4 weeks to go

As Ride London approaches super-fast, I am beginning to panic about the distance.  The furthest I've been is 60 hilly miles towards Merthyr, and in just four weeks time I'm supposed to be doing 100 miles.

Gulp.

So I hatched a cunning plan.  I'd drive to Peterstone (a flat village near the coast) and cycle from there - no hills.  So on Friday I did just that, starting off slightly later than I intended because of having to take Happy Running Dog to the vets for The Operation and then having to visit the bike shop to find out why my new brake pads wot the Melodeon Master and I had fitted were jammed onto my back wheel...  Eventually I did get going, armed with sports drink, Snickers, Rice Krispie Cakes, jelly babies and sunglasses - it was the most glorious weather.

I headed to Cardiff for a warm-up - 7 miles - and then to Asda for, ahem, a comfort break (and to buy pork pies which I suddenly thought I might need) and then on to Newport, Redwick, Goldcliff (I think), Whitson (nice houses), back to Newport, back to Redwick and in a big loop round the nice FLAT roads.  Just before the 2012 Olympics we regularly saw the British and Sky cycling teams training round here - both under the supervision of Sir David Brailsford, of course - and if it's good enough for them...

And it's flat.  Did I mention it was flat?

Here's one road:

And here's another:

And then here's my bike.  Take a good look in the distance.  Yes, that is the Second Severn Crossing.  WOO HOO!

And then I cycled all the way back.

I was doing very nicely, going well, not aching, until I saw the mountain biker.  Ahead of me, nice quiet dual carriageway, there for the taking.  I pedalled faster, planning to cruise past him with a cheery 'hello' and leave him to stare admiringly at my departing backside, marvelling at my cycling prowess.  I caught up, I said my cheery 'hello' (so far so good) and he kept up.  Whilst chatting.  What was I training for, how far had I been, wasn't it a lovely day and all that.  He was easily able to keep level with me without seeming to need to catch his breath whilst I was going as fast as I could.  Turns out he'd been cycling for years, was doing his regular 6 miles home from work, had previously cycled John O'Groats to Lands End just because he fancied it and liked nothing more than a quick 100 miles before lunch.

Oh great, I'd taken on a practically pro-cyclist after I'd already done 48 miles or so...

We stayed together for about 5 flat out miles - he was very chatty, very encouraging and agreed that the food you needed to consume was entirely down to personal preference - he was partial to fig rolls and cups of tea on his longer runs.  So it was all rather lovely really - apart from the speed.

Once he'd turned off towards his home I discovered I was getting cramp in my stomach and my legs were aching.  I stopped to think about things, finished off the Rice Krispie cake and the last of the jelly babies, the end of the drink and set off again.  Fuel seems to be quite important - with that lot inside me I had energy again and did another loop of FLAT roads before reaching the car.

70 miles in total!  I know - 70 miles!!  I am sooooo chuffed, and no longer dreading the 100 miles in 4 weeks time.

Except that it's got hills.