Two weeks to go ...

Well, things are getting a bit hectic in terms of preparation for the bike ride (thirteen days and counting) ...

Chris and I have been braving the mean streets of Islington and have navigated our way up to Hertfordshire on a training run this Sunday. We escaped a slanging match with an irate taxi driver on Commercial Road and pedalled around three brawling mobile-phone sales men on Upper Street to make it up to the leafy suburbs - I am not too sure I can cope with the drama if all of my cycle journeys are going to be like that!

The house is looking a bit like a second-hand cycle warehouse at the moment, with piles of bike equipment, clothing and high energy drinks and potions in every room - all ready to be loaded into the car in due course.

Otherwise I am looking forward to my 2 week cycling holiday! I am already praying for good weather and no wind whatsoever, so please do not start doing any rain-dances for the next month or so ...

I am going to try and add a photo of Dad (Philip) and me - although my computer skills don't allow me to turn it the right way up?!. He is doing fantastic work supporting my bike ride at present - he is still refining the route, nagging potential sponsors and being a good cheerleader - I am thinking about hiring him out as a wing-man to anyone else who wants to do something similar and needs some logistical support (he was also a very good tent-mate up and down Mount Kilimanjaro) ... any takers, let me know!!

This will probably be it until John O'Groats - argh!

The Preparation

I cannot believe I have managed to work out how to use a blog - thanks Angela A for setting up yours and prompting me into sorting one out!

So, just a quick update as to the current position: I am currently training and generally preparing for my cycle ride from John O'Groats to Land's End. Dad (Philip) has refined my route and has hopefully moved a couple of mountains (or monroes) from my path, all of the accommodation has been booked - and the best thing is that people have been so generous that the amount raised for Rock RNLI Lifeboat's "Train One Save Many" campaign already stands at £7,200 (minus gift aid contributions) - yippeee!

Chris (husband) has also been excellent - providing lots of moral support, making sure my bike works, fitting my clip-in pedals.. and laughing until he coughed up his kidney when I fell off my bike having forgotten to unclip from my clip-in pedals. Southwark Bridge Road now has a very large dent in it ...

So, all in all - a good start, although I feel very nervous about having to get on my bike every day for 2 weeks and pedal for 80-odd miles a day, especially if it is windy ... so I am concentrating on not thinking about that bit...

More from me when the Pasty Run begins!