Dear All,
So once again I've got myself into a sticky situation. I will be cycling 242 miles around Rajasthan in India. This ridiculous amount of exercise is for 'charidee' - to raise money for the Women for Women charity that trains women doctors and scientists to work in improving the health of women and babies...a bloody good cause.
My cycle challenge will be in Feb 2008. Between now and November 07 I have to raise £2800 for the charity; and also from now until the trip, I have to train like my mate Arnold Swarzenegger to get myself fit enough for the ride. Well, maybe less muscles and more lean and mean.
FAQ:
- Yes I will take my knitting to India - it'll be relaxing in the evenings.
- No I won't cycle in a skirt - I don't want to shock the people in villages in India.
Thank you for visiting my fundraising page. Please dig deep and sponsor me online.
Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Women for Women will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.
So please sponsor me now!
Thank you so much for your support.
ax
It's been suggested to me that I start a 'training blog' - this seems like it might be quite amusing to some people so here goes...
April - Signed up for Cycle India with my friend Charlie. She tells her mother, boyfriends mother and boyfriend's mother's mate. Now I have a posse!
Patrick Field from the London School of Cycling (www.londonschoolofcycling.co.uk) offers me plenty of good advice - the first being to get my equipment asap so that I can start training with it.
I am now a proud owner of a cycle computer to show me my miles and speed, a lovely pair of padded shorts, padded gloves, the prettiest waterproof jacket you ever saw and some spokey dokeys.
May - Patrick also talked me up to London bike shop Bike Fix (www.bikefix.co.uk) who have kindly donated some super dooper Shimano cycling sandals for me at a lovely reduced cost. In return I urge you all to shop there! They are lovely and friendly, based in Lambs Conduit Street, London, WC1 and have a great website.
Sunday 20th May. I will go on my first longer training ride with Hackney Cyclists to Burnham on Crouch. We will be cycling along the banks of the River Blackwater. I don't think that Hackney Cyclists know that I can't swim...let's hope I don't wobble into the river...that would get ugly.
Burnham on Crouch – ride report We met in Stoke Newington and went on train from Liverpool Street station to Burnham on Crouch. Why anyone couldn’t have told me we were going from Liverpool Street I don’t know. I cycled all the way to Stoke Newington when Liverpool Street is right near my house…grrr. I met up with Laura Dabby who is also doing Cycle India. She’s a lovely lady, but I object to her being so much fitter than me – I’ve got a lot of catching up to do. When we got to Burnham on Crouch, it was decided that we cycle 10 miles through the flat, pretty countryside before stopping for lunch. This turned out to be a huffy puffy start for me and I’ll admit to being disappointed in myself. The others in the group (none of whom I’d met before) were all great and one by one managed to fall back to cycle with me without making me feel at all of a wimp. This proves to me how important support is in an endeavour like this and that people are really very kind. Without it, I would have felt dreadful lagging way behind everyone else. A pub lunch may have been necessary for our tummies, but it was hard getting going afterwards – I had a nice afternoon nap in mind. Instead we pressed on and went to see St Peter’s, one of the oldest churches in the UK. It was built on a Roman site in the year 645. It was a lovely peaceful setting right by the sea for Laura and I to have a stretch and rest whilst the others went for a little paddle in the sea (worrying as it was right next to a nuclear power site, but they didn’t seem to be glowing when they came back). The next part of the ride was off-road – great practise for India. I somehow managed to not get attacked by stinging nettles or fall into the sea. It was tough going however, and I think this is the part of the day that really took the starch out of me. I was very glad to get back onto tarmac, but the last 3 miles to Southminster train station were my undoing. When the others suggested cycling 4 miles to the next station on the line, I’ll admit that it all became a bit over-whelming and I burst into tears. Just pure exhaustion I think. The ride turned out to be a total of 40 miles which is probably a bit much for a first training ride – something maybe to aim towards. Laura – bless her – stayed with me to wait for the train whilst the other went on to the next station. If she hadn’t been there more tears would have flowed, but we shared some nuts and melted chocolate and the world felt brighter. We got back to London at 730pm and went our separate ways. I went on to a hot shower, a debrief with my sister and a huge Indian takeaway – a perfect end to the day.
The next day I woke up with surprisingly no aches and pains. I bit dehydrated maybe, but good to go otherwise. I’d like to thank Adam for setting up the ride, the group for their support, and Laura for her kindness in sticking with me when I got weepy. Got my new Shimano cycling sandals from Bike Fix. Very groovy. Will be taking them out on their first excursion on 27th to Cheshunt.
The Cheshunt to Home 20 Miler
This ride was organised by Penny for the cyclists at Guy's and St Thomas's Hospital; and I was kindly invited along for some training.
So, rain... It's wet. And it makes you wet. And your clothes. And your hair. And your bike. And big puddles in the road.
We awoke to lots of it, and no sign of clear skies to come. But Penny, Pete and Susan from G&T hospital and Laura (Cycle India) were as brave as lions. As Penny's gran used to say: 'only sugar and salt melt in rain.' So we set off on a train from Liverpool Street Station to Cheshunt (outside the M25 I'll have you know).
The rain seemed to get heavier as soon as we got off the train, but that could be my over-active imagination.
It was a pretty, exhilarating ride along a river, past a lake and along canals. Full of wildlife and beautiful scenery. We could well have drowned in the rain that just kept falling, but we managed not too.
More rain.
The highlight of my day was cycling past a mummy swan, daddy swan and their 8 little babies. Then a heron, and a big grey bird I can't remember the name of. It was a great ride for seeing that London truely has so much nature.
