- 750ml of water at breakfast.
- 1.5l up to the first 38 mile feed station (half water, half energy drink).
- 300ml at the feed station.
- 1.5l up to the second feed station at 72 miles approx (half water, half energy drink).
- 300ml at the feed station.
- 1.5l up to the finish (half water, half energy drink).
- At least 1.5l in the evening post ride (half protein recovery drink and half water).
Land's End to John O'Groats - My Journey
I'm cycling 1000 miles across Britain in September 2014 for HIV positive children.
Click here to find out more about this journey and where your sponsorship money goes
Saturday, 20 September 2014
Hydration during LEJOG
Friday, 19 September 2014
Fundraising total
That's 89% of my target of £3000 but even though I didn't reach my target it was still an impressive total and it's added to my company's team totals to make £210,000 which my company then matches, making the total raised £420,000.
Thanks to all who donated. The Just Giving site is still live if you want to donate.
https://www.justgiving.com/Jason-Phillips-LEJOG/
Sunday, 14 September 2014
Day 9 - Kyle of Sutherland to John O'Groats
Eventually the hills subsided and it was just flat into the headwind (the only wind on the whole trip so I shouldn't complain really) past nondescript arable farmland. Dull riding and it took an age but finally we were at 15 miles to go (out of 105) and the pace and morale picked up. I was feeling strong so did a good shift on the front to help out and we hit the finish at JOG to a heroes welcome, music and beer.
Saturday, 13 September 2014
Day 8 - Fort William to Kyle of Sutherland
Friday, 12 September 2014
Day 7 - Hamilton to Fort William
Started off well and Stuart joined the ride for the first 30 miles but once he left ( conveniently just before the first major climb...) I slumped and was really struggling to keep the pace and the positive mental attitude.
I blame Finn who made me laugh all the way up the first climb. I ate and drank as much as I could and was starting to come round as we entered the gorgeous scenery of the highlands on a fairly busy road. At this point loads of police, ambulances and a trauma unit came blasting past and shortly after the road was closed.
It became evident that something serious had happened (in the front of everyone's minds was that it was probably one of the 800 odd cyclists on the road that day) and we were directed to a car park on the banks of the gorgeous loch earn where we sat in the sun and waited for coaches to come and get us (4hrs). There was a pub nearby and we sat waiting with a pint.
Thursday, 11 September 2014
Day 6 - Penrith to Hamilton
I've done this leg before and the tarmac is awful. I mean really awful, the worst ever. The views are awful and it's flat which in my eyes is also awful (hills break rides up into chunks and break the monotony for me). I did it alone too.
Wednesday, 10 September 2014
Day 5 Haydock to Penrith
Tuesday, 9 September 2014
Day 4 - Ludlow to Haydock
Felt pretty good in the morning and led the Vodafone Train out for most of it but as it was flat we sped along and I didn't eat of drink enough. As a result I bonked at the 72 mile feed station and sat there in my own vacant world eating and drinking everything.
Monday, 8 September 2014
Day 3 - Bath to Ludlow
Started the day off badly dehydrated with a banging headache so was in a mood for the first hour and not feeling the love. Once I got fluids back on board I came round and had a great day. The best scenery yet (severn bridge, river Wye, chepstow castle, Brampton abbot).
Chepstow castle
The river Wye
One of the feed stations:
Sunday, 7 September 2014
Day 2 - Okehampton to Bath
Saturday, 6 September 2014
Day 1 - Land's End to John O'Groats
Friday, 5 September 2014
The Grand Départ - Yorkshire to Land's End
Wednesday, 3 September 2014
Getting nervous - 3 days to go - Packing, Manchester 100, Majorca
Packing is done and the bag looks nice and neat now although that probably won't last. The bike has been washed with babywipes (an idea I got from a fellow RABber!) and looks brand new and functions perfectly too (had to tweak the gears slightly but all good now).
My last ride before the event was with Neil who works for the same company as me. We're travelling together to the start and from the finish. We rode from his house in Bolton and joined the Manchester 100km ride then rode back to Bolton. 103 fairly flat miles in total and a nice final ride although I was extremely wary of a pre LEJOG accident as we rode with the 100km sportive riders of all different abilities and through urban Manchester.
