had a bad 24 hours on Monday - and this is not moaning but a 'note to self' of how not to prepare in future. Really didn't sleep much Sunday night and don't think I've ever been as tired as Monday - so much that i nodded off while driving on the M25......really not clever. I then had a horrendous day in terms of diet - eating all the wrong things - kfc included - yet convincing myself I'd burn it off in a week anyway - in the words of the great band maximo park - ''i fill my body with things that i don't need, until i sink to the bottom'' - and i hit rock bottom today. Went to meet Paul to pick up the Garmin Edge 705 - and i was so glad i did - not just to get the garmin, but also as he had some very worthy advice. Those lonely hours trudging away on my own are when i hope to see what i'm about - and the advice to accept whatever emotion it is i'm feeling - and take it as part of the process i'm sure will help me.
HALT = the situation when anyone is most likely to make irrational or incorrect decisions - and this is when you are
Hungry
Angry
Lonely or
Tired
there's a high chance i'm going to feel all these at once so should be interesting!!!
A big reason for doing this is to test myself mentally - physically barring injury i cant see any reason i wont do it.......though i've done my best to pick one of those up too - going too hard at rugby training on an ankle which has not been right for 14 weeks - and turning it in the process - it does not feel particularly good today - but there's no way i'm not going so will just have to man up - ice all the way.
Managed to load up all my maps - my shorts and protein should arrive tomorrow (thank you Ross Samson for sending the maximuscle too), so bar a little trial run fully loaded there really isn't much more to prepare - some added energy wouldn't go amiss - but i'm hoping a good nights sleep will help.
I've been thinking a lot about the fact i'm not doing this for charity - and whether that is correct - i mean i could probably raise some decent money for a good cause. Ultimately however i left it too late and didnt want to be scrambling around begging friends and family for sponsorship - i also havent told anyone i'm doing this. I feel such activities are things that anyone can and should be able to do (again injury / illness permitting) so i dont really see it as a great feat and one that people should feel obliged to give their money to. As a nation we should all be fit enough to complete a marathon, swim, cycle etc. British health is in decline, obesity is up and heading for American standards - none of us want that.. If i was going to beat the world record time of 44 hours then perhaps i'd ask for money- but i'm not - i'm going to do something many have before and many will after.
I will dedicate this ride to Ali Johnson - a great man i played rugby with and whom tragically died when we hit a scrum and he snapped his spinal cord. Ali was hard as nails, powerful, determined but most of all just an amazingly good bloke. He said to me only days after the incident he would be back on the pitch tomorrow if he could - and for me his attitude was spot on. If i can summon half the strength of Ali i'll be happy.
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