Nottingham Life Cycle 6 – Day 6 Thetford to Dereham

If you search Google maps for directions from Thetford to Dereham, you get 24 miles. It took us 104 miles, four times as long. Why? Because we had to cycle to Lowestoft Ness, and then back to Dereham. Today we had two milestones: 500 miles completed; and the second of our compass points visited, Lowestoft …

Nottingham Life Cycle 6 – Day 5 Milton Keynes to Thetford

We are at the point on this challenge where pain kicks in big time, without exception. The effects of being in the saddle for over 400 miles, with four successive days averaging 90 miles, in tough terrain and exacting conditions is taking its toll. Some of that is obvious: pressure points on the saddle and …

Nottingham Life Cycle 6 – Day 4 Chippenham to Milton Keynes

When we arrived in Milton Keynes this evening, Sara, Kate and John had all completed four successive days in the saddle for the first time ever. Well done to them, and 5 bonus points each. I have already introduced Sara. Kate is another newbie. She completed her PhD at Nottingham in 1996, held a series …

Nottingham Life Cycle 6 – Day 3 Exeter to Chippenham

The Rio Olympics are over, and what a stunning performance from Team GB, one we should all be proud of. The conclusion of the Games will leave a hole for many sports enthusiasts, but fear not, the LC6 Decomnium still has up to thirteen days to run. Today was again tough: long, with 5,000+ feet …

Nottingham Life Cycle 6 – Day 2 Victoria to Exeter

What a start to the day. After the Stewards Enquiry we almost had the first disqualification from the Decomnium. It turns out that Sara has electronic gears. So, quite aside from the physical effort avoided from not manually making 30-60 gear changes an hour in this terrain, she avoids the mental stress of having to …

Nottingham Life Cycle 6 – Day 1 Lizard Point to Victoria

In the beginning, the Nottingham Life Cycle was about eleven riders cycling from John O’Groats to Lands’ End. Life Cycle 6 is about so much more now. Over 600 cyclists of all ages on the Community Day; 100 walkers on the Robin Hood Way, organised by Professor Denise Kendrick; bake offs in numerous Schools and …