In less than 12 hours, Pascal and Martin will be underway on the ride of their life! Pascal has just rung home after a last minute bit of serious ride prep (see the photo) to steady their nerves for a 9am start. Gulp! (And indeed, GULP! – You know who you are!)
He keeps saying that he should have done more training but with a full time job, a wife and kids, the only thing he could have swapped is his sleep and I’m fairly sure that would have had the opposite effect. He’s in as good a shape as he can be and his stubbornness will just have to see him through.
Sleep has been in short supply this week as his pre-ride nerves have kicked in and the reality of it all has hit home. I’ve been getting random texts with comments such as “I’ve just read that a 100 mile bike race is equivalent to a marathon. What have I done?!” and other such calm and in control thoughts. The Olympics has played a part too, in as much he’s been reading about the super athletes’ diets and the concept of “protein loading” (a excuse for more steaks!). He even made himself some very tasty flapjacks yesterday to avoid the free energy gels that turn his Michelin-starred-stomach. Eldest son has been told that the flapjacks are “rocket fuel” and gave them his seal of approval, but dropped a few crumbs in testing.
I’ll be posting live updates as often as possible tomorrow with any portable comments from the pair as I get them. I’m aiming for hourly but kids and sleep will knock that at times. Keep reading to find out more and wish them both luck. I am.