900 Mile cycle ride 8 months post surgery !

[Dale]

What a wonderful endeavour! Good luck on your trip and I have no doubt it will be successful.
I'll follow your progress on your blog,

All the best,

Dale

 

[lb151]

Best of luck to you. I look forward to hearing about all your adventures.

 

[Woodbutcher]

Thank you Dale and Lou, very kind .
HalleyG has just been kind enough to set a Supporters Facebook account for my trip, if you're on FB or actually even if you're not then please take a look and maybe even sign up ?
Cheers, Justin.
Here's the link http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=117349204177&ref=mf

 

[lb151]

Thank you Dale and Lou, very kind .
HalleyG has just been kind enough to set a Supporters Facebook account for my trip, if you're on FB or actually even if you're not then please take a look and maybe even sign up ?
Cheers, Justin.
Here's the link http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=117349204177&ref=mf

Done deal,,Halley got in touch with me.

 

[Buffy41]

Justin with all these ways to track you we'll know your every move I'm so happy and excited for you, I bet last Decemeber this was the last thing from your mind... What day is set for departure?
Good luck on your challenge. You'll be in my thoughts for a safe trip.

 

[Woodbutcher]

Hey thanks Buffy !! I dont have a leaving date yet, I might not bother ?
That was a joke if anyone reading happens to have sponsored me ! Honest it was !
No, I'm looking at the middle to end of september ? There's so much to sort out between now and then .. Plus wrapping up the normal Woodbutcher stuff.. Loads of cottage doors to make, staircase to fit and a new kitchen to install, sadly none of which for my own place ! I'll need every penny I can get, what with our £ being so weak at the moment, grrrrrr.
You're right, there are loads of ways to follow my challenge.... Next thing you know I'll have a tracking device lodged up my @#* !?

 

[TXWildflower]

You're right, there are loads of ways to follow my challenge.... Next thing you know I'll have a tracking device lodged up my @#* !?

Now that doesn't sound too comfortable!! Fantastic news that the On-X people are on board. Hopefully they will cough up some $$.

Parlez-vous le français ?

Chapeau! Bon courage! Bonne Chance! Bon Voyage!

Rhena

 

[Kathy McCain]

Justin, I will be sure to follow your progress. Have a great, safe trip! Hope it's good weather, for the most part.

 

[Woodbutcher]

Thank you Rhena and Kathy,

I lived in France for about 6 yrs so my French is ok.
My brother just called offering to drive me down there to the start point ! That's fantastic news... I dont think he's thought it through... recon he'll call again later when he realises what he's offered to do !?

 

[harleysandguitars]

RPE, RPE ! What the heck is that all about then ? Harleysandguitars, 300 miles in 3 days to a non cyclist like me is absolutely outstanding, well done ! I'm actually trying to avoid averages and finish lines and that competitive stuff. 900 miles is a very long way and I intend to do it mile by mile, as long as I get further north each day I'll be delighted. I'm more concerned about finding places to stay or pitch my tent and having the energy to peddle the next morning.
The chap at the cycling shop in town suggested I warm up slowly for the first 20 miles each day and wind down slowly for the last 20 or so in the evening ! I recon that'll only give me about 10 miles normal cycling in the middle !! He was also surprised I didn't want cycle clips for my feet and for some reason though it strange that my chosen footware is my trusty Timberland boots !! Well, I figured they'd be better for kicking dogs !?
Anyway you clearly know your stuff so please feel free to educate me ?
Please follow my progress too. Thanks. Justin

Hi, Justin. Sorry it has taken me a while to reply. Believe me, I am a non-cyclist, too, or at least a "non-traditional" one (i.e., I do not fit the profile of the 150-lb. guys you see riding the Tour de France). I have done WAM 300 event for 7 years now, and was glad I didn't miss out this year, so do have a little touring experience. Any questions you have, I am happy to try and answer.

The RPE (actual 'official' name is the Borg Scale) is a subjective numeric scale from 6-20 used to help manage exersion in guided exercise, or by exercisers themselves. Here is a link to a pretty good explanation of it: http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/strengthening/a/030904.htm

On my ride, especially when climbing hills, I tried to stay in the 11-12 range of preceived exertion. This helped me avoid the temptation to "attack" the hill and waste valuable energy. In a normal year, hill-climbing is my strength, but not this year. My leg power just wasn't there so soon after surgery.

Let me know what else I can share that might help you, and I will defintely follow your progress on the ride!

- Mark

PS -- So, how's the training going?