Then it rained some more.
A few technical difficulties including a quick lesson in changing an inner tube (not my bike thank goodness as I didn't even have a spare inner tube with me).
Then it stopped raining just as we went inside for our lunch. A much needed stop for tea and a hot meal at the lovely cafe at Springfield Marina.
As always a bit hard to get going after a stop, but I immediately saw a sign for Hackney which is nearly home and gave me a nice boost.
Then more rain.
Before we knew it we were in Victoria Park, a quick ride down the canal to Mile End then suddenly home!
A nice easy paced ride - just enough considering the weather. A lovely small group of people. Home in time for afternoon tea. Perfect.
Then I tramped mud on my carpet which was silly but it scrubbed off alright so no need to panic.
Thanks to Penny for organising the day.
ps, wore the new sandals. Very nice and comfortable. My toes got a bit cold in the wet, but otherwise better for cycling in than trainers.
Tuesday 5th June - training and tips from Patrick Field. He raised my seat by a whopping 5cm and showed me a more efficient way of starting and stopping without getting on the seat. A bit scarey, but I'll practise on tmw's 15miler.
Wednesday 6th June - mini-mid-weeker.
15 miles from my place to Springfield Marina and back with Laura. My first attempt at leading a ride - only got lost twice!
Thursday 7th June - I don't think my training is going great - I'm so achey and wobbly today. On good advice, I had my seat raised on Tue. Then I went on a little 15miler yesterday. I got so scared not being able to touch the ground with my feet and especially on starting and stopping, that I clenched every part of my body from my hair to my toes and today I ache all over. The seat height was just about manageable on a long ride, but on the way to work this morning it was impossible in the traffic and I had some near-miss wobbles. In the end I stopped halfway to work and lowered the seat. I feel like I've failed a bit in the higher seat challenge, but being this scared and tense is just counter-productive. I'm going to be having ibuprofen for lunch today!
Next training ride is a little after worker on Monday 18th June with Greenwich Cyclists. Meet 615pm at the Southwark Needle. - I didn't make this one due to a trapped nerve in my neck. Ouch.
Tue 19th June Quirky Things with the Tower Hamlets Wheelers. Not really a training ride, but an interesting potter around the neighbourhood learning odd facts about Tower Hamlets and the City. Did you know that Whitechapel has the widest pavements in the whole of the country? You do now.
Thurs 21st June Mid Summer Madness: The summer solstice ride.
Meet at 2am at the Beigal Bakery in Brick Lane. Cycle to Southwark and Soho collecting cyclists on route. End up at 443am on the top of Primrose Hill to watch the sun rise. Last time I went there were Druids!
Got home from work at 7pm and spent 20 minutes decorating my bike with my spokey dokeys. Time well spent. Gobbled down a sandwich and jumped into bed for a snooze. Woken at 1030pm by a random phone call that deserved growling at, then again at 1215am by Rob (a young american fellow) who I was escorting to the ride.
Alarm went off at 125am and I immediately stopped pretending to sleep and hopped out of bed. And we're off!
Got to the Beigal Bakery at 2am and found a decent group of cyclists there including the Tower Hamlets Wheelers, some Space Hijackers, and Kamlesh who I met at a party about 4 years ago and haven't seen since. His mate is one of the few people I know who hasn't got the day off today. That's hardcore.
After stocking up on bagels (one cheese and one egg), got going only to lose Robin, Lady Bea, pluse one other almost immediately. Agent V went back for them but returned empty handed to where the rest of us had stopped on the south side of London Bridge. This is where Greenwich Cyclists met us. Phone call divulged the info that they had bypassed LBridge and gone straight on to Soho.
Reunited with the gang outside Bar Italia, some dodgy 3am photos were taken - then on to the final destination.
Primrose Hill - pretty steep it is. I'm not ashamed to say I pushed my bike up most of it. We really deserved the sit down at the top.
Sneaky beer, young un's rolling down hills, boy racers, and a real live Druid. And this year wasn't rainy like last year or cloudy like the year before so we actually saw the sun! Couldn't really ask for a better start to solstice.
Home by 620am and decided to tell you all about it whilst it was fresh in my head. I'll let you know where to go for photos later.
Then Saturday 23rd June an all day ride in Kent with Greenwich Cyclists. Meet at Cutty Sark at 10am.
50 very hilly miles. Say no more (or am I just too tired). More soon.
Then Sunday 24th June - Wandle Valley wander. Part of a festival. A social cycle about 20 miles in total. Perfect after yesterday's longer ride.
Missed this due to ridiculous public transport...instead...
Stayed local with the Tower Hamlets Wheelers. Very casual 23miles tour of the borough border. TH is totally amazing.
Saturday 7th July Tour de France. No...I wasn't in it (as my mother thought), but had a great ride in London to go and see it with the Tower Hamlets Wheelers. If you want the truth, unless you follow pro-cycling, it can seem like waiting for hours to see a blur on a bike whizz by!
Monday 16th July. Laura and I planning a mid week training ride.
We did the Wandle Trails which is idyllic in places, but we spent more time getting lost than enjoying it. I wouldn't do it again unless I was with someone who knew the route. 20 miles.
Sunday 22nd July. Round the Bend Cycle Training in Victoria Park from 11am.
It seems that quite a few of us are in cycle training, or starting out as cycle commuters. We all need some practise (and not all of us are comfortable in traffic), so I've come up with a day for us all to clock in some bike-miles.
