Cycle Review - Day 2
Thursday: Bedford - Oxford
63 miles

7am: Wake up. Drink Rice Krispies from a mug. Novelty soon turns to frustration at not getting a good mouthful.
7:45: Move bikes downstairs, and outside. Lots of checking of tyres.
8am: Off on time, very strict on this today, well we would be after yesterday.
8.15: Bedford in rush hour, is a place for the fearless, namely Greenleaf, whose method of cycling up the middle of the road past stationary vehicles, although initally suspect is soon adopted by all.
8.45am: Lots of bemused schoolkids in suburbia.
9am: The cheek of it! A hill appears for the first time this week and a thin line of cyclists snakes its way up. A bit windy as well. A impressively long trail of cars is left behind us. A photo stop is taken for posterity, but as Leon points out, not quite at the top of the hill, leaving a slow start to get going again
9.30am: Pace going well here, out in the country now, certainly not flat like yesterday, but no King of The Mountains points on offer as yet...
9.41am: Smash, Bang, Wallop!! Steve hits the deck with a nasty thud, having clipped the slowing Machine. Luckily the car behind stopped in time. Apart from ripped trousers (ironic given what's in his luggage - more of that latter) and bruised pride, it's all OK though.
9.52am: Through Newport Pagnell, though Maverick Davies is slightly concerned at the signs for Northampton.
10.11am: Bit of a bonk kicking in now, but Machine had us on the right course, we look in some random village for a shop, but there is a sense of achivement so far today, so we decide to nudge on a bit further.
10.20am: Cross M1 and West Coast Main Line in quick succession.
10.27am: A proper hill! Over the Grand Union Canal and up towards Watling Street. Greenleaf claims the points.
10.32am: Bit of a busy section here over the A5
10.45am: Stop for some food, in the delightfully quaint Deanshanger. We're doing well. Martin looks fresh as a daisy. Route ahead looks a bit more undulating, but the carrot of a pub lunch is a good one
11.01am: Rich takes some more action shots
11.12am: A lot more undualting. Some splits in the ranks appear - The tete de la course is Rich Martin and Andy, with Machine hovering in no mans land, and Leon and Steve keeping their noses in front of the broom wagon.
11.30am: Some good speeds on the downhills, it seems to be long downhills followed by long uphills for a good 10 miles.
12.10pm: Still it goes on - but this is what we're here for!
12.45pm: Martin takes Steve's back, sneakily before a massive downhill where the day's highest speeds are attained
13.00pm: Confirmed between us lunch will be in Bicester, and the leaf knows just the place, so when the signs say Bicester 10 (like they do for the next 6 miles) the pace quickens.
13.10pm: At least its flatter now, but this is good training.
13.40pm: We're into Oxfordshire, there is serious evidence of tiredness, and the clouds are closing in...
14.05pm: After a bit of a slight minor diversion, said pub is found. Relief and pleasure in equal measure all round. Especially as it just starts to rain.
14.10pm: Talk of early doors lash subsides, except for the boy Davies who orders a Guiness.
14.25pm: The food is great, the rain is lashing down outside, the barmaid seems friendly...
14.40pm: We don't want to get up, but we must crack on before dark. Barmaid engages Steve in conversation.
14.55pm: Leon, Andy and Martin are 2 miles towards Oxford. Where's Steve and Matt??
15.05pm: Apparently Steve has been 'talking' to the barmaid all that time!
15.20pm: It't not far to Oxford and this is real team effort to get there, fast but pleasurable as the end is in sight.
15.55pm: A sprint for points into the travellodge carpark is won by Martin.
16.00pm: Matt and Andy appear, having gone round the whole roundabout to make sure it was the right one.
16.05pm: Reflect on a day that has gone amazingly to plan.
16.30pm: A bit of rest.
17.00pm: Discover why Steve has to give his backpack to other people. For some reason he is carrying two pairs of jeans - conversely Martin travels so light his shoes are bent in two! Martin therefore coins a nickname of TwoJeans for Steve, which sticks like superglue!
18.00pm: Head into Oxford.
18.30pm: Nice pint of Samuel Taylor's
19.00pm: Andy has to down most of his in time for meal!
20.00pm: Most people have gone for the pasta option, wisely. Discussion of tomorrow turns to Greenleafs local knowledge, mention of some kind of hill, and the major lash planned for tomorrow
21.00pm: On the basis of tonight, lash is under threat as we're all drowsy and ready to sleep already!
21.30pm: The snug sofas in this pub don't help you to stay awake!
22.00pm: Sensibly, it's back to the hotel and ready for the morning strike to Winchester!

