Team is good...

This coming Saturday we are to learn exactly how to prepare for Trailwalker at one of Oxfam's preparation days but the sheer unimaginable challenge has caused me to train NOW! Like yesterday!

Over a Valentine's take away last night Nikki admitted to me she has no idea how I am going to complete it. My male pride is now motivation enough. Perhaps this is her way of spurring me to action?

At church Stevie was good enough to offer to cycle with me this afternoon on a route that will build to a 24 mile round trip to one of Oxford's Park and Rides (where I intend to meet my family for the weekly trip to worship at St Aldates).

Today I reached 5 miles into the 12 mile leg and then returned, glad I had not dived in for the church journey this morning as I had intended - I admitted to Mr Pea that without him I may have stopped a few more times!

Team is good - it spurs us on to endure more than we alone might, were we to rely on our own weak determination. In order to complete the Trailwalker in July we'll all need to build mental and physical endurance.

As Stevie has trained rowing teams he gave me some insight into the psychology of training and how to listen correctly to your body (subduing the flesh without ignoring warning signs). I'm really looking forward to drawing that out so a heart rate monitor is now on the shopping list.

My mountain bike and low saddle height did not make things easy today - whilst Stevie on his road bike seemed to be sickeningly efficient and untouched by the workload.

Planning my next week I am hoping to ride that route at least once to the same marker without stopping - probably Thursday morning. With a run around the block to keep the heart moving Tuesday.

So...onwards and upwards and looking forwards to noticing the gains.