Time For The Practice To Stop

Well the day has finally, well almost, arrived and tomorrow morning at just after seven Nathalie and I will set out on the first leg of our journey from Christchurch to Eastbourne. The first hour is by train to Winchester, the four days after that are by bike along the South Downs Way from Winchester to Eastbourne. As I write it the temperature is in the low twenties, the weather forecast for two of the four days we are on the bikes is rain, more rain and thunderstorms - which I suppose will look spectacular from the top of the South Downs.

The training rides have been cut down from five nights a week to three nights and two nights this week. We've ridden 5 miles, 8 miles, 10 miles and 16 miles - a mixture of road and off road in preparation for twenty five miles a day for four days. I've never felt fitter, I lost a lot of weight to begin with and then the fat started to turn into muscle. Over the past three weeks my weight has remained fairly constant but my body shape has changed almost beyond recognition - if I was a woman I'd say I have child bearing hips and a smaller waist.

The excitement is now giving way to nervous energy. Until three weeks ago we'd never taken our bikes on the train and the relief of getting them and us on before the doors began to close was palpable. Nathalie has decided to raise money for a local children's hospice and her friends and my parents, Janis's Mum and Sister have helped her raise over £120 - now all she needs to do is complete the course.

Janis of course will have four days to herself at home, seeing the weather forecast she'll probably have four days worrying if we are going to phone home and announce an injury. The last time I visited Eastbourne was around 1972 or 1973 when I went with my parents and Mum's parents to visit some friends of theirs who have moved down from Hornchurch in Essex to retire by the sea. I wonder how Nathalie and me (or should it be I) will cope with just each other for company, she's manged to find room for her Nintendo DS to while the few minutes between arriving at the four B & B's and falling asleep.

A hundred miles in four days - mostly off road, can we do it?