This is a guest post from Claire Le Hur who is cycling to China with her fiancé Stuart Block. The couple will start their journey in East Africa where they will follow new ‘silk roads’ charting the journey of key natural resources as part of an exciting new education project. Claire will be riding a bamboo bike, built by an African social enterprise and Stuart will ride a tandem, keeping the back seat of the tandem free for those they meet en route. They will also be raising money and awareness for two great educational charities. Find out more about Claire’s big adventure here.
People keep asking me how Stuart and I are preparing for the 10-month trip in which we plan to cycle in excess of 10,000km and, to be honest, I don’t really know how to answer.
Those who have done similar things have told me that you can’t really prepare for a challenge like this. They say that the real training happens during the first couple of weeks on the road. I just hope it’s true – and that the places we go and the people we meet will take my mind off my sore legs and bum!
Of course many people who take on challenges like this would go all out to get super fit and bike ready, just look at Mark Beaumont who recently set a new world record by cycling over 10,000km from Cairo to Cape Town in less than 42 days! Luckily for me, we aren’t trying to break any records!
Then there are inspirational people like the retired headmistress Anne Mustoe, who took up cycling at the age of 54 and rode around the world twice – once in each direction – writing brilliant books about her adventures along the way. I love this excerpt from her obituary in The Times:
“… When she resolved to cycle round the world, Mustoe was 54, somewhat overweight and unfit, and without any idea of how to mend a puncture. She had not ridden a bike for 30 years, wobbled when she tried again, and she hated camping, picnics and discomfort. Her Condor bicycle, customised for her by a mechanic with a workshop in the Old Kent Road, was bought for her as a leaving present from the girls at her school, and she was still riding it 22 years and about 100,000 miles later on her last cycle trip this year…”
You can buy Anne’s books here.
Stu and I lie somewhere between these extremes (albeit Stu has Mark’s passion, drive and determination, and being a cycling novice, I’m definitely more like Anne!) but hopefully we’ll make a good team. And who knows, there might even be a book in us too!
But back to my training…
In April 2014 I got on a road bike for the first time in years. Stu and I cycled up the famous Col de la Columbière, which was still closed to cars due to the snow. It was amazingly do-able, although we went very slowly.
Fast forward 16 months and we were back in the Alps. I had cycled up the Col twice, from both sides, and rather worryingly I found it so much harder. There is a lot to be said for being a novice and not having any idea about what is going on!
Getting some practice in: cycling Col de la Colombière in the Alps, one of the most famous and notorious Tour de France climbs
This experience flagged up three big issues that I needed to overcome pretty quickly:
Issue #1: Stop comparing myself
I realised that I had to stop getting disheartened when ‘Super-Stu’ disappears over the top of yet another hill leaving me panting, sweating, cursing him and sometimes even crying, as I make my way up to the top.
Our first ‘training ride’ in the Alps was the perfect example of such a scenario. “Let’s do a nice 60km circuit and go up the Col de la Columbière from the other side,” said Stuart. I thought that sounded OK. Only three hills and 2100m climbing – but I wouldn’t think about that! The first hill proved horrible, very narrow with lots of gravel, and I was slipping everywhere, while doing climbs that were about 18%. I was forced to admit defeat twice (which is not easy for me) and get off and walk.
Now I am truing to stop comparing myself to Stu and be honest with him about how I am finding the challenge rather than getting emotional and snapping at him. I keep reminding myself that I am not a pro, that this is all quite new to me and that I am proud of my own achievements.
Issue #2: Saddling up with smile
My saddle is made by Brooks so it’s made of very hard leather which is meant to mould to your bum ensuring maximum comfort… in the end! I have been using mine for about two months now and must have done hundreds of miles but the saddle is still so hard. After a big cycle ride it’s impossible to sit down properly and I confess I’m slightly worried about how much longer it will take to break in. Watch this space, I will let you know how it goes.
Issue #3: Getting the right bike
My beautiful bamboo bike is finished! British engineer and bike designer Rich Chapman has done an amazing job on it following the wonderful work Kasoma Nordin started in Uganda.
Kasoma is regarded as the best Bamboo bike builder in Africa and he’s now producing beautiful bamboo bikes. This is Claire’s in the making
We decided that riding my new bike around the Alps would be a bit silly as a heavy touring bike might not do much for my confidence! So I was riding my old road bike with temperamental gears and a dodgy back wheel, which finally broke on a fast descent from Col de Croix-Fry. Back in London I rode the bamboo bike for the first time in torrential rain – not really a fair first outing – so it’s been great to get out there and ride it properly.
Claire’s bamboo bike is ready for action
We’ve been trying to be sensible and go out for regular bike rides, with some back to back days, but there is little more to our training programme that than. Stuart did joke one evening that we should try to ‘fatten up’ a bit before we go because we’ll be burning so much energy so that has been the perfect excuse to eat and drink a lot! It will be very interesting to see how my body changes as the months go on. Psychologically things are bound to change too, and I know that I need to relax and not think about things too much… which will be very good for me!
As our leaving date gets closer we have also been doing lots of admin and I am driving myself crazy with lists! There’s so much to do – not just in terms of packing up and making sure we have the right kit, but saying our goodbyes, etc. We’ve also just finished getting the charity and educational side of things up and running now, which will make the trip even more exciting and worthwhile. I still can’t believe we’re about to head off and sometimes I find myself wondering what I’d be doing for the next year if we weren’t about to head off on this great adventure!
My next post will be about our adventures with Kasoma Nordin in Uganda before we head into Rwanda – I can’t wait!
