Why do I worry so much?

Well this weekend has seen all of the Blazing Saddles team except one up the Lakes for two rides and a night of mainly male bonding.

We were based in one of United Utilities offices in Thirlmere all sleeping on the floor but it was a great laugh.

Friday night was a 20 miler so should have been really enjoyable but the hammer went down from the off with no warm up whatsoever. The descent into Keswick was a bit exciting as I ran out of road and someone else tried to bunny hop onto the pavement when the road ran out but didn't get their rear wheel up quick enough so knocked it out of true. Eventually the threatened rain came with a vengeance soaking us the core before having chance to don our waterproofs. I struggled with the ride all the way and it was noticed.

After a quick shower we hit the pub for food and beer (except me who is off the booze and was therefore the driver) before retiring lately to bed only to be entertained by Pete trying to pump his airbed up for ages - turns out the electric pumps work much better in blow rather than suck mode!!!!!

Saturday morning came far to soon along with the feeling of doom and failure of knowing I had to drag my 17 stone frame up the Kirkstone Pass. This time we set out at a sensible pace and the climb up Dunmail Raise was quite enjoyable although my legs didn't feel great. A brief stop in Ambleside to argue about buying butties was the last rest before hitting the 1500 climb to the top of Kirkstone. In short it wasn't as bad as I thought - yes I struggled to get a rhythm going and the first 500ft took an age but the other 1000ft flew by in a shower of sweat. After a wait at the top we descended but a heavy headwind kept the speeds down to the low 40mph region before a break in Glenridding. We then had another 1000ft of climbing from the shore of Ullswater to the Penrith to Keswick road but this was much more my kind of climb - one steady gradient before we were back to the Old Sawmill.

24 hours on my legs ache but not as bad as they have done before and I feel incredibly smug as nothing LEJOG can through at me can stop me now.

Out of interest my average heart rate for Fridays ride was 148bpm and for the Kirkstone Pass ride it was 133bpm - shows how crazy Fridays pace was.