ride, apologies for the wind noise it was blowing a gale!! http://www.youtube.com/my_videos?feature=mhsn

I am not sure how many of you are on Facebook and Twitter, but if you haven't already "Liked" the Deloitte Ride Across Britain-Cisco Riders community  on FB, I would encourage you to do so as we are trying to post all the activity from each of the participants up there so we can follow each others progress. We even have our own Mascot on Arthur @arthurthemascot Twitter who will be following us along the RAB route and on Twitter, so get signed up and start following him today. Well that's all for now, keep the legs turning if your out on your bike, keep safe and we will see you all at the start in a few days time.