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First off Myself and the whole of Team 100k wants to thank everyone who has donated to http://www.justgiving.com/team100k/ raising £125.

Team 100k members are, Joby, Rafe, Emma, Anna and Myself.

Around 6.30am Joby picked me up and off we went to the start line, Traffic was pretty bad as we got there and it was fun to watch people with bikes on their car roofs drive under low trees, no, not funny, wrong I mean.

Well today was the big day, just over 2 months on from my last 100k ride (Manchester to Blackpool) I am sat at the start line ready to go.

I had quite a low number for Blackpool (I was 500 from 9000) so decided for this event to register on the day and get a higher number, It was painless doing so but there was big queues and I wont be doing that again, I was Allocated 3596

So a little before 9am Team 100k and I set off, The weather was a little chilly but dry with little wind, a stark contrast to how the rest of this week has been, thankfully.

The early pace was pretty good holding around 17mph but once the first 10% hill hit my hip wasn't for playing ball game.

Guru Heading To Church

Just after this picture was such a hill and I found myself pretty quickly struggling to hit 15mph but I pushed on and eventually we got to a first aid stop for Mr Magoo

Not too sure what had happened to him but once he had his eyes washed out the swelling went down and off we went again.

A little like having a child in the car with you on a long journey Guru Rafe declared “I need a pee" AGAIN…This was the trend for most of the day, Guru Rafe may yet be renamed to “I Need To Pee Rafe"

Around 30 miles in we took a rest and filled out bottles, While Rafe had a pee.

With around 20 miles to go we stopped to refill our bottles and let Rafe have a pee.

Rafe NOT on the toilet

We rode out from here as a team but after about 5 miles my hip was again KILLING and I started falling away with around 13 miles for so to go I pulled over and snapped this picture.

At this point, mentally, I wasn't in a great place, A few seconds later someone stopped and I just kept my head down, messing with my phone, I didn't really want to talk, The person asked if I was blogging, I said “no just texting" The person then introduced himself as Chris (@ChrisB112) Someone I had never met but had exchanged messages with on Twitter, He too was in a pretty bad place mentally (He however was doing the 100 Mile) We agreed it would be good to help each other out and kicked off, initially we held 14 mph, chatting and enjoying the renewed drive we had found by seeing each other, but pretty soon that changed and we were riding even faster, over 20mph at some points, Christ was a gent and waited for me at the top of a hill in Wilmslow, We kicked on not even thinking about pain or how we had struggled, we were holding 18mph and it was a breeze, Chris you sir are a LIFESAVER.

Around 1 mile from the end Joby, Rafe and Anna were waiting, I introduced Chris and before long Emma was with us, We all let pretty good at this point and set off as to finish as a team, Everyone knew tho that Joby, Anna and myself were going to sprint it out and we did, I stretched it a little just before the turn but going up the driveway in Wythenshawe with people coming the other was not ideal condition, Joby and Anna passed me, I hit 25mph swerving between bikes and peds but couldn't go any faster, there was just no room to do it in without risking myself or others, I reeled them both in and was sat on their back wheels as we passed the finish line.

So I didn't win the sprint, but this journey for me is about endurance not sprinting (but I'm bloody good at it, if I do say so myself) I finished my second 100k event this year and who 12 months ago would have thought about that and today I met and rode with some GREAT people (Joby, Emma, Rafe, Anna, Chris)

My Time was 4 Hours and 30 Mins, for 62.5 Miles.

From here I want to do Manchester to Blackpool 2010 in under 3 Hours 30 Mins and in The Manchester 100 next year I want to ride the 100 mile version.

Gaz wearing Livestrong.

Livestrong Everyone !!!

http://www.justgiving.com/team100k/