One of the guys who did the same event last year but JOGLE as supposed to LEJOG shared this excellent blog which gives a good insight of the build up and event itself through his eyes.
http://www.cyclosport.org/24-
In the last post which covered my trip to Majorca I forgot to mention that through the Ilkley Cycling Club Strava group I met up with fellow ICC member +David Collier who was on holiday 20 miles away in Campanet. We had two good rides out together, one to the Cap de Formentor lighthouse and another to the military zone on the peninsular beyond Alcudia. It was a welcome change to riding everywhere alone and it's amazing how the distances seem shorter when you have the distraction of conversation.
Eating in the last few days before the event
On Tuesday this week I decided to eat more to compensate for the expected weight loss over the 9 days. Plenty of carbs, protein, fruit, veg and fibre is what I'm aiming to eat and so far than means extra breakfast (Weetabix and toast), double lunches (sandwich and pasta/rice dish), loads of fruit and a big pasta tea. It's also good to be able to throw on the salt without caring too!
And finally....
I forgot to post this picture of me having ridden up Sa Calobra while in Majorca trying to beat my previous time. It was boiling (over 30 degrees C) and I recorded a time of 43:30 against last year's 52:47 on this segment
Almost 10 minutes quicker thanks to all the training so I'm well pleased with that. This is how I looked the moment I reached the top... Who wouldn't want a piece of that?!
Anyway, no more riding until 7am Saturday now which will be Day 1, Land's End to Okehampton...
Friday, 29 August 2014
One week to go
I'm trying to recall what I have been up to since my last post... so I have referred to my friend Strava!
But... one thing comes to mind before I cover riding, and that's sponsorship. As I write this my total is £2310. Yes, £2310! Nuts. A few weeks ago I got a fiver from someone named Raneure who had found this blog from the net and felt the need to donate. Thankyou whoever you are, I'm glad you enjoyed the read and your donation means a lot.
Ok... training (which in my primitive world means rides)....
I did about three commutes a week on average, free time without impacting work or home life and that got an average of 100 miles a week in. Not great riding though but made much more bearable by the presence of +Dave Douglas-Jones and +Alistair Barlow . Cheers guys!
Next of note has to be my recent family holiday to Majorca - Is a great family holiday one where my daughter Amy is happy playing with friends in the pool, my wife is happy sunbathing and I get an opportunity to ride a bike? Well yes, definitely!
I got a hire bike, a titanium Van Nicholas Euros for the first 4 days...
Verdict? Seriously gorgeous raw metal finish but a bit heavy and because of that it wasn't for me.
And for the second 4 days I hired a carbon Massi - ok but I've really been spoilt with my new De Vinci which is a seriously good bike by my experiences. Unfortunately the only pic I have is against it's box!
The best ride in Majorca, and a major achievement for me, was the day I rode out to Soller over Puig Major and back via Sa Calobra. That won't mean anything to anyone unless you've been to Majorca but that was a 95 mile ride with 5300 metres of climbing, 2/3rds the height of Everest. I left at 7am and got back at 3pm with aching knees, no money and a 6000 calorie deficit but that was a massive achievement for me which I don't think I'll beat.
One thing about this training and that holiday was that I had to get up at 6:30am for several mornings to make it back for 10/11am in time for the family part of the holiday. Being an hour ahead meant that was actually 5:30 UK time and coupled with the all inclusive booze that made for some tough mental challenges when the alarm went in the mornings! Unintentionally all part of the training I guess since the alarm calls on RAB will be at 5:30am.
With 1 week to go I'm now in the "tapering" phase and being totally rubbish in terms of scientific training requirements I'm not sure exactly what that means, other than slow it down gradually. This has resulted in me being bored and twitchy, desperate to get back on the bike. My parents said I should spend time with my family - probably a very good idea but I'm so focussed on the bike it's going to take a mental shift to get back to normal!
Finally can I say a MASSIVE thankyou to +Lesley, my wife, who constantly encourages me to do whatever it takes to train for this and who puts up with me strutting around in lycra (although I think she secretly likes it). You are my rock.
Saturday, 28 June 2014
A case of bad planning
I have a 112 mile ride on the White Rose Classic sportive tomorrow
and a stag do in Leeds now.
