Bigman acquires hair

Today, the plan was for a 55 mile trip to Stirling and back along the Foothills to Milnathort and back over the Cleish. The Fearsome Four - Bigman, Ironman, The Fit One, and Santiago. With a combined aged of almost 200 years, these muscular men represent experience. (Okay so Santiago wears a corset but no-one needs to know)

They assembled at 9.00am ready for the off, picking up the Ironman whilst passing through the leafy suburbs. The Fit One has damaged his knee and so has called off his triathlon event tomorrow. Santaigo is also suffering from a knee strain but will make the triathlon tomorrow. When we arrived to collect the Ironman he announced he had broken a fingernail however would still be able to join us. They had quickly moved from being the Fearsome Four to resembling bit part actors in the TV drama Holby City.

As they hammered down the cycle track to Alloa, they were chased by an enthusiatic biker who demonstrated impressive fitness by hanging on ( metaphorically speaking) to the pack for 9 miles with an average speed of 24 miles per hour. The Ironman was impressed. The fact the biker was on a mountain bike was all the more impressive!

Through Alloa they sped, upping the pace to over 26mph, chain- ganging to maintain the pace all the way to Corrierie's Cafe. The Bigman went for the calorie counting apple pie. The Fit One, had recently read that scrambled egg and toast was good for the energy levels and voted for the sensible option. Meanwhile, Santiago studied the pink Santini cycle top in the glass frame on the wall with envy.

The journey back along the Foothills led the team headlong into a dose of precipitation straight out of the east. Only the Bigman had checked the weather and brought a waterproof jacket. The three amigos looked like droont rats. As they 'sailed' through Tillicoultry, they passed Mrs Ironman who was out training for the Edinburgh Moonwalk. walking on water ( or more appropriately rivers) is clearly one of her many talents. Clearly this was a day for WAGS as Mrs Bigman and Mrs Duracell were out on their own expedition to Lochleven's Larder in advance of the WAG's cycling expedition to Arran shortlyand will include Mrs Wingman. There will be a special WAG's blog telling many tales. Watch this space!

Tilli brought a decison to make a sharp exit over the hill to Forrestmill to escape the weather front.

It was a good decision as on the other side of the hill, it looked like it had not rained. As they approached Saline, a hare shot out from the verge as if to dart across the road. After 12 inches it observed the Bigman pummeling down on him at around 25 miles per hour. As if in momentary suspension, they shared a surprised gaze. The hare was also wearing a worried look with the wringles on his forehead looking more like excavations crafted by a JCB . And so would most folk with 6 foot 2 inches of 14st hammering down on you ( The hare is lucky this was not last Christmas as it would have been 15st) In an instant the hare piroetted 90 degrees and lept over 5 foot in the air narrowly missing the Bigman's ear and doing a fly past for the Ironman who was travelling in the Bigman's draft. An absolutely amazing sight. The Bigman is keen to read the Hare's blog this evening on his perspective of events.

By comparison the remaining journey was uneventful. A short climb up in Saline and over to Gowkhall where the Fit One cut through the air with his tribars making way for an easy passage for the Bigman and Santiago.

The shortened journey ( 44.6miles) allowed for the Ironman to drag Irondaughter to the 7 Kings to watch his beloved Caledonian Thistle compete in gladiator style to survive in Premier League football next season. If the Caley Thistle had competed they may have survived the drop. Bigman joined the Ironduo after half- time. It is not unreasonable to assume that you need more than one shot on goal to win a game. Caley were not marked present and the scipt was written. On the positive, the Ironman will not have to travel as far next season to watch as they will visit Dunfie twice next season. The Bigman ponders what the result might have been if the Ironman had been playing?

A brilliant documentary earlier this week tracked the success of 7 times tour de France winner Lance Armstrong. ( A poster displaying each win hangs in the home of Bigman - his hero). A quote from Lance at the end of the programme resonated with the Bigman. 'It is not crossing the finishing line that is important, it is crossing the starting line'. As Ironman and Bigman crash towards their big 2010 Epic Caper in only 42 weeks and 6 days, there can be no more meaningful lesson for them to ponder in many areas of their lives.