Paul Sinton Hewitt, Founder of Park Run and now avid cyclist as well as a runner joined our LEJOG - On the Roads Less Travelled Tour at the end of August 2021. Here are his thoughts on the trip, the challenge and his feelings of immense pride on completing the ride:
Paul Sinton-Hewitt and fellow LEJOGGER take a short break by the Iron Bridge in Shropshire
'My first thought after completing the second day of LeJOG was that I was completely unprepared for the task that lay ahead. When talking to folks about the ride from Lands End to John O'Groats, everyone tells you that the first two days are the hardest. This is partly because you are covering about 100 miles a day but mostly because you underestimate the rolling, undulating ground that you have to cover. There are no mountains or steep inclines. You could be forgiven for thinking this will be easy. But at approximately 2,000 meters of ascent each day, you feel exhausted. Fortunately, for most of us, we started to feel stronger in the legs after our third day in the saddle.
The group are still smiling - it cant’ have been that hard!!
On reflection, the adventure was brutal. It is probably one of the hardest endurance events of my life. Covering 1,607 km / 998 miles and ascending 18,465 meters / 60,580 Feet in nine days is always going to be hard. But it was the relentless nature of the trip that took its toll. We woke up, ate, rode, ate, rode, ate, rode, ate and slept on repeat for nine days solid. That makes it sound horrible but in truth, we loved it.
To start with, Guy had spent months deciding the route. His main aim was to choose a route off main roads that would keep us safe and offer the best possible view of the country. This presented numerous challenges for him as the route less ridden is also the route with the fewest coffee shops and hotels. While we knew the main route long before our journey began, Guy was still tinkering at the edges two days before our departure, seeking out the very best options.
Have the aliens landed? No, just three LEJOGGERS pausing for breath to admire the dishes at Jodrell Bank
With three ride leaders, we set off from Land’s End on Friday morning. Before a single pedal stroke could be made, the team fixed their first and last puncture. Heading for our first coffee stop, we were able to find our place in the three groups. As it turned out there was little change to this grouping over the nine days. In the group of eleven, we had a foursome from America, a twosome from Exeter, three from London and another two from Surrey. In a nine-day period when you are playing so hard, you get to know things about people. It was a delight to watch the unmarried/married couple from Exeter bickering at breakfast most days, the Americans enthral us with their exploits and the Surrey lot chugging up the hills keeping us together.
Our three ride leaders, Guy, Dean and Nestor ensured that we were safe while ensuring that we had the best possible ride. In addition to the efforts of these three, Ebba took care of many of our essential needs: both carrying the spanners from stop to stop and providing the coffee, sandwiches and other essentials too. A special mention to Nestor, our Colombian express train, who never broke his smile the entire adventure, With his expressive gestures and confident riding we bounced along the roads in total confidence and with the utmost safety.
Pausing briefly again beside the Falkirk Wheel where Viva Velo had arranged a surprise visit from my family
A highlight for me was when Guy had conspired with my family to meet us at the Falkirk Wheel, a famous landmark and world-renowned feat of engineering, where 11 locks were replaced by a single boat lift in 2002. There were many other incredible sights that we loved along the way like the Jodrell Bank in Yorkshire, the Lake District and I was left with a burning desire to go back to the Forest of Bowland and the Scottish Moors for some more cycling at another time.
Some friends for life have been created. We're planning reunions, trips to Exeter and even the odd parkrun for a select few. This trip in its current format is definitely not for everyone, it is a huge challenge but the overwhelming feeling I think we all felt upon concluding the adventure is pride and surprise. Surprise that we had overcome all the challenges and were proud of our achievements.
Paul Sinton-Hewitt.