Day in Review

Quotes:
'Judging by the fudge factor so far' Rich
'There's been no fun factor' Gasman
'Blenheim Pal-lash' Baptiste
'Stirrups' Woonton
'Two Jeans Woonton' Gasman
'Discipline me' Woonton

High Point:
Pub Lunch
Arriving at hotel before dark
For Steve: friendly barmaid

Low Points:
Steve's mishap
Croissant Prices for Martin

What we Learnt:

• What comes down must come up
• Toe clips are not known as stirrups
• Don't ask for Plasters as this in itself is a health and safety risk
• Don't take a backpack

No of Wrong turnings: 1, into Bicester

No of Collisions: 1: Matt & Steve

Day summed up: Ups, downs, & buxom barmaid

editors note: I find this day remarkabely more difficult to the other two to recall, anyone else find this? Probably cos I wasn't forced to my physical extremes any any point like the other two...

Profile #4

Name: Leon Foster

Nickname: 'Baptiste'

Age: 23
Hometown: Wirral
Studied: English Studies, University of Nottingham
Best athletic moment: Northern XC 2006, Blackburn, incredible post-race feeling.
Worst athletic moment: National XC 2005, shocking DNF.

funniest athletic moment: The guy who sprinted off a Ed Prickett relays last year

rank the disciplines: Run, Bike, Swim
best quote by someone else: 'Hazy' - Greenleaf in midst of blitzing a mountainous Welsh Castles Leg

any other info: Will settle for a 1 second margin over Gasman.

Right, I'm getting the hang of this blogging now. Today...what's hot and what's not about ironman. Firstly, what's not.

I came across this on the guardians weekly round up of best sport on youtube. It's painful viewing, and bear in mind she's the leader...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRB1p89k7_I

On a brighter note, in todays free sport paper in london, there's an article on the youngest ever finisher of the ironman world champs. She's hawaiian, and I think I love her. I think you can access on line (page 42):

http://www.myfreesport.co.uk/

Ironman Profile #3

Name: rich davies
Nickname: maverick
Age: 24
Hometown: Plymouth
Studied: Economics, University of Nottingham
Best athletic moment: Notts AC 10 Mile, 59:57- June 2004
Worst athletic moment: Throwing up 3 times in the final stages of Notts AC 10 mile- June 2004
funniest athletic moment: Following a random jogger off the course, Relais Centrale de Paris- April 2002
rank the disciplines: Bike, Run, Swim
best quote by someone else: "i've since developed a fear of big 'Cats'. PS Martin had the Leopard." - Matt Kilpin, just a normal night out in Winchester then!!
any other info: Olympic Triathlon PB 2hrs22m27s London 2004

16th Jan 2007. Time for some initial thoughts.

Firstly, Leon would appear to like writing. Looking forward to the next installment!

I'm a little concerned about the swim stage for blenheim. It's in early June, and the marathon is in late April. Once I've recovered from that, I will have perhaps a bare 3 weeks to learn front crawl, otherwise it's the shame of breast stroke.

I'm reading a book at the moment- 'Not Normal Behaviour'- it's about a guy who trains for the ironman. It's no Austen, but it does give an insight into what is ahead. I will bring it to the Lakes.

Which ironman? Criteria. Must be:

Warm,
Exotic,
Right time of year,
Flat course,
Have a good freebie t-shirt.

Cycle Review - Part One - Tuesday 21 & Wednesday 22 November 2006

The time had finally come to get started on the 'real' training!