Sunday 22nd July. 11am meet up outside the Royal Inn on the Park (Royal Gate East) of Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets.
We'll spend the day cycling (whatever the weather), round and round the park clocking up some serious miles. So whether your target is 3 miles, 30 miles or more...come and join me.
If you can't meet at 11am, come along any part of the day (until 4pm) and keep my phone number with you (text better so I can reply when I stop for a break as phone cycling makes me fall off).
RSVP so I know who to expect.
Bring sandwiches for lunch break and waterproofs as the rain won't stop us!
Pint at the Royal Inn from 4pm.
See you then.
Ride Report This was a great learning session for all. Thanks to Keith for the training tips. And Sam and Beatrix for the music....needs to be seen to be belived!
Saturday 28th July Off Road day in the New Forest
We'll have to get up at 5am to get to Kensington, then bike hire in Lyndhurst, then meet up in New Forest by 10am! I've not done much off roading so I'm a bit apprehensive. But I bought TROUSERS to cycle in! I'm usually in a skirt and don't own a proper pair of trousers so this is a big deal for me. I'm turning pro...watch this space!
Ride report a 430am wake up call (sunrise over Stepney). Charlie and I got to Laura's by 7am in order to get to AA Bike Hire in Lyndhurst by 9am. Bit of a mission getting us and our three bikes in the car (I got a bit closer to Charlie than either of us expected!) Ladies from Cycle India seemed a bit intimadating at first but they turned out to be cool - some interesting characters!
Big challenge getting used to a new bike! No basket either which was odd. Off roading is scarey and dangerous - lots of opportunity to get scrapes and bruises. Charlie, Laura and I managed to get through it without either, but only just for me. It's like cycling with the ground moving from under you. And the mud...ankle deep!
Ended the day on 25 miles which apparently is double of regular road rides so a cool 50 miler.
I started to feel odd in the car on the way home. Some scarey dizziness and chest pains(!) I made it home then just collapsed. The pain got much worse. Excruciating in my head, throat, chest and left arm. I really thought I was having a heart attack. The pain got so bad I ended up losing my lunch in a rather dramatic way. My lovely boyfriend came over and massages my back and arm until I fell into a restless sleep.
Today I'm exhausted and a bit delicate in my tummy. I can't seem to take a deep breathe which is frightening. I think what happened is that I pushed myself in a way I'm not used to physically - my heart rate certainly went higher than it's used to. It's a muscle like any other and it's showing me by aching.What I've learnt from this training day is that I really need to get used to different bikes as I won't be taking mine to India; and that I need to get some proper cardio training in.
I'll be joining the gym in September and will remember the pain of yesterday and today when working out my training regime!
Drama aside, I'll live!
Sunday 29th July Will attempt to do two days in a row. Hackney cyclists are off to the Thames Estuary. NOT A CHANCE!
I've been off-grid for a few weeks now. I think the off-roader really dented my confidence and I haven't been pushing myself to go on longer rides. But I've licked my bruised ego and am now ready to rock 'n' roll on the old cycle-trail once again.
Monday 3rd Sept I've now joined the gym. 2/4 times a week (depending on the longer-ride schedule. A pretty punishing workout of 1hr15mins!
Sunday 15th September Windsor (and hopefully train back - if crazy-Charlie and looney-Laura let me). Ride Report. Lovely sunny day. Took the tube to Putney to save the hassle in the traffic - worth it for 15mins sunbathing on the bridge. We set off in good spirits. Lots of yucky off road practise. Managed to avoid hitting all the walkers and little kids out for the day. And didn't get too lost either. That's probably because they didn't let me look at the map - I'm a curse! Late lunch in a lovely pub/hotel by the river in Staines (of all places). A bit lost after that, nasty A road to Windsor then a dash for the train back. 40 miles in all - no wonder I fell asleep on the train home. Sunday, 16th September Easy RIDE: Cider Works Ride Ride Report: Took my friend Hayley with me on this ride - Charlie and Laura couldn't make it. Probably for the best as this was my first two-consecutive-rides so far. Poor start after getting to Ashford as half the group shot on ahead and left 7 of us behind. Luckily it was the Magnificent Seven as we all stuck together, kept up our spirits and made it in the end (before the fast lot, ha ha!) Stayed off the cider but had some lovely fresh apple juice at our destination. It was a very pretty ride through country roads (and some bumpy fields). But the highlights for me were sharing my favourite cycling songs with Hayley and meeting some really cool people. And 30 miles! Training back on track! Sunday 23rd Sept. London Freewheel. I'm very excited about this! I'll be with the Tower Hamlets Wheelers as part of the Victoria Park hub. Ride Report Lovely sunny day. Not as crowded as I expected. And I managed to get Raj to come with me! All went well until just as we were leaving to cycle home, my bike was attacked by a plastic bag. The plastic bag was obviously pretty cross with Brigitte (my dear bike), jumped us from our blind spot, and won the (unfair) fight thus causing £94.95 worth of damage. Raj had to carry Brigitte for ages, and I had to go to four bike shops before I got someone to fix her up again the next day. Poo to plastic bags! Saturday 29th Sept. Ride report. Kelveston Hatch Nuclear Bunker. Hayley + Polly + me + NO MAPS = 30 miles. Fun and bizzare. Sat 5th and Sun 6th Oct. 38 and 37 miles. Cotswold training weekend organised by Cycle India lot. Ride report. Demoralising hilly weekend where I realised that I'm slower and weaker than cyclists 2 and a half times my age and need to spend another squillion pounds on extra cycling gear. I also got hold of the video from last year if anyone fancys a look at what I'm going to go through in India. Sat 20th Oct. CTC ride. Hilly, off road ride in Chiltern. Meet at Marylebone at 840am. Sounds scary! Ride Report I made it through barely an hour of this ride before realising I was totally out of my depth with such a rocky, bumpy, hilly track. Gave in (gracefully I hope) and left the others to it. I think Penny (women for women) and Laura did really well to get through it, but it would have been too much of a blow to my already low confidence. 