Dude where’s ya coat?

Launceston to Treyarnon: left around 11.30am arrived 6.15pm. 64.6k/40 miles, avg speed 16.3kph, max 49kph

3:57:13 cycling time, Jesus! 2 hours 45 minutes talking to Edward, taking pictures, getting stuck on ice

My first attempt at getting into running started last January. I went for a few 10k’s around Victoria Park some Saturday mornings and one night I went for one around Hackney and Clapton. I got heckled 4 times in the space of an hour that night by retards with nothing better to do. One guy cracked me up though. I was running in shorts and a t-shirt and it was ridiculously cold and I passed a load of lads at a bus stop. One black guy with dreads and a Jamaican kind of accent puts his arms across his chest and rubs his triceps like he’s shivering and shouts ‘dude where’s ya coat?’ Just thought I’d put that in there, carry on.

Then the sun went down and fuck did it get cold. Had about 6k to go and a little bit of light but the temperature was plummeting. Flew through St. Merryn and Shop, I’m sure they’re really nice. All my fingers and toes were suddenly freezing and it was a case of get there quick before I freeze to death. Icy roads were not helping.

Finally took the last turn that led down to the YHA. Pitch darkness. Got off the bike to take one last pic of a sign for the YHA - 0.6k before the end. Took my gloves off cause my fingers were screaming, had to get the cling film off to warm them up. Tired as hell but no throwin’ up, almost there and my fingers are blowin’ up. Tried to take a pic but it said “cannot take picture because of cold weather.” Hadn’t seen that one before. Do you realise what you’ve done? You took too long and now you’re going to freeze to death. What was happening? Was it freezing over? What if the hostel wasn’t open? What if they thought I wasn’t arriving and closed for the night? No way could I do an 11 mile cycle to Newquay. I don’t have enough energy to get to Newquay, I don’t have enough energy to get to Padstow, I don’t have enough energy to eat, I don’t have enough energy to sleep! My battery wouldn’t even last the trip to Newquay and I’d no signal to ring anywhere or check directions or even check the temperature. Feels like minus 10. I couldn’t even cycle the last little bit to the hostel so walked it.