Plans for PBP 2015?

This last week saw me complete 2 work-and-back commutes. To date, I have cycled 2,345 km’s on ‘Jenny’ my single-speed Genesis cyclo-cross commute bike. I have guestimated that that has saved me about £312 in travel costs.

When I was a runner....

Despite having an urge to run last week, it didn’t happen. The urge was still there but I suffered a dose of the dreaded man flu. I haven’t ran a lot this year but did put in a few km’s - 131km’s in fact. I do wonder and hope that I’ll perhaps be able to add just a few k to this total before the year is out.

In 2011 I completed PBP. The PBP (Paris-Brest-Paris) is an ultra long distance cycling event. Originally it was a 1200k bicycle race from Paris to Brest and back. This is one of the oldest bicycling events still being run, but it has not been run as a race since 1951. When I participated in the event, my goal was to complete the event within a maximum time limit of 90 hours (with no competition). When I cycled PBP, I rode some 767 miles (in 77 hours and 14 minutes), climbed 40,100 feet, conquered a 20.7% maximum gradient and was 1 of 65 different nationalities taking part. Why do I mention this now? Well, the PBP is held every 4 years and if I were to participate in the next one (2015), I would start my training next week!

Cycling  the 2011 PBP

Quoting myself, directly from my blog in 2011, post PBP event, I said ‘’ I will most probably not cycle the PBP again (sorry Ron). I figured, you only have to complete this event once to get your medal. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed training and qualifying for the PBP 2011 but the actual experience itself despite being awesome, was painful and demanding. At time of writing this entry, it is 10 days post PBP and I still have a pins and needles type feeling in some of my fingers and my butt is still painful. My poor backside blistered. It is easy to say what I would do differently if I were to cycle the PBP again - invest in a better saddle and acquire carbon bars (or at least apply double bar tape and/or get better quality padded gloves). In addition to that, I would arm myself with more batteries for lighting and probably sleep more’’.

SJ, the best support one could wish for!

Wow, how memories of pain disappear with the passage of time! I have invested in a better saddle (plus bike), acquired carbon bars and have a dynamo hub for lighting purposes. What’s there to stop me entering the 2015 PBP?! The answer to that is qualifying brevets and family commitments. I have a lovely wife and beautiful toddler and the New Year holds promise for another child. Will I be able to juggle family commitments, work menace and training for such a big event?! Will my Mrs give me a pass? Time will tell. I will attempt to set myself goals and train for this event with the hope I will be able to ride it. My training will start next week. Wish me well!

I know my family will be behind me!