Tuesday 30 April 2013

97.85

No, this is not Donald Bradman's revised batting average. It's my weight this morning, with just over 3 months to go until the London Surrey 100 miles, as the title of this blog becomes relevant again. I'd like to say I was shocked, but I've been avoiding midriff height mirrors for a while now, so it wasn't a complete surprise.

I will be trying not to obsess too much about this, unlike l'etape when I went a bit mad (see below! ), but will be making a big effort to lose weight and get fit. I rode 150km last autumn with my neighbours, with no training,  and long breaks, so I know I can do the distance. There is a time limit to this event as well, but there are no alps around so it should be more straightforward - I'd obviously never say anything like that, as that would invoke the mockers. Hopefully the thought of a triumphant sprint home on the Mall on Sunday 4th August will sustain me!

My current training plan is a bit vague - try to do an hour on the road in the evening most days, take the bike to work once a week and cycle around Richmond Park, go for a longer ride at the weekend...play it by ear. I'm lucky to live near some challenging urban hills and 20 mins ride from open countryside, and with the evenings getting longer I have no excuses!

Quite a lot will be happening in the meantime - becoming an uncle again, lobbying MPs in parliament on behalf of Diabetes Voices, work, fund raising for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), not to mention normal family life with 2 young kids and a patient wife. I'm very much looking forward to the challenge - stay tuned!