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Fancy giving a few pounds to charity for our cycling efforts? The please head to our Just Giving page and support Maggie’s Centes.

This is an actual picture of us training by leading out the pack in this years Tour de France. (or is it?)

Silver Dream Racers winning the Tour de France.(L->R, Kenton, Euan, Bruce, Simon)

50 miles is half of the 100(ish) I’m doing on the 12th September (sponsorship page to follow!)

Me and the new bike went for a proper spin this morning all the way out to Carnwath and back. Just a shade under 50 miles (maybe I should have gone round the block a couple of times to make it a round 50?)

All feels good – cage pedals that came with in are sh**e. Just as well I’ve got some proper SPD clips coming tomorrow! Not too many aches and pains, heavier on the wrists with the riding position than my previous MTB with road tyres.

Average was a lot better – basically took 10 minutes longer that the 41 miles the previous week.

Looking forward to piling on a few miles over the next week.

If the wind can be guaranteed to be as strong and in the same direction on 12th September then the cycle should be great! Took 2 hours to cycle 20 miles out the ‘Lang Whang’ up hill and into a very brisk headwind. I was aiming for a 3 hour cycle and estimated it would be twice as fast coming back as it was going so turned around and headed back.

Fantastic – hills that I had to pedal down on the way out became easy on the way back – ran out of gears several times so couldn’t keep up the +30mph speeds in places.

Poor average speed but 41 miles in 3 hrs 11 felt okay, equates to 7hrs 45 for the 100 miles… Will see how that improves over the next few weeks.

Funny how cars/lorries on the open road give you loads of space and then squeeze past in the town, really noticeable.

blm

Right, I’ve gone and done it and signed up for Pedal For Scotland 100 mile sportive ride. Furthest I’ve ever cycled before was 60 miles in a charity cycle to Berwick.

Several of us from the office are doing it – some do more cycling the others – my weekly commute without extras is only 25 miles so I’ve upped that to 60ish with trips round Arthur’s Seat. Also adding weekend long cycles – 33+ last week followed by 25 leisurely miles with Lorraine on the Sunday

Will see how it goes between now and the 12th September.

Asked my chum Mark Beaumont for a tow since he will be there anyway

Hopefully new bike will arrive next week since I don’t think I could cope on my commuter and although I kindly had the offer of a decent roadie it’s maybe not the best doing 100 miles on a bike without getting used to it.

blm

Mark‘s next documentary is starting on BBC 1 Scotland in a weeks time (Tuesday 23rd at 10:35pm)

Radio Times Link

Having been lucky enough to see the first of the three parter already and it is definitely a must watch if you like Mark’s style and stories from on the road. A lot more focus on stopping to see what is happening rather than on the world record this time. Fascinating insight into the struggles of the mountaineering and time on the road though.

blm.

In case you haven’t been following Mark’s BBC site and the one I developed for him there is some news regarding when he is next on the TV

The BBC One documentaries of this expedition are due to be shown at 10.35pm on Monday the 15^th, 22^nd and 29^th March, which I will confirm closer to the time. The feedback from my production team has been excellent and everyone involved is looking forwards to a great series.