5th July 2008 training day 73 miles. 22 days to go

James took the train to Gloucester to meet up with Mark who's doing the LE JOG at this moment. I got the train at 6.30 a.m, arriving at 8.30 at Gloucester. Took a long climb up out of the valley was overtaken by a mountain biker which made me feel like a looser, only to find him 5 Min's later sitting on the verge crying like a big girl, now whose the looser! Grinded away up to the top, feeling tired and thinking thing s like downhills are more fun, why don't I live in Holland, yeah this pain is good for me, does the pain ever stop, why on earth am I doing the LE JOG, so fed up with thinking stuck on the i.pod felt much easier grinding away to the theme of 'Rocky' !
With the first hour gone, got into the rhythm, no more real pain, already drunk a bottle of water and orange and a peanut butter sandwich, keep feeding the engine. Arrived at Ross on Wye, 17 miles, stuffed a pastie and a doughnut into the engine, more drink, feeling not to bad, sun shining.
Met up with Mark and took the CTC route to Clun, Mark seems to be doing ok for day 6 averaging at about 11 mph, stopped for lunch about 10 miles before Leominster, so hungry by now, big lunch and a pint of weak juice! went down this hill clocked a top speed of 38 mph! An hour later started raining, waterproofs on , stopped raining, waterproofs off, this happened quite a few times.
At about 60 miles began to get tired more fuel needed, heavy rain, at about 70 mile we started to imagine where Clun YHA would be, the worse dread would be up a 2 mile steep climb. Arrived at Clun wet and hungry at 6.45 relieved to find the YHA just up a gentle slope. Mark met up with his wife and kids, he was pleased to see them, I was too, they were going to give me a lift home, after dinner. Washed and changed in the men's dorm, full of BO and wet clothes, theres going to be some serious snorring in that dorm tonight, must invest in some ear plugs when i go in 3 weeks. Went out to feed the engine, body feels OK, going to get some of that stuff you rub over your meat and two veg. Mike and I Can do this now, its just like today x 14 days, feeling confident, feeling tired, time for bed