Clumsy.
Thank you to all my sponsors
Wednesday, 25 June 2014
Finally did the Tour de France Stage 2 route
Nice little cobbled climb through Howarth. Short but sweet with some heckling builders at the top!
Best nod to the upcoming TDF were these "blue balls" in Silsden that had been painted yellow, green and polka dot.
Then there was Cragg Vale, the longest continuous uphill in the UK. It's fairly gradual but goes up for about 6 miles.
And then Holme Moss which is a beast of a climb, steep, windy, sustained and HOT!
There was then a long climb on a busy, narrow A road linking Manchester and Sheffield. Not very pleasant and it was just get to the top as quickly as possible to get off it.
We then went through Penistone where there were plenty of hills and this stone.
As we finally dropped in to Sheffield there were the 2 final climbs, Jawbone and Jenkin Road. Someone shouted ooh you'll love Jawbone as we hit it and it was really steep and fairly sustained. A challenge with 85 miles in the legs. Last but not least was Jenkin Road in the inner city suburbs, steep, medium length with a kick up at the end. We powered up it as best we could sice it was the last effort of the day then cruised to the station for a well earned beer and the train home. A good day out.
Saturday, 21 June 2014
Gears
Just had my 2nd mechanical issue since starting this blog (1st was the tyre).
Rear gears went out of alignment last week. I readjusted them but still had issues so I replaced the cable. It turned out that the old cable had frayed out of sight inside the shifter.
Annoyingly though both barrel adjusters on the bike (one on the rear mech and another on the down tube) have corroded and are unusable so I got a cool little inline adjuster that goes between 2 parts of the outer cable although when I've tuned the gears the vibration from the road gradually unwinds this inline adjuster and they detune themselves again. Need to find a solution.
Monday, 16 June 2014
Week ending 15th June - Training: Actual vs Plan
Tuesday: Commute to and from work. 36 miles, 2 hours
Thursday: Commute to and from work. 36 miles, 2 hours
Friday: Hilly Ilkley to Lofthouse. 26 miles, 1.5hrs
Sunday: Hilly Lofthouse to Ilkley. 26 miles, 1.5hrs
Total: 124 miles, 7 hours.
(TDF fever is growing and this campsite owner/farmer was getting in the spirit at Lofthouse in Nidderdale!)
The June intermediate training plan says 8.5 hours required so I'm just behind with the 7 hours done but not by much. I actually thought I'd be a long way off the plan (having not looked at the plan for a couple of months) so I'm pleasantly surprised to see the plan isn't asking for 32 hours this week.
I plan to ride to work three days this week and the TDF Stage 2 on Sunday with Al. That should be about 14 hours in the saddle hopefully which will be well over the 10 in the plan. Might try and do a Saturday ride too to ensure I get the all important back to back mileage in.
Training plan link
June Intermediate Plan Link
Sunday, 8 June 2014
Family ride
I've done a hell of a lot of cycling recently and it's meant a fair bit of time away from my family, so this weekend was a family treasure hunt ride along the canal and quiet back lanes of Gargrave with the Armstrongs - Tour De Gargrave.
We had a fantastic day with very warm weather and I'm so proud of Amy doing 6 miles on her new Islabike. She and her friends really enjoyed it and so did I - proof that there is life away from 100 mile road rides!
Sunday, 1 June 2014
A New Personal Best - most miles in a week
For my records, the last PB I achieved was 12-18 May and that was the longest ride, 143.6 miles for the Etape du Dales.
This was the view from the hotel's golf bar terrace yesterday evening. Now I'm no golfing expert but it looked like a very well groomed course, the picture doesn't really do it justice.
Had a leg massage at the hotel spa but bizarrely she only massaged my calves. Could really have done with the quads and hamstrings getting a seeing to, much more than the calves. Calves did feel fresh afterwards though.
One thing they do in Lincolnshire is very straight, long, flat roads - like this one which was like that for 4 miles and ran alongside fields on the right and some kind of man made drainage channel on the left which ultimately flowed into the River Trent.
Well I was at a Golf Resort so I needed a caddy...
Crossing the Stainforth and Keadby Canal.
Strava route links Ilkley to Broughton near Scunthorpe:
Outward bound
Homeward bound