The cycle route has been finalised, accomodation sorted so it was time to crack on.

First rendevous was at chateau Woonton in Kings Lynn, so we'll start our little journey on the way there...

7.14pm: On the train to Ely, phone call from Martin, looks like they will be on the same train from there, which is nice. Rich and Steve already at base camp, and Machine due to follow a bit later.

8.24pm: Train to Kings Lynn pulls into Ely. Manage to align myself with the Ironman carraige, so a good start. Excitements builds as we head north, conversation is in high spirits.

8.56pm: Steve and Rich meet us at station - we discover Martin and Andy both have same jacket.

9.01pm: off we head to Steve's house - friendly pace, quasi-competitive, a prologue if you will.

9.35pm: Mrs Woonton has provided a array of pasta MrDolmio would be proud of, which goes down very well. Celtic beat ManU as we hear Machine is running late.

10.46pm: Machine arrives - debate ensues about departure time, but 8am is confirmed - eventually.

7am: Wakey, wakey

8am: We haven't left yet, which we may regret...

8.27am: after a photo call, time check, cycle computer check, bag check, we're off!

8.34am: This seems easy enough

8.41am: Soon on the river bank. Rich motors ahead to get some action shots. I catch Steve up with a little burst. Steve moves out of the way thinking I was a 'serious' cyclist.

8.46am: The relative merits of the cycles are already apparent. My shopping bike does not like crosswinds, for starters.

8.59am: First route dilema is overcome with ease. The cycle symbol did help, to be fair...

9.01am: Second route dilema is more fraught. Me and Steve have slowed down to discuss this, whilst the bandwagon at the front of the peleton steamrollers on. Shouting in the blustery conditions is, frankly, useless, and they're out of sight. Luckily, Matt, caught in no mans land, has a glance back. We stop to consulte the map, waiting for the others to return once they realise they're not with us. They don't return. Steve phones Martin but there is no reply. Matt volunteers to cycle ahead to find out whats going on, as Steve has established for certian they've gone the wrong way. Machine returns with the news Greenleafs tyre has blown up!! They may be a while. It is concluded the route error is down to the difference between St Germans and St Annes.

9.17am: The peleton reforms all in one piece and heads south. The first puncture didn't take long!

9.21am: Open fields and wind don't mix - it dawns that we will be cycling into the wind all day, and if it holds - for all 3 days. At least it's flat - which proves useful when Rich and Gaunt are half a mile ahead...

9.27am: Greenleaf goes pop again. Could be serious. Luckily we have a chief mechanical engineer, Kilpin who identifies the issue in nanoseconds and is set straight to the task. Lots of posings and posturings to the effect of 'we knew that' We try some different bikes out. Shopping bike comes out tops. First mention of a contingency plan. Not good.

9.44am: The peleton is split by a level crossing. More time lost.

10.02am: Reach Downham Market which is very nice but we must push on.

10.08am: Outskirts of Downham and Andy has another puncture. This time it's terminal. Needs new tyre. Microsoft wizard Woonton soon establishes cycle repair shop is in Ely, but minute long verbal directions prove useless. Andy is to get train while rest of us plough on to Ely. The remaining five soon stopped by non-tarmaced path. Luckily Martin meets postman who says tarmac is close by.

10.26am: Reach the road, that according to Steve,goes all the way to Ely. It's very flat, but it's bloody windy.

10.40am: Every man for himself in these winds - Martin and Rich have got the bit between their teeth for sure. The roads are nice and quiet though...

11.14am: Still windy

Reach a small village where there is a riot trail. Have cake. Nice. Andy is all sorted with his new tyre and will cycle out of Ely to meet us.

11.46am: Pace is crippled by wind. 40 miles and lunch seems a long way off.

12.02pm: Realise we may have passed Greenleaf?? Phone call establishes he is on other side of River.

12.21pm: Storm into Ely. Catherdral is nice. Where's Greenleaf.