20 miles, home by 2pm. Sun 21st Oct. CTC ride. Brockham tea. Elevenses stop, pub lunch and tea on the green. About 50 km. Option for train back from Dorking or Leatherhead. Meet Victoria 09.05 for 09.36 train to Cheam arrive 10.06. Find leader here. Ride Report: Bizarrest ride set up ever. 5 miles then tea break, 5 miles then lunch, 5 miles then tea break, then 15 miles back to the station. Hmm....tea anyone(!) Met some cool people and some not so cool people. Tue 23rd Oct - my first spin class! This has been recommended by everyone involved with Cycle India. They said I'd hate it, but it would bump up my stamina and strength. Ugh, but ok..! Sat 3rd Nov. Sun 4th Nov. Hampshire training weekend with the rest of 'Team Patel.' Ride Report. 2 flat tyres, 3 taxis, a real palaver and only 30 miles on the Saturday. Ugh. Worth it to see Angela's house though...she has her own river! Monday 12th Nov. 60 miles with Caroline. Ride Report. Another little discovery about gears. I usually stay in 2-5 unless I'm feeling particularly strong or going downhill then I'm in 2-7, or if I'm going uphill then I quickly climb as far down as necessary. But as the miles built up and I got more and more tired, my cruising gear went down to 2-4 then 2-2 as my legs wouldn't push any more weight than that - I thought that was an interesting fact, but maybe only for cyclists. Next morning – couldn’t move my neck for a while. Took a mixture of pain killers and hot water bottle to loosen it up. Feel understandably tired. Worst pain in my upper body – neck, arms, hands and back. The thought of doing another 50 miles today (as we will be in India) is horrifying, but not something I can really prepare for. Just having the 60 miles out of the way is enough. The only other time I’ll have to do it is in India, then never again. December update: Fell off my bike twice, three flat tyres. Christmas is cancelled.
Ashford to Headcorn: Spend a day pottering through . Quiet lanes, dedicated cycle paths and a bit of off road (nothing too drastic, but a bit rocky). We'll have a pretty tea stop, lunch at the cider works and tea at Sissinghurst Castle. Cider can be bought for consumption and for later! Pad your panniers and bring a packed lunch. 30 miles, easy pace.
Meet Charing Cross station at 08.25 for 08.54 train to Ashford International arriving at 10.08. Return train from Headcorn.
Contact Leigh call/text 07957 164619.
A 50p donation will be required as this is a CTC organised ride.
So, Caroline from the Tower Hamlet Wheelers had long promised to take me out for some training miles. I requested 60 miles - preferably flat and nice roads as my main goal was to get that particular distance under my belt. It’s the longest distance I’ll be facing in India, and I want to know I can do it at least once. I’ll think about terrain, heat, etc another time. Our schedules have been clashing for ages, so when she phoned on Sunday night and said tmw, 7am, Liverpool Street, I considered it a ‘plan.’
A really early start. But it meant that we could be in Colchester and on our bikes by 815am – essential to get in 60 miles in daylight in the winter. It was abour 3 degrees centigrade when we started. I was wearing 5 layers on top, 2 scarfs and, of course, my ear muffs. I didn’t manage to take a layer off all day. The temperature barely rose.
At one point, my toes started feeling painfully cold, miracle worker that she is, Caroline had a suitable perky pair of striped socks that saved me from frostbite.
We had a 10 min break on a bench on Mersea Island mid-morning and the first major goal we achieved (almost without thinking about it) was 35 miles before lunch. This is pretty good going as my arms started hurting at 20 miles and my neck was right on schedule at 30 miles. As I usually only ride about 35 miles on my training days, the next 25 miles was an unknown area in terms of aches and pains.
After a quick bowl of soup at a sweet café on the waterfront somewhere I can’t remember, we were on the road again (this time with some much needed Queen belting out We Are The Champions in my right ear).
Maldon Hill (totally unexpected) was the only one we walked up. Otherwise the few slopes we encountered in Essex were cycled up – after Caroline worked some magic on my gears.
A quick moment to talk about the magic that is bike gears. Something I lived without for my first year as a cyclist, and only really learned to use in the last few months – they are clever things.
I’d been feeling tired since we left lunch, but admitted to it at mile 45. Caroline gave me the option of coming home early, but my theory was that if I didn’t get the big six oh out of the way today, I’d have to start it from scratch on another training day. Pure illogical bloody mindedness, but enough to keep me going. Tears at mile 50, but only for a moment. Then just looking 6 feet in front of me and pushing one foot down after another. I couldn’t see straight, or think of anything apart from the sharp pains in my neck and the concentration of staying upright. I selfishly left all navigation to Caroline – probably for the best knowing my poor directional skills.
We arrived at Ingerstone station at 425pm in the fading light with 6 minutes to spare for the train to London, but – panic! – only at mile 56! I was determined to get my full 60 – it was becoming an obsession.
