Day 6: Lands End to Legs End
Well after a full Monday to Friday shift, ending with a near on 80 mile day and a ‘roughing it’ style overnight stop, i woke to a bright Saturday morning.
Day 6 mileage: 9.89
Overall mileage: 281
After i packed all my gear and got the bike ready, i headed out onto the road, climbed aboard the bike, went to pedal away and was struck by a blinding pain in my right knee, i had a feeling it was going to hurt still as it felt painful while packing my things, but i was unprepared for that first pedal turn. I had to quickly jump of the bike before i fell off!
ok….both knees shot, one day to get to Towcester, 53 miles to go. Now what do i do?
Well i did the only thing i could think of at the time, i started pushing the bike along. It was just after 5am so i had plenty of time ahead, perhaps a warm up of the legs will ease things.
Unfortunately, things didnt get any better, it just got more and more painful to carry on, so after some 2 or so hours of pushing the bike, i reluctantly made a phone call home to ask to be picked up. This isnt a quit as i have a plan. It was really important to me to make the Sunday ride through the county, so i thought if i get a lift home, rest for the rest of the day and the night, maybe things will have improved enough to ride on Sunday, then i can either return to the place i was collected, or simply add the missing mileage to the remainder of the route.
So my plan is now set, I will attempt to ride from Towcester tomorrow, through to Market Harborough, whether i make it or how far i get is anyones guess, but i’ll give my best shot. Then on Monday, i have a Physio appointment booked, hopefully to sort out the now three problems with my knees (a kneecap pain on both legs, maybe tendon related, plus the rubbing IT band on my left leg that ive had all week)
Monday off will also give me chance to try and get the bike repaired, ive spent several hours on it tonight, i have made an improvement on it, but its still far from right, so may need parts to repair it.
If all goes well, i will set off again on Tuesday and head North. I will probably set off from home, i need to gain approx 40 miles to make up for my collection today, some of this will be covered by starting from home instead of Market Harborough, the rest i will just add to the route one day.
I look forward to seeing a few people in Towcester tomorrow and maybe a few more at the Brampton Valley way when we arrive there.
fingers crossed for a miracal cure!
Andy.