12.30pm: Greenleaf arrives. Much discussion as to lunch venue, but in view of delays and conditions, there is no choice but to aim for Cambridge. It's only 12 miles.

12.38pm: Reach cycle path. 'Cambridge 24'. First mention of cutting short. It is decided that we will take a shorter route, which is initally along cycle path anyway. Rich notes that this is nothing compared to an Ironman. Quite right too.

12.42pm: Not a good path for the road bikes. National Cycle Network, is, essentially shit, is the conclusion.

12.42 and 30 seconds: No sooner is conclusion reached then it rains.

12.45pm: Gaunt has puncture. This is looking shaky.

12.50pm: Time for Plan B - straight to Bedford. Problem now being we need to head west, next turn west being 7 miles away due to bloody river.

12.58pm: Pissing down now, the gloaming encroaches, and the wind blows ever more powerfully.

13.18pm: We're all very wet now, and Bedford is a long way away. Lorries and busiest road yet don't help.

13.25pm: It's getting the better of me - my knee doesn;t like it at all.

13.50pm: Plan B is rapidly going the way of Plan A - We clearly, given the rate of progress, need a serious rethink. Black humour is evident. Stop at next pub.

14.01pm: Arrive at next pub. Closed. Gaunt has another puncture. This is a low. Chill sets in. Where is next pub? Map says 5 miles west.

14.21pm: Nail 5 miles soaked cold and blown, arrive at village. Pub has no food, so corner shop raided. Coffee to warm the soul. Serious shivers on display.

14.30pm: Realise we aren't going to get to Bedford in daylight. Many options raised, but we appear to be stuck in the middle of nowhere. Hire a van. Book a hotel in Cambridge. Back to Kings Lynn. Just as all is lost, Greenleaf hits upon the masterplan of sending the 6 bikes with the 3 of us with railcards via the only possible train route to Bedford - Cambridge-London-Bedford, while the other 3 get express coach direct.

15.12pm: Cambridge is about 13 miles away and the aim is to get there by dark. Spirits raised, the challenge is accepted.

15.34pm: Lights are on. Pace is good, we seem to have accepted the wetness

15.54pm: The traffic is heavy, which doesn't help

16.01pm: Wallop - our first crash, Rich runs into the back of Andy. Only pride bruised.

16.10pm: Inside Cambridge ring road, feels like the first achievement!

16.23pm: Traffic lights for the first time. Many other cyclists so we blend in nicely, except for looking like a shoal of fish, we are that wet.

16.30pm: Stopped by police for cycling wrong way down one way street. Frankly, we don't give a damn.

16.44pm: Arrive Station. Much wheeling and dealing with luggage and bikes. Steve Matt and Rich head to coach stop. Me Gaunt and Greenleaf block up train doors with bikes. At least train is non stop! Much railway debate about merits of Thameslink or Midland Mainline and ticket validity to get back to Bedford.

18.03pm: Arrive Kings Cross. Moving through crowds with a bike in each hand is a very tricky thing!

18.24pm: But try running with them! Next train leaves St Pancras in 5 minutes.

18.30pm: Andy manages to get 3 bikes on board. Others will meet him there.

18.47pm: Next train opens its doors and so me and Martin go to put bikes on. Martin gets two on, but some southern prat decides he owns the train and so his bike goes on and not mine. Result - I am left with Rich's bike and steam coming from my ears.

19.30pm - finally leave London avec bike. Never thought i'd be in London today!

20.16pm: Arrive Bedford. Matt and Martin have waited to guide me to hotel. Rich's bike is far too big for me which proves comical, luckily hotel is not too far away.

20.30pm: A bed. Dry Clothes! Bliss.

21.12pm: Taxi Driver fails to grasp need for sustenance and drives round Bedford without actually recommeding a restaurant. End up in Wetherspoons for quick munch and a small amount of alcohol.

22.05pm: Conclude day has been a test, but we have come through. Hope tomorrow goes to plan.

22.17pm: Rice Krispies purchased. To be eaten from mug apparently.

