It's been 10 days since the last post, and I've continued to get out on the bike as much as possible on my days off. To be honest though, I've not been doing nearly as much as I think I need to do, largely due to the continuing foul weather. It's not really been raining much, well hardly at all really, but over the last 2 weeks, as I've been getting more into it, the wind has been buffeting at high speeds virtually every day. And the day's it's not been windy, then there's been a really sharp frost.
In fact on Monday's ride out to North Queensferry, I went through the very picturesque Dalmally Estate, and on one of the steep inclines, putting down the power to keep the speed up, I even had the back wheel spinning. Now that is very disconcerting when you're locked into your pedals and I can tell you my buttocks definitely clenched a little tighter.
Ben Saunders - the polar explorer posted a link on twitter the other day, saying that if you ever think the training is getting to you, think of Tommy Godwin. Godwin, it turns out, holds the record for the greatest distance cycled in a year at 75000 miles !!!!!!! And this was back in 1939.
Godwin's bike weighed more than 30 pounds. As war came he rode through blackouts, his lights taped to a glow. Silk knickers were substituted for chamois inserts and Godwin maintained a vegetarian diet. For the first two months Godwin's mileage lagged 922 miles behind the previous record holders schedule. Godwin increased his daily average beyond 200 miles a day, and on 21 June 1939 he completed 361 miles in 18 hours, his longest ride of the record.
On 26 October 1939 Godwin rode into Trafalgar Square having completed 62,658 miles, gaining the record with two months to spare. He rode through the winter to complete 75,065 miles in the year.
In May 1940 after 500 days' riding he secured the 100,000-mile record as well. Godwin dismounted and spent weeks learning how to walk before going to war in the RAF.
By anyone's standards - that is truly is an achievement of gargantuan proportions, and defines an athletic achievement that will almost certainly never be beaten. Yes - we have great cyclists now doing the tours, as well as the long distance cyclists, but even TV's current golden explorer boy, Mark Beaumont's cycle around the world, a mere 18297 miles took him 194 days. That achievement looks distinctly poor when you compare it to Tommy's achievements.
I guess the key learning objectives I take from this are that I should just stop looking at what the weather is doing, stop hoping the conditions will improve and just get out there on the bike. A big sarcastic 'Thanks' must go to Ben Saunders for posting in the first place - I now feel even more guilty sat on the couch with my cup of tea and a pork pie in hand !!!!
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