Prep.

I've been going on about this folly to anyone who'll listen ever since I heard you could get something from Rapha without paying for it.

I know myself well enough by now to realise that what I've been doing is making it really difficult and embarrassing to not bother or to knock it on the head after a quick spin to the corner shop.

It's not that I don't love riding bikes - I really do, as fast as I can - it's just that I rarely seem to manage going out for the sake of it. My longest ride has been around 60 miles. I've achieved that twice, both on the same route from the Borders to Newcastle; once when I was 16 and again last year.

Now I'm aiming for 310 miles in 8 days. That's 40 or so miles per day...Thing is, I have to be at work tomorrow (10 mile round trip), and what with three young kids and a wife to entertain, Christmas day spent at the home (rather too close for discomfort) of my dear MIL, drinks with old friends on Boxing night and some wedding to attend in Berkshire or somewhere later in the week, 40 miles a day is not going to work.
No, I want to get this done. Get the big miles out of the way early-on. I want to find myself on the bike early-doors, then get back to partying, fun & games with my favourite people.