22.30pm: Back at hotel, rigid 8am start is set in stone

23.30pm: Sleep.......

Day in Review

Kings Lynn to (Bedford) Cambridge

Distance Planned - 75 miles

Actual Distance would have been - 90 miles

Distance Covered - 72 miles

Quotes:

'I've just spoken to the postman' - Martin

'It's an Ironman, not a marathon' Rich

'Bedford's quite a sleepy town'-Leon

'I've got a puncture' - Various

'Can I catch you up' - Andy, at 7am

'I hope these distances are in km' - Steve

'What's the best way to get from Cambridge to Bedford....with 6 bikes?'

'Cycle' - Conversation with Travelline.

'A support car would have been corporate' - Matt

High Points

- Pre losing each other in Willenhall St.Germans

-Getting There

-First Floor of the TravelLodge

Low Points

-Willenhall St Germans - Watlington

-The split

-Gravel Cycle Track

Things We Learnt

• National Cycle Routes are crap



• Bikes need brake lights



• How to change a tyre



• Machine is a chief techincal director in the making



• You can only get 3 bikes on a Midland Mainline Meridian



• You use your arms more than you think



• Gaunt will be good in transition

Day summed up in 5 words

Things can only get better

Mechanical Breakdown Tally

Greenleaf - 3 inner tubes, 1 tyre, 1 reflector, 1 phone

Machine - 1 tube

GasMan - 1 tube, 1 wheel, 1 will to live

Woonton - temporary phone blip

Davies - faultless

Baptiste - 1 light

No. of wrong turnings - 3

No of collisions -1 - Greenleaf & Davies

Hopes for tomorrow: Better weather, Greenleaf would like 4 punctures

Profile # 2: Andy Greenleaf

Name Andy Greenleaf

Nickname Greenleaf/Runner

Age 24

Hometown London

Studied Maths at Nottingham 2001-05,

Best athletic moment New Forest Half Marathon 2005

Worst athletic moment East Mids Bramcote 2005

Funniest athletic moment Francis Hooton (multiple)

Rank the disciplines Run, Swim, Bike

Any other info. Interested in skiing and squash.

Profile # 1: Martin Gaunt

Name Martin Gaunt

Nickname Gasman

Age 23

Hometown London

Studied Nottingham 2001-04, Edinburgh 2004-05

Best athletic moment London Marathon 2006

Worst athletic moment Chunder Mile 2004

funniest athletic moment Charity backwards 10k (66 mins!), Cardiff 2005

rank the disciplines Run, Bike, Swim

best quote by someone else: “It’s downhill all the way from here” Steve Woonton, before driving off and surely using nothing higher than second gear.

any other info. Has problems breathing while swimming. Plans to hold breath and/or have lessons

Why??

Good question.

But first a bit of background.

This is a blog to record the adventures of 7 intrepid souls who have undertaken one of, if not the, world's greatest sporting challenges, the IRONMAN triathlon.

It needs no hyperbole, the facts speak for themselves:

2.4mile open water swim

112 mile cycle

26.2 mile run

In 2010 the challenge will be met in a far-flung corner of the earth.

The build up has begun, so lets roll back to the start...

...From a background in Nottingham University Athletics Club, we were all keen runners, but some of us dabbled in swimming, some in cycling naturally some therefore did triathlon. After 5 completed the marathon in 2005, the question was, where next? The idea of an ironman had been discussed from time to time, but now the idea began to gain more momentum. And so it was, down in Devon in August 2006, that a gentlemen's agreement was reached that we would complete the Ironman, together, all for one, one for all!
A dip in the sea the next day soon awakened us to the cold harsh reality of the pact!

So we are on the road to 2010!

Initial ideas produced Australia as the venue, but this is under constant review.
Training has begun, with the first venture, a 3 day cycle, taking place in late November.

After this, it was decided we needed a record of the trials and tribulations we face, so here it is!

We plan to add the reports of the cycle, photos, what comes next, and our profiles over the next few weeks...

But remember - 'It's an Ironman, not a Marathon!'