I set out from Land’s End at 9.00am on Saturday, August 21st 2010. Before me were 1800 miles of British roads, set to take me from Land’s End to John O’Groats AND BACK to Land’s End. I had heard about the one way record previously, but I was more interested when I heard about the return record.
In April 2000, Bob Brown (http://www.bobbysrun.co.uk) set the record at 6 days and 20 hours. That record had remained unbeaten for a decade.
I set out from Land’s End on that morning with the hope of returning in six days, but I knew that within those 1800 miles lay many challenges for myself and the 8 person support team that I had on the road with me.
The weather was far from helpful, with a stiff headwind and heavy rain for the majority of the route. As luck would have it, the turn around point at John O’Groats saw the wind do the same, so I was battling the elements far more than I had hoped.
Covering 420 miles in the first 24 hour period, and 320 miles every 24 hours thereafter – and under the watchful eyes of the 7000 strong followers at any one time on http://www.rockettrides.com – I made it to the Lake District with just one day under the wheels.
I was set for Scotland almost 10 hours ahead of the planned schedule.
Scotland posed numerous problems, both physically and mentally, none moreso than Glasgow on the Southbound journey.
Having crossed the Erskine Bridge, the support crew were forced to pull me from the bike in order to enforce a period of sleep. I had cycled my body and mind beyond its limits and things were appearing touch and go for whether I would be able to continue.
However, waking from the enforced 1 hour sleep I felt a million times better and I was set to take on the rest of Scotland and return to England.
Through the Midlands I was joined by fellow CRY supporter and Guinness World Record Holder, Clive Middleton, who helped sort out my mental approach and also offer me some highly useful advice for how to guarantee making it back to Land’s End.
He had to dispense this advice between naps – naps which I was taking whilst still pedalling on the bike. With that advice taken on board, I continued in the driving rain and the strong winds to the Severn Bridge and into the Westcountry.
Passing through my home region meant there was a great deal more support on route and I was soon tailed by a healthy number of local club cyclists and cheered through the miles by well-wishers and online followers.
I was on target to make it to back to Land’s End ahead of the record and this caused an increase in the number of online followers.
I had audiences in South Africa, Guatemala, Brazil, New Zealand, Australia, Russia, USA and all across Europe. The following was growing mile by mile and thankfully so were the donations to CRY.
Five days and 21 hours after setting off, I arrived at Land’s End.
After a long night riding through Devon and then Cornwall on the lonely and empty A30, the final ten miles were cycled at 30 mph, draining every last drop of energy in my body.
I was met by a wonderful group of well-wishers and supporters – many of whom had been there through the night, following us along the A30 and congregating in all the lay-bys on the way down.
Finishing the ride meant an end to the mental angst of beating the record, but it by no means meant an end to the physical troubles that I had been experiencing.
It is now 6 weeks since the completion of the ride, and I am sat here with many problems still waiting to heal.
While I am already planning the next big venture, I do so with crossed fingers that all the ailments from this ride will heal and just be part of the whole memory.
Ben Rockett
Ben has so far raised over £6300 and can still be sponsored at http://www.justgiving.com/rockettrides
