Just back in. Booked a bit of MTB coaching tomorrow and wanted to have a recce this evening, so sloped off early from work and trundled down canal towpaths and bridleways to suss out the scene of tomorrow’s humiliation. A very pleasant, gentle 80 minute spin.

Many years ago, after a late night in the Rubaiyat pub in Glasgow, I was biking home in the small hours and, as I approached some traffic lights, they went red. I noticed two Plod standing on the corner so I drew smoothly to a halt at the white line and felt so pleased with myself I didn’t bother putting a foot down. When I opened my eyes, lying on my back in the road, they were both looking down at me and advised me politely to walk the rest of the way home.

Ask the British Army. Lots and lots about boots on here[/url], and lots of them hate Goretex lined boots too. Lowa, Meindl, Altberg all good ideas depending just what you want.

I’m just back on a bike after over 18 years off. I did quite a lot of road stuff way back when then just drifted away from it and eventually got much more into fell running/orienteering. After one knackered ankle and one knackered knee, and a hefty dose of life, I bought my first ever mountain bike about two months back and am enjoying trunding around forest roads and bridleways from home, in spite of being overweight, unfit and finding out it’s a lot more technical than I ever thought. If it’s no fun any more, just give biking a rest for a while.

Yes, but YOU need to decide what you might want to do with the rest of your life. Different people decide this at different points (I was a bit later than many) and, of course, peoples’ ideas change over time but, like many have said, if you can find something that gets you fired up, that’s a good starting point.

Some qualifications (Maths, English etc) through a college would probably be a good idea. Our nearest college has a whole bunch of options for people with no formal qualifications so maybe start by talking to yours?.

Eat- Saturday night takeaway (Chicken Jalfrezi and Jingha Hara Piaz) from a very good restaurant down the hill. No Phal available, you’ll be pleased to hear

Drink- Just water

Listen- BBC4’s Byzantium: A Tale of Three Cities

Hoodie- LL Bean Katahdin Ironworks

Either 32 front/36 rear or 30 front/34 rear would get close I think.

Get your electrolytes right too. If I get in the state you did, feeling rubbish after exercise, I find a glass of water with half a teaspoon of salt works wonders. I am sure there are more sophisticated solutions, but I am a bit old school.

Try here

I did it once, on the way to a fell race out west. Not a good warm up!

Where to stay- Grange/Lindale/Newby Bridge would be slightly over half distance.

It’s a long way- getting on for 150 miles, with a lot of up and down. Don’t go near Barrow but cut across the top of the peninsula from Greenodd- Broughton. If you are feeling brave there are bikeable fell roads which save you distance but with some pretty hard climbing (e.g. Ulpha Fell and over to Eskdale). I lived in south Cumbria for ten years, so I have the scars.

Having been grounded for several beautiful days, I finally got out this cool and cloudy morning for a run south down the Goyt Valley. I particularly enjoyed the 3 km slog uphill into a stiff breeze- thank you weather Gods!