So today I set off on my final day of JOGLE 2018, a small 102 miles from Okehampton, my shortest day of the week so far. Well it was meant to be 102, ended up being 106 as I spent the extra cycling up and down Penzance beach front looking for Mum and Dad.
Conditions today were amazing, first time all week that I set off in the sunshine. This stayed with me all day and I think it hit at least 28 degree’s. Check out my back tan from my bib shorts! I never knew you could catch a tan through a cycling jersey! This heat was ok whilst cycling, however when you stop or go slow up hill, you can feel the sweat dripping down the forehead!
Today was always going to be about the small wins, I knew it was going to be a tough day as Cornwall is very very hilly. I did as much climbing today as I did yesterday, just 40 less miles. I decided to shorten my stops and go for a 3 stop plan, every 30 miles, leaving a little 10-12 miles into the end. This also coincided with the first big climb of the day ending at stop 1. Based on having the small wins in my head, I also had some advice a friend gave me going through my head. Shaun who has run Marathon Des Sable a couple of times said to me before I left “Don’t be shit”. That was ringing through me today as I was counting down the miles to the finish line.
An annoying thing happened today, a bug decided to fly into my helmet and stay in my hair for about 5 miles! I wasn’t able to fully dislodge it while I was riding. When I did hit the helmet I sprayed sweat all over the inside of my sunglasses, so had to stop anyway. Something weird about a bug crawling around in your hair, you can really feel it moving about, ew!
I had started the day going along the A30, wow, this was the most busiest road I have been on all week! In a way I am pleased I went this way as I got to the end quicker. However it was scary as! One perk of this was a 13:27 time for a 5 mile segment. I’ll take that, and I don’t even think I pedaled once!
We stopped off in Penzance for some lunch, as I explained earlier this cost me miles and time as I cycled up and down the coast line looking for Mum and Dad. Post lunch I had thought it would be a little climb back away from sea level and then maybe a flat final 10 miles to Land’s End. I couldn’t have been any further from the truth if I wanted to. A guy the other night in a hotel had said Cornwall was like it had been hit on the end in a car crash. What he means is, the land has been compacted, which gives you many an up and down throughout the whole county! It was at mile 98 when I was in my lowest gear and out the saddle climbing a hill that I started to think about what this epic challenge means to me. Thoughts going out to Millie and Rachael and hoping that by your kind donations we have been able to make a difference some where along the line. Hearing Neil (Millie’s Dad) say that Millie want’s to ride a bike post operation made me grind out that hill and get to the finish.
It was during those last few miles that I was increasing my speed and thinking to myself, I don’t really want this to end!
As I came down the home stretch and saw Mum and Dad filming away, I knew what I had done was some mean feat! Mum having a little tear, I think that’s more down to the nerves throughout the week catching up on her. We managed to get some bubbles, have my picture taken with the infamous post and settled down for dinner and more drinks. Watching the sunset in the distance whilst Dad (Bill Oddie eat your heart out) spots a Basking Shark in the water, only to find that’s the 2nd one spotted this year. Rutherford’s have a keen eye for that sort of thing!
Here are the stats from today’s ride.
105.01 miles
7:21:50 riding time
34.3 mph top speed
14.3 mph average speed
84 rpm cadence
6542 ft of climbing
4054 calories burnt
7.1 litres of water
Time for me to say good night now, just a small drive back tomorrow and then I’ll look to share some overall stats and feedback on my journey in my final JOGLE 2018 post.
Thank you for all the kind donations, and for those of you that were waiting for me to finish, no time like the present to contribute.
Night
I Just Felt Like Cycling 