Weekend plans

So roll on weekend!

Reading other people's blogs is very interesting but is also very demoralising at the same time. I have few that I follow. One particular blog is that of Jenny and Alan who is also starting LEJOG on the same day as us. Here is their blog link:  http://alan-jenny-lejog2010.blogspot.com/

Jenny and Alan are training hard. No, I mean they are training REALLY very hard. They have done several long distance rides over weekends (breaking the psychological barrier stuff distances) and is now concentrating on shorter rides, but faster. In the week they also go to body pump and spinning classes. I am absolutely in awe about their dedication and training schedule!
The sad thing is that Jenny/Alan is much younger than me and Stephen (well, they look much younger on the pictures I have seen), they will have road bikes (we have hybrid bikes, so ours are a tiny bit heavier) and we will be carrying all our own luggage whilst they use a company called Bike Adventures http://www.bikeadventures.co.uk/ who will be supporting them along their way - carrying their luggage and ensure a comfortable stay every night.
Unfortunately we didn't have that kind of funds available (the camping option for one person is £795 - that is the cheapest option). Basically Jenny and Alan have everything in their favour, they just have to turn up and pedal! AND they are VERY fit. I'm in an absolute panic when I read their posts as it just emphasise how little prep and training I have done so far.

Tomorrow is another CTC Ladies ride, this time to the Boat Museum near Ellesmere Port. I intend to cycle up to the meeting point and also cycle back home (obvious I guess if I cycled up) which will increase my ride distance tomorrow by 13 miles (6.5mi one-way). Stephen intend to do a 28mi route which he plotted tonight on www.bikemap.net . I bought him a Garmin Edge 705 with heart rate monitor and cadence sensor as an anniversary gift. I couldn't think of anything better (I have one of these too - bought it 3 years ago) to give him. So he is going to use his Garmin tomorrow for the first time to navigate him on his plotted route.

Hopefully both of us will have some mileage done tomorrow afternoon - even if it is just 30 miles I will be happy. I will do some Twitter updates as we go along and also upload some photos when I'm back home.

There is just 5 weeks left in which I need to get fitter and faster and lighter. This will be the most challenging 5 sporting weeks of my life!