The time is now....

I knew that today would come but it seems to have come sooner rather than later.

My last trip to the Fort William gym has been and gone. I did a short 45 minute spin followed by some stretching. I bade farewell to the gym until I'm back in 4 weeks time in the knowledge that if I haven't done it yet it's too late.

Funny how quickly time has passed and from the moment that Bigman and I were accepted into the race a year has passed like a single breath. I picked up our shorts today from www.thecyclejersey.com - Brian was telling me about some experience gained doing endurance races which I will take with me - now what did he say tonic water contains quinine which helps avoiding cramp.....

Do we add gin.....

Oh I can't remember!!

We're a year older, a year wiser and a good deal fitter. The witches hat which is day 3 still looms large in my head. As I drove up north I looked at the hills around me thinking I need to cycle up about twice the height of any of the hills that surrounded me. A sobering and scary thought.

If anyone fancies giving a day of the Cape Epic a go. Take your bike to Fort William, cycle to the top of Ben Nevis, turn round and head just under half way down the hill before turning the bike and heading back up to the top again. You get the picture. It's going to be a massive challenge - I've echoed my words from yesterday to emphasise the magnatude of the race ahead.

Our challenge is to finish. No more that will be enough. I believe we can do it. We're a strong team but I suspect any of the Gillespie Wheelers would form a strong team that could go and do the same challenge we're doing.

We're not doing this just for us or even for charity, we're doing it for all of our training partners who have lived and breathed the journey with us. They are the inspiration that has kept us going, dragged us through the dark winter days and nights and been a constant source of advice and information.

It seems appropriate to thank the posse now with the training done and we go as representatives of the finest collection of bikers I've been honoured to meet. We thank each and every one.

So I've packed my case, not entirely but almost. I have a list and friends were taking the mickey out of me at lunchtime when they glanced at my list and it included such basics as 'bike, helmet, shorts.....' - well I'd hate to forget my bike.

Or would I......