Whistle while you work (10 May 2012)

I read somewhere that David Walliams recited the words from songs to pass the time whilst swimming the Thames for Comic Relief. That, I thought, is a most splendid idea. Singing songs in my head and possibly, if there is no one around, out loud might just help those miles pass.

All of which got me thinking. What songs should we sing and how many do we need to learn if we're not to end up just singing the same song over and over and over and over (you get the point) again. To answer the second of my questions I did some quick sums - broadly along the lines of 920 miles, 15 miles per hour is 61 hours of pedalling. At 3.5 minutes per song then that means we just need to learn, erm, just over one thousand songs. Blimey.

Hang on a second though. 61 hours of pedalling? Sixty one?? That means our legs will go round 292,800 times between now and 1 June - and that's assuming no training between now and departure day. I think I'll have a quick gander on e-bay for a set of spare knees, seems you can get everything on there these days.

On the subject of departure day that's just a matter of two weeks away. So our preparations now need to step up a gear and will do so on Saturday when we attempt to put the tent up and take it down again within 4 or 5 hours (without punching one another) and then pack our three bedroom monster accommodation into a nylon bag roughly the size of a Peruvian miners knapsack. I predict a riot.

Now then, back to those songs and with just one thousand or so to learn we'd better start thinking of some appropriate tunes to sing along to. My list so far consists of:

1. Things can only get better - D:Ream
2. The only way is up - Yazz
3. Bicycle race - Queen
4. Why? - Annie Lennox
5. Keep on moving - Soul II Soul
6. Proud - Heather Small

If that's all I've got and I'm going to sing the whole way I'll have to sing each song 174 times. I need more songs. Help. What else can you think of.....?

We MAY just do this (1 May 2012)

It's May.

May 2012.

May 1st 2012.

An inescapable fact. The ride is this month.

So lets do a quick checklist of some of the facts.....

Training going well? Erm, no, not really. Rain and work and life in general haven't helped with getting a whole load of training in during April. Add to that Pete's op and it's not been great. Craig has managed a few rides whilst away at his conferences and I've done a bit of running. Gulp.

Diet then, how about that? Business as usual there, which I think is a good thing. You don't want to start eating differently and messing your body about. So I've read.

Route plan? Now you're talking. We have one of them and we know where we're starting from and where we're finishing and, roughly speaking, the way we're going (beyond 'South'). So that's not too bad. Things are looking up so go on, hit me with something else.

Right. Accommodation? OK, you've got me a bit there. We're away for nine nights and a fair few of them we've booked somewhere to stay. A bunkhouse up north, a couple of hotels and Pete's mums. We've still to work out if/how the tent, the bikes, the kit and three gentlemen will fit in the car though.

Sponsorship? Yes yes yes! we targeted ourselves on £1,000 and we're now over that (£1,022 at the last count) so that's good (so good we've upped the target). Dig deep fans/supporters/colleagues/you! Its so easy to donate go to www.justgiving.com/upsidedown or  grab your mobile and write 'UPDO55' followed by the sponsorship amount (for example UPDO55 £10 would put £10 into our Just Giving account) to 70070.

Decisions decisions (29 April 2012)

What a week that's been then! Tumultuous, some might say.

In a week that's seen the country slide back to recession we thought it might be appropriate to take a gander at the finances for our little escapade. Setting a budget is important, we all know that, but reminding yourself of the budget you'd set every now and again is very worthwhile.

And so it was that this week we found that our budget had been blown, well and truly. Our original budget was based on a set of assumptions that, as it turned out, would have been quite at home in the 'fiction' section of Waterstones. Faced with the dilemma of a budget deficit to rival a small South American country (it's a relative thing you understand) we had some decisions to make, roughly speaking these were as follows (and considered in broadly this order)....

1. Panic.
2. Panic and then pull the plug on the whole thing and pretend we'd never planned it.
3. Panic, thenlook for alternative options based around campsites and canvas.
4. Panic and hotels and hostels that didn't offer luxury beds and fluffy bathrobes.

Having spent the early part of the week concentrating on option one our minds turned to the reality and feasibility of options two, three and four.

Option two was looking favourite as we pondered the choices available to us. A key consideration being Pete's bravery in deciding to re-join Team Upsidedown 2012 just a few weeks after major surgery. Should we ride? Should we postpone, irrespective of the fiscal situation?

Time spent in the virtual world that is Google resulted in a range of options being considered, culminating in the 'Summit of Brewood' held in The Mess cafe on Sunday 29 April. Over the course of three pots of tea, eggs benedict, Staffordshire oatcake and a good old sausage and egg sandwich a solution was hammered out.

And so, dear blog readers, the ride is very much on and excitement can now build once again. In a little over three weeks we shall set sail on the M6 for the most northern point on this fair isle. And a little over a week later we shall arrive, through pedal power alone, at it's most southerly point. Game is indeed on!

Ramping up (12 April 2012)

Time flies when you're having fun. Truth is it doesn't hang around much when you're not. Whichever way you look at it the big ride is now next month.

So how's it all going?

Pretty well I think. Here's the hot news first though - it seems that Pete 'The Budgie' Ryan is now recovering well from his bionic leg operation and there is, in his words, a 60% chance he'll be joining the ride again. Great news! In celebration I have added his picture and a few words to our website (www.upsidedown2012.org).

As for the training well that too is going well. However, the recent unexpected snowfall (after an unseasonably warm early spring) did rather scupper the plans that would have seen Simon (me) and Craig aiming to top the Long Mynd in Shropshire and some big hills in the Peak District over Easter. However, we did manage to get out and 135 miles and well over 1,000 metres of ascent were covered without too much difficulty. It was bloomin cold though!