On the train, Caroline (who was totally behind me on the 60 mile obsession) said we could squeeze them in on the way home. So we took a delightful detour that took in the sights of Stratford and Limehouse on the way to Stepney. Somehow, whether it was the sit down on the train, the luke warm tea in Caroline’s thermos, the nurofen, or, as I believe, being back in the lights and energy of London at rush hour, that last bit of the ride home felt like I was flying. I could have made it to 70 miles given half the chance! But 60 was the target…nearly that coming into Stepney, a 10th of a mile missing, so I made a couple of victory laps around the playground in front of my house. Then home.
I was so exhilerated that I excitedly told the story to my neighbours in passing, then to Facebook, then to whoever would listen on the phone.
Fatigue set in after a hot shower and I was in bed by 930pm.
60 miles – done. Also, discovered something called the ‘micro-break.’ Instead of long breaks that can make you stiffen up, try taking 60 seconds and a couple of swallows of liquid. Amazingly rejuvinating…discovery!
As a comic twist on the story, I’m off to spin class this evening. Yesterday I did 60 miles in a whole day, today I’ll do it’s equivalent in 45 mins – that’s efficiency. It’ll either kill me or not – I can’t guess which one as I’m constantly surprising myself.
Huge thanks to Caroline for her good spirits throughout the day - and all the research she did beforehand.
I've been a bit rubbish with the hit of winter mixed with A LOT of knitting classes in December. But I've been keeping up with spin once or twice a week, and I hope to squeeze in another couple of rides before the trip. Please let me know if you hear of any I could join.
New Year's Update.
So, I've been laid up with a bad back for the entire xmas break. Either in too much pain to move, or so drugged up I could hardly talk. But I feel much better now (in time to go back to work tomorrow). I hope to get in a couple more rides this month, and a few more sessions of spin. But there's not much more else than a countdown. 30 days to go! Eek. If anyone can think of a way for me to get out of this, please contact me asap. Otherwise, lamb to the slaughter I will be. Apologies for the doom and gloom, not feeling particularly enthused right now. Ho hum.
Sunday 20th and Monday 21st Jan. Cambridge with Hayley. Ride Report
Two of the most horrific days in my cycling career thus far. Sunday started off wading our bikes through knee deep freezing cold flood water. Monday no better with gale force head winds, BLISTER ON MY BUM! and me just stopping and refusing to go any further on the bike. Hayley 'convinced' me to cycle through the agony if we didn't want to be stranded in the wilds of Cambridgeshire waiting to be airlifted back to London, but I admit to crying my eyes out the entire afternoon. Shameless blubbing did not however heal my blister...
If I can get through that, I can get through anything! Blister being treated with surgical spirit and Sudocrem. Still painful to cycle on - it has 7 days to heal as that's when we leave for India.
Let the countdown begin!
Wed 30th Jan. I leave tomorrow. I'm very excited! The blister has healed and I've had a few days of r&r at home so I'm raring to go. I've had so many kind wishes from people that above all I must enjoy myself - very sincere advice from everyone - that I have decided that I have done all I possibly can to prepare, and what happens now is in the hands of the Gods (who I'm surely closer to in India(!)) I trained my hardest, have endured pain and self-doubt, raised well over the fundraising target, and in all honesty, could have done no more (without a personal trainer and chef moving in with me). If for any reason it's not enough; if my body isn't as strong as it might be, well that's just some mixture of fate/life/etc. I may or may not be strong enough for this challenge. No-one knows what will happen in India (no-one controls flat tyres and bad tummies after all). But what I can control is my mind. I promise and intend to enjoy the trip. Maybe not when I'm crying in pain over blisters and neck pain(!), but I will take every moment of pleasure out of the next 10 days. This I owe to everyone who has supported me throughout the past 11 months. This would have been impossible without you. Thank you. I take this challenge on for you and for me.
Look out for post trip debrief. I'll be keeping a diary.
Bye for now.
ax
07940 850 458
More soon...
THE MAIN EVENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Day One
Flight VS300. 10pm. LHR-Dehli.
Left the house extra early to meet my friend Louisa before the flight. She works at Heathrow. Good thing too as it took me 20mins to drag my suitcase the 5min walk to Stepney tube station. I nearly pulled my arms out of their sockets. Typical that I would injure myself BEFORE the ride.
After not sleeping last night, I dropped off on the tube. 1 hour and 40mins to LHR. Then Louisa carried my luggage, found a trolley and generally looked after me. I’m a very nervous traveller.
Louisa and I don’t see each other that often so we had a nice drink, chips and a catch up. And what a hero?! She offered to pick me up and drop me home on the return trip! Miles and hours out of her way.
This was a portent of the great friendship and support I was to encounter over the next few days.
But I have to admit, if at this point someone offered me an honourable way to escape the whole trip without losing face (or any of my sponsorship money) I would have taken it in a heart beat. I felt so wretched that I couldn’t imagine finishing the ride without serious injury or humiliation, let alone enjoying it in the slightest.
With all this in my head, no wonder I got a bit weepy as I was leaving Louisa, but managed to hide it before joining the Cycle-India group. Luggage weighed 22.5kg – just scraped by thank goodness. And I got a window seat – result! (Note my counting of small mercies.)
Met up with Team Patel: Charlie, Ros, Linda, Laura, Angela and Penny.
Day Two – Dehli-Agra.
The flight was soooo long. 12 hours on the plane including emergency refuelling in Karachi of all places. Funny to see the freaked out faces of the other passengers though.
Then just as we were facing our first sight of Indian loos and uncramping our tired bodies, a 6 hour coach trip to Agra. Ugh.
Nice stop for dinner. The first of many Indian meals at the Rajasthan Motel, Harayana.
