News
Lands End to John O'Groats in 8.25 days
22.05.2007
Six Extra Mile Challenge regulars have cycled 925 miles from Lands End to John O’Groats to raise cash for hospitals
and sports facilities in Bedford.
Dr Rob Oakley, Brendan McNulty, Simon Lousada, Mark Howe, Graham Brown and Julian Pagliaro from the Rotary Club
of Bedford Park took just eight and a quarter days to cover the distance, averaging over 112 miles a day. They set
out from Land’s End, near Penzance on Friday 11th May and arrived in John O’Groats on Saturday 19th May.
The team had to contend with torrential rain, a succession of punctures and a near-drowning when one rider left the
road and plunged into a river! Highlights of the route included riding the length of Loch Ness (sadly with no sign
of the monster), a 110-mile climb to an altitude of 4,200 feet near Fort William and the welcome sight of the famous
signpost at John O’Groats.
Here are Rob Oakley's thoughts about the whole experience:
"Back in circulation now and able to comfortably sit at the computer.
However, whenever I sit down my legs automatically start moving in a circling cycling fashion!! The backside is
fine and I can really recommend buying the expensive cycling shorts that have multiple panels that go into the
design of some of the £100 plus shorts - as well as a 12mm nappy pad!! Thighs are like tree trunks and calves are
like matchsticks.
925 miles in 8.25 days. It rained 75% of the cycling time!!! Thank you very much for your sponsorship - I hope
to be around £6,000 plus myself and the event total might reach £15K with a fair wind. One of the better parts
of the challenge was that the wind was mostly behind us on the ride - both from external and internal sources!
At one stage we averaged 29mph on the flat for 6 miles!!
The worst part was cold toes and fingers with all the wet. Waterproof gloves and socks are not! Plastic bags on feet
and plastic gloves from petrol station forecourts work very well if you use 3 or 4 layers! The second worst part was
spray in the face from the bike in front of you as we found that cycling in a peleton was the best way to cover the
110+ mile distance each day - however spray, road kill, manure and "crud" flicked up from the wheels of the cycle in
front into your mouth and eyes in particular required copious amounts of optrex. Eyes were blood shot and sticky the
following morning and not from alcohol excess! Glasses not possible in the wet.
Anyhow 4 of us can now all concentrate on getting back to normality except for Julian and Brendan who are doing the
English Etape at the start of July and the French Etape in the Pyrennes on the 16th July. They regard LEJO'G as a
training run!!!!"
Now the team is hoping to meet its sponsorship target of £15,000. As well as supporting the Bedford Hospitals Charity,
funds are earmarked for the Bedford Sports Foundation which plans to relay the Astroturf pitches at the Bedford Sports
and Hockey Centre. Donations can be made online at justgiving.com/bedfordlejog
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