The route has now be nailed down - mostly. We are now very clear on where we're starting (John O'Groats) and where we're ending (yep, Lands End). The places through which we'll pass between these two points is also pretty well defined now too - the roads that we'll use to get the remain the source of debate and refinement. The aspiration is to find as many nice quiet lanes as possible - the maps indicate that is an aspiration that is unlikely to be realised.....

And so it is that we find ourselves now not that many days and weeks away from our big challenge and still with much to do. We do have bikes though, and a rough idea how to ride them (with varying degrees of style and ability), so it will all be fine. Won't it.....?

We're on the web (31 March 2012)

That's right. Through the wonderment that is the world wide web Upside Down 2012 now has it's own website too. OK, so as of 31 March it's still a bit 'work in progress' but the intention is good. Now there is a chance that you've got here (by here I mean to the blog, not here as in wherever you are now) through the link on our website. But on the offchance you didn't then you can visit us (by visit I mean go to the website, as opposed to popping round here for a cappuccino - although you're very welcome) at www.upsidedown2012.org.

Aside from all this fiddling around with new fangled technologies how's the ride preparation going I hear you ask.....

Well, well I would say (its going well, I mean). The lighter nights over the last week, coupled with the early spring sunshine have allowed one after-work ride each which is very helpful in getting some miles in. This very weekend we've a couple of rides planned ahead of some serious 'back-to-back' training over Easter.

In terms of readiness for the main event - well there's still some way to go! Pete asked me last week to rate my feeling of readiness on a scale of 1-10 and I scored myself 4. Craig was asked the same question and he scored himself a 6! I'm not so bold and will remain lacking in confidence until we've done the Easter challenges, at the moment I remain scarred by the experience that was the Mad March Hare.

And soon it will be April, which means that the ride will then be 'next month'. Gulp. Make that 4 into a 2 would you......!

Oh dear (13 March 2012)

Having committed to be much more diligent in keeping our blog up-to-date (see the last post) I seem to have failed in spectacular fashion. Apologies.

Despite my lack of diligence in the blogging world I am pleased to report that the cycling world has been progressing in roughly the right direction. Ish. Kind of.

First the bad news that our cycling wingman Pete has had to withdraw after an operation on his foot that, while debilitating right now is likely to make him bionic come the summer. The 'will he / won't he' saga around the operation was resolved a few weeks ago and now Pete is proudly sporting an impressive leg cast thing and a pair of errant crutches. The ride won't be quite the same without him - the constant adjusting of bicycle components and the banter will be missed (well one of those things will anyway).

Undeterred both Craig and me have set to with some serious training. But before that I should say that we have considered delaying the ride to later in the year to allow Mr Ryan to join us. However, a combination of the Olympic Games (a leave embargo) and a new little one on the way in September has rather limited the available options. We're not so heartless you know!

Anyway, where was I? Training, of course. Rides have been undertaken singularly and in pairs. The most recent of our particularly challenging escapades being the Mad March Hare sportive. The ingredients are simple and go something like this:

- 500 riders (of which 300 actually pitched up to the start)

- a 75 mile route

- a couple of really tough climbs

- the last 25 miles generally uphill

That's the basic cake then. Iced with pouring rain, temperatures just about above freezing, sleet on the lower hills, full on snow on the upper hills and a strong headwind. Mmmmm, my favourite. Not.

The challenge was duly despatched and I'm pleased to report that despite all of the above we finished in a reasonable time and were one (two, actually) of only 170 finishers. Well done us I say.

The following Sunday and Simon ran the Fradley 10k - doing it in under 50 minutes which was a bit of a result and we were both out for another 35 miles, this time in a gentle breeze and some early spring sunshine. Much more like it.

And so we get to 12 March and time to sit down and think rather more seriously than we have of late about the route. Google maps is all well and good but from Glasgow to Exeter it rather prefers those new fangled motorways which, while rather splendid (and, may I say, very very well operated) are not suitable for those travelling under their own steam/legs. Having dealt with that challenge and discovered the not inconsiderable merits of www.bikeroutetoaster.com we now have a route. Yes! All 900 glorious miles of it. Yes! All 35,000 feet of climbing. Yes! What? NO!!

Having just re-read that I can waste no more time typing. Instead I shall be going to train, immediately. Training yourself to eat enough to cope with burning 5,000 calories a day is important stuff you know. If you want me, I shall be found near the fridge.

Until next time (when I shall post the route links - how exciting). Take care!

What's going on then? (4 February 2012)

Checking our posts brings the dawning realisation that the Upside down 2012 blog has been somewhat neglected of late. Now that will simply never do.

January 2012 brought a mild start to the year, which is good, and a raft of general bugs and feelings of ill health, which (for the avoidance of doubt) is generally considered bad. The combination of these things has meant that some training has been undertaken on various occasions. Mainly 35 or so quick rides albeit Craig and Pete did a 45 miler last week and I somehow managed a 56 miler the day after. In addition to the real riding there have been occasions of sporadic fake riding on one of those new-fangled turbo trainers. For those of a less athletic disposition than my own let me explain. A perfectly usable road bike is attached to a device which supports the rear wheel and a roller then rests against the wheel to provide some resistance. The rider/athlete/fool* (*delete as appropriate) then climbs aboard and pedals at differing resistances and speeds for defined duration. Voila - training! The duration depends less on when your legs will give up and more on when absolute boredom sets in - generally about 30 minutes will do it. Putting the bike and turbo combo in front of the TV provides a helpful distraction at best. However, hearing the TV above the drone of the turbo, and above that the noise of huffing and puffing is a challenge, whilst seeing it with salty eyes is also nigh on impossible.

That said, turbo training remains a good way to keep fitness levels up during the dark winter das and I shall persevere until spring has begun to spring....