The Final Countdown

Well that is the final training recce long run complete and now the countdown begins. T-minus 20 days and counting.

The day started dry if misty and apart from a twenty minute down pour, it pretty much stayed that way all day - and I mean all day. We were round a bit quicker than expected but were still out there for nine and a half hours. I think we were very lucky with the weather really because once we got back to the car it started to rain - and hasn't stopped since - the gods favour us...

The aim of today's recce - apart from running my longest ever training run - was to try and accurately hit the splits for my 21 hour schedule and although we took things really very steadily we still managed to gain a few minutes on each section. In all we made a gain on the schedule of one hour and fifty minutes and I can honestly say that at no point did we over exert ourselves. At the finish at Llanthony Priory I was still full of running. I am so pleased with my run.

In the real thing I will be much more tired by the time I get to today's stages, I know, but after running today's 40.5 miles effectively on a 18 hour schedule, I was still capable of carrying on at the finish. Today's run fills me with confidence.

From now on I ease back. No more long runs. Just the odd easy one with a few bike sessions here and the odd row. Easy does it will be my mantra. And tonight I will sleep like never before...

Today's 40.5 mile recce with 7,000 feet ascent traversing stages 4, 5 and 6 of the South Wales Traverse:-