Arriving the night before, I was able to get a massively needed full nights sleep, after a week with a throat infection, swigging glycerol miraculously cleared it up. I awoke, went into the village and started my belated carbo-load with malted brown bread. Knowing (and crossing my fingers) that Steve Avery, his Mum and Dad would be turning up to support me, I felt very relaxed so got my head down for another few hours kip.

Steve turned up ran around and sorted everything out for me so all I had to do was get to the start on time. Just over 2 miles from the HQ I was worried at the lack of riders I was seeing (being none so far) so I turned round and went back to the HQ. I had gone in the wrong direction. Eventually getting to the start 6 minutes late, they let me set off. I caught up with another rider real quick, but he didn’t take the first arrowed turn. I shouted to him, but he foolishly ignored me. So off I went up this road – track sort of realising this couldn’t be the course, I turned round and caught up with the foolish rider again. The arrow was an obvious trick by Nik Gardiner to put off some of his rivals.

Being far too clever to fall for such a pun I was back on track to win the championship.

The first 10 miles or so took so long it was unbelievable, my average was 16 something, "this is gonna  go on for ever" I thought.

Passing my support team for the first time, I grabbed some carb solution, dropped a peach but grabbed a sponge and was able wash the sweat of my eyes and cool the back of my neck, this was very refreshing, and gave me confidence to push the pace a bit.

By no time at all, I looked at my speedo and I had just covered 150 miles, averaging just over 20 mph, things were going well.

The wind then started to flutter about, and then a steady side wind prevailed, this was a nuisance because after a roundabout the speed that was once around 28 had dropped to 20 at a push, it was also getting dark. Onto the triangle circuit and I saw Nik Gardiner fly by at an unbelievable pace. I was tempted to join him at his pace but didn’t want to look like a show off. At the roundabout I managed to hit one of the signs by accident with my water bottle, I missed Steve again..."next time" I thought. (hope I didn’t get you in trouble Steve).

I stopped at the Cafe roundabout and Steve made me flash my buttocks in front of a bunch of birds, but I was getting tired and not too bothered.

My lights were fitted and I got into some long legs (hence the flash). I set off and was informed I had to pass the time keeper. Misunderstanding this, I went round the roundabout again, looking like a right numpty and I imagine embarrassing the life of Steve and his folks!  I then did one last lap of the triangle circuit thinking I was gonna be too warm, but once it got dark the temp dropped and I was chuffed with my teams support, 200 miles in and I was still comfy. Into the night it was back along the long route with the side wind, I couldn’t see my speedo and fighting the wind meant that the fun bit was over and we were gonna have to do some work.

Getting to the van, Steve gestured me over, they had cooked a steak for me, I almost cried in happiness cos I love steak and was in need of a lift. A swig of hot rice pudding and a cup of tea and I was smiling and back on the road.

My support were gonna get a couple of hours sleep. This was a good idea as Steve’s dad is due a triple heart bypass operation soon, and had to drive back the next day!

Riding at night was fun but slower, getting to the main roundabouts was like xmas as everyone cheered and clapped. I was looking forward to my team waking up, as the motivational support was becoming the major issue. As light arrived I took the opportunity to take off the lights and get changed into cooler stuff. As I sat down I noticed a little saddle discomfort, in no time at all this erupted into saddle agony akin to when you sit on the loo for too long after too much hot food! Never had I had this problem but it was here to stay. I tried to ride one of the circuits out of the saddle, but my ankles which were already sore, stopped this from happening, my pace felt like I was riding backwards and lots of people seemed to be flying by. Getting back to my team, Steve got me to put on more shorts, this made things much better. I picked up the pace a little as I set of for the finishing circuit.

The circuit was rough and a little hilly, but the mood was good, lots of riders chatting and riding side by side, I used this time to quickly knit a jumper using the wire wool and needles Steve suggested I bring with my me. I then joined the needles together and had a few jousting matches in an attempt to flush out my competitors. I won most of them as I was wearing an almost chainmail jumper. Joke.

Back into reality street.
 

During this last hour I found that if I went onto my tri bars, I would get some yellow fluid in my lungs, which I had to keep spitting out. I used this excuse to take it easy and ride "on the tops". I went past the time keeper, sure he would stop me and end this joyful little trip, but he told me to carry on to the next time keeper, who happened to be quite a few miles away so I had to ride for quite a while, knowing that it would count for nothing! Eventually the next time keeper stopped me and I got of my bike (now raining) to turn and see that my support team had followed me! I was so happy I could have kissed them, even Steve.

It was over I had 411 on the clock, but some of them didn’t count.    

I take this opportunity to thank Steve his Mum and Dad for their non stop support and motivation. If they weren’t there, I wouldn’t have finished. I felt like a pro having a line of 3 people handing out stuff (they had to guess cos I kept forgetting to say what I wanted).