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I treated myself to a head unit (a small, bike GPS computer thing). When it arrived I took it for a test ride. The idea is (for me) that you can import GPX routes to it and it will guide you, turn by turn on a map, like a normal satnav. It also picks up your other sensors so it can monitor pedal cadence, speed, distance, time, etc, but the main thing for me is the satnav feature. If I’m doing LEJOG I am going to need a lot of guidance. Especially if it’s along trails and small country roads. The reason I bought the unit instead of just using my ‘phone satnav is battery. The head unit will run for 15 hours on gps, I doubt I’d get an 8 hour ride out of my ‘phone. The ‘phone screen is a lot better quality and burns through battery.

As I had the cycle path route for LEJOG I needed to test it out on a cycle path. I chose the Transpenine Trail. I got the GPX, loaded it onto the head unit and set off. It’s a bit of a learning curve, working out how it does things. On the way out I took a few wrong turns and lost the course a bunch of times. I eventually made it to Stockport but was too discouraged to go any further. I worked out how to reverse the GPX and came home. I think I only made two slight errors. I’m getting the hang of the unit. It was all but 25 miles each way, but because of the condition of the paths and tracks it took me 2 hours riding out, 1.50 back. And it was hard work. It was a very nasty wake up call. The course is nearly 1,200 miles. I wanted to do 120 miles a day to get it done in 10 days. That just isn’t going to happen. 100 miles is 12 days, but over that terrain that is still a big, big ask.

I looked around and there was a cheap (£4.00) ‘book’ (really just a bit of a route description, it’s mainly a way to sell you the link to the gpx files) of some guy who’s done LEJOG 3 times, the first as short as possible along all the main roads, the second an attempt to plot a safe route, and the third ironing out the kinks from the second attempt. It contains cycle path sections but the main idea is to use the shortest safe route. So it shadows the main roads, but on smaller roads to the side, wherever possible. And it’s 945 miles, instead of 1,200!

As is ever my way, once I’d started looking at Dawes Galaxy touring bicycles I got fixated. I did a few searches, but I was frustrated by the fact that I needed the 48cm frame model, most of them were 53cm and above. I tried to trick my brain into letting me be patient by buying a rear rack. I could fit that to my road bike and do my training on it while I waited for a perfect bike to appear. Nah. I was obsessing and making myself frantic.

I quickly cracked. I went to see a 48cm Super Galaxy (supposedly slightly more sporty riding position, combined shifters/ brakes). It was up in the North Pennines. (Junction 38 of the M6, then across to the east for an hour and 20 minutes). I didn’t know there was that much back-of-beyond in England! Stupid big hills, twisty little roads, it was a focusing drive.

I got there and the bike was fine. A bit scratched, with some baked on oil and dirt, but everything worked. It was blue, not the racing green I wanted, but I couldn’t wait so I got it. Relief! I think it’s a 2000s bike, and the seller said his mate (who’s bike it was) had got parkinsons so hadn’t ridden it for 10 years. So it shouldn’t be too worn out.

I’ve been back to pushbike riding for 5 weeks, after 4 1/2 years off. (That bugs me. I knew the Windows code to do a half symbol, I don’t think there is one for Linux. Grrrrr.) Anyway, 5 weeks of tootling to work, and an hour on the turbo most days of the week. And I’ve revived an old pipe dream, and decided I’m doing it! A Lands End to John O’Groats (LEJOG) pushbike ride! I’ve been put off by the amount of agony I’m in at the end of 112 miles on a triathlon, but I’ve found out there are specific touring bikes that are “comfortable” *sceptical face*. I’m looking at one. It’s a Dawes Galaxy. It was the go-to for bike tourers for decades. They’ve discontinued the range, but there are quite a few going second hand, and for buttons. I just missed out on one in Liverpool for £130.

On top of a gazzillion spokes to make the wheels bulletproof, 3 chain rings at the front to get you up any hill, really relaxed geometry and steel frame to make it all day comfortable, mudguards and rack, I also think it looks great. I love the British racing green colour and the classic styling.

I’m in the groove of expecting to be riding my pushbike now. To work, to the shops, etc. After my initial excitement with the Sufferfest I’ve got a bit sad with it. I still love the Sufferfest workouts, which they’ve kept, but the vast majority of the site is Wahoo Systm training videos. It’s tedious. Some boring footage talking to cycling teams and of them on the races. The other day I took my glasses off so I wouldn’t have to keep reading the subtitles. I was thinking of switching to TrainerRoad when my trial runs out, but that is the ultimate in boring, just a graph of the power you should be maintaining and your ride date. Hmmm. The only thing in TRs favour is it is hardcore about improving you. I just went to see if they do free trials (they don’t) and ended up reading a Systm vs TR review. There doesn’t seem to be much in it. Systm is better because of the diversity of training available (yoga, mental training, tri, strength, etc) but TR is better dedicated bike training. If you’ve got the self motivation to do the work, through the boredom.

Anyway, despite not being Sufferfest, the Systm workouts have been working me. I thought at first it was still too easy, like MyWhoosh, but then they threw in one where I was hanging on, wondering if I was going to quit, by 7 minutes of a 50+ minute ride. If some of them really challenge me, I can believe the plan will work.

Another less than ideal thing is that split nosed saddle I got. I was trying to toughen up to it, but I had an easy 90 minute ride the other day, and by 50 minutes I was standing up to relieve the discomfort. I’ve fitted a cheap, Chinese knock-off snub nosed saddle I had in the shed and ordered the Fizik Mistica saddle it was ripping off. It’s second hand so not ridiculously expensive. I’ll see if that works any better. It’s the saddle I did the full Iron distance tri on. That was misery, but with practice, a good pad, and lube, maybe a half won’t be so bad.

I’ve not been on the motorbike all week. I’ve cycled to the gym, to the shops, and to work. I’ve got to build my bike fitness. I wasn’t sure about the MyWhoosh ramp test. I tested as a very weak 153 FTP, a few days later I got it to 165, still poor but better, obviously. I was suspicious of the accuracy of the test, and the degree of difficulty of the training plan they set me. It just seemed too easy. Even easy days should have the odd burst of hard. Long story short, I signed up for The Sufferfest again. I got the free trial so I’m not paying for it yet, but the first ride out I was back in my happy place. Hard bits to make you work, motivational text, and fun to get you through the tough bits. I will be signing up for the paid subscription. I did a few easy rides as they prepared me for their fitness test. I had a swim this morning, gave it a few hours to rest and recover, then took the test. It’s killer. 56 minutes, warm up, max power sprints, max sustainable power for 5 minutes, recover, max sustainable power for 20 minutes, recover, all in effort at ridiculous watts for 1 minute. It smashes you. After that test they’ve upped my FTP to 182. Armed with my new FTP I’ve signed up for an improver plan with Sufferfest. The other good thing about the bike is (apart from the tests) I can stay on the aero bars for the whole hour.

I’ve been applying the ethos “comfortable is fast” to everything (If you are comfortable in your position you can stay in it, if it’s too painful you’ll break aero by wriggling around). The bike seems pretty comfy, the saddle is supposed to be the best bet, once I get toughened up to it, and I’ve put insoles from my trainers into my cycling shoes. On several races crushing the nerve in my foot on to a hard surface repeatedly has made my foot go dead, then become absolute misery. It was hurting so much I was happy to get out on the run, despite being exhausted. Insoles will lose me some power over the course of the race, but if my foot isn’t in agony, I’ll be more able to keep on pushing.

The thing I’ve been obsessing over this week is a tri suit. I have two requirements: sleeves (more aero, save sunburn) and the best, most comfortable seat pad. I don’t want this again.