 

[Woodbutcher]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/content/articles/2008/06/16/people_scillyboysupdate_feature.shtml

Thank you Mark,
Training ? I've started preparing my bike now and it's all clean with bits being added to it ! That's a terrible excuse isn't it ?! To be honest I've mostly just been surfing for exercise, which is a great workout but probably all the wrong bits! I'm fairly fit at the moment though. I'm really going to be taking it easy, although it is a very long way.. Who knows how I'll feel day after day ? My neuphew Joby tried to row with 3 other friends from New York all the way home to here last year, about 3000 miles or so in a rowing boat ! A week or two before he left for NY I asked him, in the pub, how his training was going, he looked blankly and replied "I'll probably get pretty fit as I go?", but hey, he's only 20, I'm 42! The thing is I'm not really into cycling, I just thought it would be quicker than walking !? Sadly Joby didn't make it, oh he didn't die or anything, although he had us worried one stormy night after the boat had capsized mid Atlantic in huge seas ! Look at the link if you're interested ? As a family we love a challenge...
Thanks so much for your support,
Justin.

 

[Woodbutcher]

A big thanks to the kind donations from members and friends here on VR...
The surgeon who carried out my operation emailed me earlier with this great endorsement to my big bike ride which I've posted on my blog site... I recon in US money I've raised about $750 in the first week which as recommended by my surgeon will go directly from the Heart foundation into the fund for a new 3D heart scanner for Derriford hospital.


".....I am delighted that Justin feels up to this challenge following such major surgery. He is an inspiration to our other patients undergoing similar procedures and I fully expect a number of them to be following in his tire tracks next summer!......"

Jonathan UNSWORTH-WHITE
Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon.

 

[halleyg]

That's cool to know exactly where the money will be going, thanks for letting us know!

And kind words from your surgeon, he's right that you are an inspiration and he'll be talking about you for years to come!

 

[Woodbutcher]

A massive thanks to ACR ! Just got notification through that he's made a generous donation to my British heart foundation fund !
Thank you so much, it's such a boost when I get one of those notifications and makes all this hard work worth while.
I've been at this computer every night after work till the early hours emailing, planning and researching for my big ride, I had no idea there could be so much involved ! It'll be a relief to get down to the Spanish border and start winding my way back up across france with all the planning done and just peddling left to do !
Thanks too to Halley, you've been fantastic rallying up support and sponsors through Facebook, you're a star !
Jus.

 

[acr]

No problem, happy to help. So what bike do you ride ? I'm into my bikes, just waiting for the mail man to deliver my new SPD (aka clipless) pedals courtesy of eBay.

 

[Woodbutcher]

thanks again ACR ! I'm not a keen cyclist, well not really, but I have a lovely bike, I bought it recently as just another thing to inspire me to do something healthy to get in shape again as playing my fiddle for hours on end was just strengthening my right elbow !
It's a mountain bike, a Diamond back Apex. Probably not the best bike for a long road trip but I like it and it'll have road tyres fitted.
Funny you should say about the SPD peddles, I just ordered some yesterday. I knew nothing of that sort of thing a few weeks back but have decided to get some and some proper shoes too. I'm getting the universal peddles which are only cleated on one side so they can be used with normal shoes too. What would we do without ebay hey !?

 

[Woodbutcher]

Good news good news ! Just got a very exciting package from On-X with my complimentary "Powered by On-X" T shirt and cycling shirt too ! Fantastic stuff. I'll put a picture up when I get a chance. If you need a Valve, you could do a lot worse, great after sales service !! Please keep tuned into my blog for daily updates when I get going on my ride, it'll be one hell of trip !

 

[halleyg]

I guess once you get the valve, you're a walking (or cycling) advertisement! We should all get free t-shirts with our valves, LOL. That's great they sent you that stuff.
Anyone on here who is on Facebook, please stop by and show your support by joining Justin's group, http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=117349204177

 

[acr]

SPD's are fantastic, once you're used to them you'll never go back. However just make sure you get the cleats aligned else your knees will be really sore. Also everyone has their first SPD moment, like stopping at traffic lights and forgetting that you're clipped in, and over you go -ouch! be extra careful on Warfarin.

 

[Woodbutcher]

Cleats aligned ! This is all getting so complicated... Recon I need to visit my bike shop again ! "SDP moment" ? I had thought about that, it's such a natural reaction to lift your foot up off the pedal when you stop... I predict a few of those moments !
Great news, yet another very kind VR member has just sponsored me, so a huge thanks to tiddleywinks ! Thank you.