Training is finished! Thank the lord!!! It has been time consuming, all consuming, hard, harder, slow, fast, sore, exhausting, anti social, meditative, dangerous and great for the body and mind!

We made the decision in December 2022, to take on LEJoG. I felt a bit reluctant to commit, and was worried about the amount of training that would be needed! I contacted Discover Adventure and they sent me through the training plan, and it looked doable! It was a 16 week plan and I thought if we got going after Christmas and New Year we would be fine! It was a go!
The cycling needed started at 30 minute sessions and would be increased weekly up to 6 hours plus per session. We were advised to have a mid week cycle (shorter) and 2 long cycles back to back at the weekend.
Everyone , I believe suits a routine, but the nature of our business and Sharon’s work made this not quite so straightforward! It was easier in the beginning when rides were short, it’s not so hard to fit in an hour or 2 here or there, but latterly the cycles have been much longer which require planning and moving things around in my day to fit in. The routes we have chosen to cycle on have all been repeated many times as well, I am sure this happens with most people training for a big ride but we are some what limited here! For me, if I step out the door and go on my bike, I have a 2.5 mile uphill to negotiate before I find any easier terrain, in fact I have 2 up hills as I try to get out of Tobermory!

Starting training in January seemed great, let’s get the New Year resolutions kicked off and get fit and healthy! The reality is the roads are quiet but it’s freezing, wet, windy and generally not day light for very long! Trying to plan cycles around the better weather was hard, as was all the sheet ice on the Glengorm Road.
Although I do have an indoor exercise bike, it’s not something I really prefer to use. Handy as I set it up in front of the TV , but tedious and boring none the less . It does however serve a purpose and it was used rather sporadically in the beginning!
The actual thought of going out in the bike in all conditions is very off putting but when in the saddle and cruising along enjoying the scenery and the freedom the dread is easily forgotten!
Let’s not forget cake! It takes good planning on Mull to be able to stop for a coffee and cake on a cycle route and the Coffee Pot in Salen has been frequented a lot by myself, the calories needed to get me up the last hills to home.

I was on schedule with training, maybe even ahead of the game, but inevitably there were blips.

Early on, I had a wee fall, clip ins were involved and my bike ended up with a bit of damage. For anyone that doesn’t cycle, Clip ins are cleats on the bottom of rigid cycling shoes and they clip in to the pedals so my feet are attached to the bike. I have used them for years and getting used to them after a while off the bike is always a bit scary. They do however give you more power and make pedalling much more efficient.
Anyhow, I had a wee shot of Jacks bike (my 6’3inch son)for a few days whilst mine was hastily mended. Jacks bike is a bit bigger than mine, and set up differently and he had a different seat- doesn’t seem like a big deal but the fine tuning in your bike makes all the difference to comfort and pain levels.
My bike was back in action, so back out on it again. Unfortunately , my mum was ill and was fairly quickly diagnosed with lung cancer, liver cancer and a blood clot on the lung. Training took a bit of a back seat whilst I tried to help my mum and dad get organised with mainland appointments and tests. Fortunately we had closed our bed and breakfast business and I had more time.

Unfortunately after one hospital trip with them I discovered I had Covid and subsequently they both did too. This was my second round of Covid and I took it much worse than the 1st. A chest infection followed and the worry that I had long Covid and my cycle plans would be over. Two courses of anti biotics and I felt well enough to get on the bike again.

My mum picked up pneumonia and unfortunately her body was not able to cope, she passed away a little over 6 weeks after diagnosis and our world was turned upside down. I had a total of 3 weeks off the bike, and was seriously contemplating pulling out of the challenge. I dreaded getting on the bike and didn’t have much energy for anything.
But grief works in mysterious ways and I could hear my mum telling me “it’s mind over matter”. I gave myself 3 days to get my mind in the right place and fortunately it only took 2! I do have to say that if I hadn’t signed up to this trip with Sharon, I would have definitely pulled out. Cycling definitely is very much a psychological sport as if you are not in the right mindset it is pretty torturous. I have had a few training rides like this, but I have pushed on and through the worst as I know I will have bad days on the cycle and will just have to get to the next stop!
I am so delighted training is over, I have been living for the next bike ride and fitting life in around it! Lately I have been putting in an excess of 20 hours on the bike a week, I have cycled around Mull a few times and roads are getting pretty busy so it’s a great time to be finishing! I have a good few days of down time and the opportunity to get my head in the game and get packed and ready to go.

We leave Mull on Sunday 4th June and make our way to Penzance with bikes and bags, Travelling by Train all the way!!