The coach ride was a bit of a sanitised step into (viewing it through tinted windows) but if you’ve never been here, like most of the group, not a bad thing. And so cold and damp! North India in winter is chilly!
Arrived at the lovely Howard Park Plaza hotel in Agra at 1130pm after being in transit for 24 hours! The swish hotel and hot shower was just what I needed to keep my sanity. But tomorrow I want to ARRIVE in and really feel like I’m here. I’m already getting antsy about travelling in a pack. Plan hatched for Team Patel to escape tmw afternoon.
I’m wide awake of course, but 7am wakeup call dictates that I at least attempt to sleep.
Day Three – Agra.
After a lovely poori-potato breakfast, we all trooped off the see the Taj Mahal. After all the hype, I didn’t know what to expect. It’s almost an anti-climax. That’s odd I know, but have you ever seen anything that’s just too beautiful? It’s just too hard to take in. Like looking at a giant tv screen. Or maybe it’s just me…I had the same problem appreciating Cirque du Soleil last month.
What I really enjoyed was seeing the Yamuna River behind the Taj. A huge serene vista of water with uneven banks and a woman washing her clothes on the far side.
I also saw a man pushing his bike towards the water over the dunes and puddles. There wasn’t a bridge in sight, so we thought maybe the river was shallow enough to wade. But just as he got to the edge of the water, he waved and his friend punted across in a little boat to get him. It was a very human little scene in a day that was too grand for me.
And had too many people trying to be Lady Di in front of the Taj Mahal!
BIKE FITTING after lunch reminded us why we are all here. Lots of scared faces. A struggle to get a ladies frame bike. Spokey dokes for Team Patel! Anything to make the experience less traumatic.
Then retail therapy! Something India is great for. My mum and I went mad during our trip to a couple of years ago so I’m still a bit shopped out, but the others were loving it. We escaped the group and took auto rickshaws into Sadar Bazaar. Charlie and Laura really wanted kurta tops and salwar kameez like mine. But Agra’s main shopping drag seemed a bit dusty and provincial. The clothes were gaudy and not really to our taste (and people seemed to be paying monster prices without my mum to bargain for them). But some sandals and shawls were purchased and I got Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat which is impossible to buy in the and the one book I really wanted. Yay!
We celebrated by taking cycle rickshaws back toe the hotel: utterly hair-raising! Now these guys are hardcore cyclists. Our little jaunt is a holiday in comparison.
Day Four. Or Day One in terms of cycling. 72km.
Just when I was beginning to enjoy myself in I remember why we are really here. Bloody cycling! I hoped that my luggage would get lost with my helmet in it so I would have an excuse to not cycle, but no such luck.
8am – We left for Fatehpur Sikri. There we met our bikes which had already been blessed by a holy man who then blessed us too. This made me feel better. I bought Team Patel Ganesh stickers for our bikes – all good luck gratefully accepted. Ganesh is the son of Lord Shiva and the God of good luck and the remover of obstacles. His other name is Jaganath (where the English word juggernaut comes from) – this might be a help on Indian roads where ‘might is right’ and my aggressive London cycling style may have to be toned down a bit. You’ll never see a vehicle belonging to a Hindu anywhere in the world without an image of Ganesh, and I was happy to have him with me at the start of my much dreaded journey.
9pm – Bashawar Campsite.
An amazing first day’s cycling. The roads in the morning were really good and beautifully flat. Of course I was near the back, but at times I felt so exhilarated and just sped along. I felt strong! This has never happened before and it was a much needed good morning for my cycling confidence. I cycled some of the time with Yaeer – one of the tour leaders from Classic Tours’ office. A cool young grandfather who stayed at my pace effortlessly.
Other members of the Classic Tours team: Leader, Gideon; with him were Sarah and Peter. Also, Tayo, a speed cyclist from the office – a lesson in anti-speed for him! A personable, professional group that always seemed to be in the right place at the right time and made the whole trip fun, informative and safe.
And Team led by Vimal – a creative storyteller full of enthusiasm for the women and the event. Also known as Vima-fix-it for his ability to sort out all situations and requests. With him were Surendra, the Sargent, and a gaggle of mechanics on motorbikes who always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Such an amazing team to support our cycling-miles.
After a (too short for slow coaches like me) lunch stop, the roads got worse. I had a bit of indigestion too from the yummy Indian food (I guess in they just call it food), but nothing too bad. We cycled through lots of villages with waving children shouting, ‘tata!’ to us. I got lots of surprised comments that I was Indian. With all the Hindi I’m picking up(!) I understood what they said better than most of the group. Lots of curiosity, but I didn’t sense any hostility (although some of the white women may have) – it pays to be brown sometimes. I think a problem facing the group was that many of them hadn’t considered their clothing well enough. We were cycling through some isolated parts of rural Rajasthan and tight cycling gear was frowned upon. Most of the group must have looked totally alien.
I got cramps in my hands which was unpleasant and the usual neck pain, but nothing unbearable. Took a lovely pain cocktail.
My main goal at this stage is to not have to go in the ‘fun bus’ (read sick bus) at any point during the ride. Barring serious injury, I would like to have the strength to cycle through any pain, discomfort and incline I face. Fingers crossed.
The campsite is so amazing. Huge canvas tents with campbeds and own bathrooms (bucket baths and a toilet placed over a hole in the ground). And rugs on the floor over mud and thorns!
Dinner was provided by the same people as at lunch. They travel with the group and cook fresh. Very indulgent, but smarter than trusting local countryside food sources for 74 cyclists…that could be messy!
The evening ended for me with a briefing from Gideon (informative), Vimal (creative), Gay (motiviational) and then off to an early night. But some of these women are hardcore. Surreptitious drinking of Indian alcohol around the campfire!
My head torch is very useful and I’m writing this wearing 2 layers of pyjamas and my woolly hat; listening to quiet chat and laughter from Charlie and Laura on the ‘verandah.’
Now an early night please. I’m chilly, but content with my day. That’s a result in my book.
72km! : )
Day Five. Day Two of cycling. 93km.
Bhadrawadi Palace (Team Patel got some of the limited rooms not tents! Lucky us!)
Just had a good cry despite feeling great 20 mins ago. That’s over-tiredness I suppose. What a day!
A long day starting at 630am with a wakeup call. I had a full 8 hours sleep so I felt pretty good. That’s more sleep than I usually get at home! And my layers and hat kept my temperature cosy all night. Bath, breakfast, a prayer to the rising sun and away!
This was a longer day so I was apprehensive, but the miles just kept passing by quite smoothly (with potholes and mud of course).
Started with a village that had a suspiciously muddy wet river of a road. We walked through that one – I learnt my lesson trying to cycle through floods in Cambridge.
The kids in the villages we cycled through were more ‘forward’ today – the Rajput kshatriya spirit no doubt. Some people complained about it, but I think a lot of that was good old fashioned British love of moaning. Some of the troubles were very real though, Ros got pushed off her bike by someone described as the village ‘mad man!’ I used the opportunity to try out my Hindi swearing!
Somehow, the 93km came to an end eventually. I got a bit of a scare a couple of hours from the end when Kaz (the nurse) said that some people might have to get on the bus due to slowness/failing light issues, but that was the kick I needed. Speed spurt! Doesn’t she know about my no-bus-plan?
We arrived at the beautiful Bhadrawadi Palace with light to spare and I enjoyed a stretch and two cups of masala chai on the lawn. There was also a little ceremony arranged by the Prince (a real Prince!) He says that for every guest at his palace, he will donate fabric for a school uniform to a local child. We got to present that, with a little pack of the stationery we bought to each well mannered child. They sat on the lawn so prim under the watchful eye of their teacher and 74 grubby exhausted cyclists.
Team Patel were lucky enough to get one of the limited rooms in the Palace as opposed to another tent/mud experience. Supposedly basic, but I thought it was lovely. Decent beds, good light and plenty of hot water for my bucket bath. Bliss!
Now off to dinner and a speech by the Prince (before Charlie comes to drag me out!) I’m realising that as I usually spend so much time alone, the constant company can be tiring. Trying to snatch a solitary 15 mins is tough but necessary.
Lots of people feeling emotional this evening. I even drank a whole glass of ice cold Indian red wine which is totally unlike me when in training. But maybe I needed it.
Day Six. Day Three of cycling. 88km.
Tahela Camp (on top of a mountain).
Last night I had a text message from my friend Susan advising me to enjoy the trip and leave my problems at the feet of Hanuman. Later that night Laura bought me a surprise gift of a drawing of Hanuman. This morning I prayed to Hanuman and offered him up my problems.
Hanuman is a demi-God who is a great warrier and known for his great loyalties to his friends. When his friend Ram was ill, Hanuman flew to the Himalayas to find the herbs that would heal him. However he couldn’t find the herbs on the mountain, so he expanded himself to a giant size, picked up the mountain and carried it to south where Ram waited. Hanuman is often pictured with a mountain on his palm. The story goes that as he flew over , parts of the mountain fell. Where they fell, other mountains grew. I think I cycled up one of those mountains today!
We all woke up this morning in the Palace feeling stiff and achy. Even after a hot bucket bath I felt chilled. I’ve never cycled three days running before. The day felt like it stretched far ahead.
It was a day with a huge variety of challenges:
- 4 km of huge rocks to bump over. I felt completely jarred, then…
- Cycling in sand dunes with nothing for the bicycle to grip. So much fun, but utterly mad. Simon the photographer pushed me up a hill as I couldn’t get going at all. Sand and bikes do not mix.
- Then what can only be called a mountain!! This is where my micro-break technique and got to the top to applause from the tour stewards and…a Hanuman Temple! He looked after me all day. But not Claire as she got a puncture just as we got into camp. Still, better at the end of a day rather than in the middle.
Camp was at the top of a mountain with amazing views. The others were already sitting on the verandah of our tent when I got there. They were all feeling pretty giddy and exhilarated. But to tell the truth, I feel a little sad that it’s ‘nearly’ over. Only two relatively short days to go. I couldn’t have imagined in my wildest dreams that I’d have felt like this. I must be getting into it! Finally!
Day Seven. Day Four of cycling. 67km.
Doela Camp in the sand dunes.
A huge chunk of miles was taken off today as a road that here a couple of weeks ago suddenly disappeared! That’s normal in apparently. But no-one really minded as we were all exhausted from the challenging day yesterday. The accumulated weariness was catching up with everyone.
But it was a really pretty day of cycling with good roads and lots to see.
We stopped at an abandoned city where Vimal took the opportunity to tell us a ghost story. This was after a long 24km morning distance. As everyone went into see the site, Gideon (ride leader and teller of the infamous 2 minute Ramayana) told me there was a Hanuman Temple just inside the gate. He knows how Hanuman has been looking after me during this trip. And lucky me, there was a lady worshiping and a man reading prayers so I sat down with her to do puja. They shared their prasad with me. I was afraid it might make me ill, but the lady said it was prasad that wouldn’t make me it. It was such a lovely sentiment that I couldn’t resist of course.
Indians say that even if poison is offered with love, you should eat it. Prasad is far from that, but the idea still goes.
I missed seeing the city, but I’ll see it in people’s photos and my interlude with Hanuman gave me so much more peace and satisfaction.
I was cycling again with Claire today. She had the virtue of cycling at almost exactly the same pace as me. Apart from downhill when I’m a scaredy cat and she shoots off and waits for me at the bottom. Unfortunately this meant she missed out on one of the highlights of my trip. As we went through a village, Gideon called out to me to stop – then convinced me to have a cup of tea at a tea stall. I thought he was kidding, but no! I was worried that it might make me ill, but it was too irresistible and so I indulged myself. It was good! Hot, sweet and creamy – just like my mum makes. And the sick van was right behind us and Kaz the nurse had one too. If she can, I can! And it was a great story to tell at lunch.
After lunch it was a measly 15km to the campsite. Call that a distance?! Pah! But this meant that for the only time during the trip I was off-schedule. I couldn’t hold anyone up. No-one was waiting for me. I wasn’t racing against the sun set. So I relaxed! I stopped as many times as I wanted (and made Claire stop too!); took photos and generally soaked in the atmosphere. It was bliss. I think that so much of the time I’m concentrating on logistics, that I didn’t really take in all there was to experience when cycling through . And most of the last few days I was wearing sunglasses so everything appeared muted – when the colours of rural Rajasthan are fabulous and almost cartoon bright. So I took off my tinted windows to the world and took deep breaths of the air. I felt dizzy with the experience. Imagine cycling past a field and seeing a glimpse of a luminous orange sari floating through a green that’s GREEN. I definitely felt like I was cycling through a movie and of course I was the star ; )
I also wanted to slow down as I knew that when we arrived at camp, there would only be half a day of cycling left and I don’t want it to end. I never dreamt I would feel this way. Certainly not during the flooded, gale-forced, blistered training ride in Cambridge!
The campsite was worth the wait. We arrived just after 4pm with 2 hours of light ahead to enjoy the canvas tents in the sand dunes nestled amongst hills.
Sinking my feet deep in sand, the still warm air, bathing in daylight! These are PLEASURES. Trying to get the tangles out of my hair was less fun.
42km tmw. We laugh at 42km. Finished by lunchtime. Call that a distance?! With a small ‘d’ baby.
P.S. Funny tummy from prasad or tea. Just enough to add to my experience, but not enough to trouble me for more than an hour.
Day Eight. Day Five of cycling. 42km.
A short distance, but we are all pretty tired (esp saddle areas). Also, I personally didn’t want it to end so I was cycling slowly (even more than usual).
Camel rides optional at the first break. I convinced Claire to try it as she said she wanted to, but the foaming at the mouth camel made her hop off after a couple of minutes. Still, it’s something crossed off her to-do list.
Loo facilities at this break not so good according to Charlie, but I have the odd honour of being the only person in this whole group to have never ‘gone’ in a field the entire trip. Maybe that’s taking something away from my experience, but I’ll manage without thorns in my bottom thank you. And I’m a lady…we don’t go in fields.
Second stop of the morning was at a hunting lodge turned hotel with beautiful grounds to rest in, over looking a view of a dried up lake. And a last taste of over sugary biscuits to give us strength.
The Team Patel grouped together for the last 7km. This was fun as we rarely all cycle at the same pace. Being the slowest I made them all stay with me of course!
We all rode one by one past Simon for the dvd. Then regrouped just ½ km before the end so we could all ride past the finish line together – all 74 of us!
It all seemed to end too quickly with a cheeky sandy hill at the last few metres thrown in for good measure and applause from Team .
74 women completing such a huge challenge of course meant tears. Bittersweet for me.
Then a leisurely lunch at the Lal Mahal with more tears and speeches and well deserved gifts to the Indian support crew before heading off on a coach to Jaipur.
Now I’m in the Palm Hotel in Jaipur in a not very nice hotel room. Feeling over tired, ready to cry at any minutes and a bit cross. After dreading/anticipating this trip for so long, it’s hard to believe it’s over. We don’t really know what to do with ourselves. It’s nice to be calm. To know that I won’t have to sit on a bicycle seat tomorrow and pack my suitcase every night. But now all the worries I left at Hanuman’s feet for the last five days are looming in the not too distant future. Deep breaths. Try to enjoy the next couple of days. Then dot dot dot…
Days Nine to Eleven.
Team Patel enjoyed a couple of days of leisure in Jaipur and Delhi (with obligatory 6 hour coach trip of course). We did some retail therapy – the ladies loved the Indian clothes. We escaped the herd by missing out on the cultural tours and arranging our own rickshaws and car with driver. I especially enjoyed meeting Sam in Delhi and having a memorable and much-awaited mango smoothie at Baristas in . I’d fly back to today for another one of those babies. It was lovely to have a couple of days of holiday after all the pre-trip dread, during-trip pedalling, and coming soon who-knows-what.
All in all, I couldn’t have asked for better weather, friends, support, my own self, or lack of punctures during my 362km cycle ride in .
Jaishreekrishna.
What I’ve learned:
- Training is dull! No wonder it hurts more.
- Spin classes work.
- Better to carry less weight in bicycle basket.
- I CAN cycle 362km in four and a half days.
- I’m not the slowest cyclist in the world.
- Being at the back is OK! Without a back there wouldn’t be a front.
- Ear muffs are useful all over the world!
