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Just Keep Pedalling: Personal Reflections on Riding LEJOG

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It all started as one of those throwaway ideas someone (typically Ross) throws into the WhatsApp group - something that sounds like fun until you realise it involves cycling the entire length of Britain. At first, I ignored it. Too much. Too intense. Too early in the year. But then one sunny mountain bike ride later, something shifted. I was in a good headspace, the sun was shining, and I thought: how hard can it be? And so, in April, me, Ross and Gary rode our bicycles from Land’s End to John o’ Groats. Eleven days. Just over a thousand miles. Around 54,000 feet of climbing. A mix of sunshine, rain, fog, and wind. It was a beautiful, brutal, brilliant thing. Before the Ride: Fear and Weetabix I had a few big worries going in. One was the post-ride headaches that had plagued every single training session. I tried more water, more electrolytes - nothing helped. Until I cracked the code: carbs. Turns out scarfing a couple of Weetabix before bed made all the difference. That late-ni...
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Land’s End, Lands End, or L’Anzend?

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A needless investigation into one of Britain’s least contentious controversies   As our LEJOG training has progressed, one unsettling question has continued to lurk in the background — whispered over cake, grumbled at map apps, and eventually scribbled in biro on a snack wrapper mid-ride: Is it “Land’s End” or “Lands End”? (And why does nobody seem entirely sure?) I’ve seen it both ways. You’ve seen it both ways. Even my Garmin seems to flinch when asked to commit. So in the spirit of investigative amateurism, I did what any concerned citizen would do: I fell down a rabbit hole of dubious sources, petty debates, and the kind of linguistic detail that makes you question whether you’re the problem. The Official Story (Probably) Technically, the place is called Land’s End — possessive apostrophe and all. This is how it appears on OS maps, National Trust signage, and in historical references. The logic? It’s the end of the land, so the land owns the end. Fair enough. But then...
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John o'Groats or John O'Groats?

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The Correct Spelling of John o’ Groats ( John o' Groats Feature Page on Undiscovered Scotland ) A signpost at John o’ Groats, Caithness, marking one end of the famous Land’s End to John o’ Groats route. The village name “John o’ Groats” is often a subject of spelling confusion, particularly regarding whether the “o’” should be uppercase or lowercase. According to authoritative sources in the UK, the accepted spelling uses a lowercase “o” in “o’ Groats.” In other words, the name is correctly written as John o’ Groats , not “John O’Groats.” Below we examine official references from government mapping and tourism authorities, as well as historical usage, which all indicate the lowercase “o” is preferred. Official Usage (Ordnance Survey and Government Sources) Ordnance Survey (OS) – the UK’s national mapping agency – uses the spelling “John o’ Groats” with a lowercase “o.” For example, OS maps and products refer to the area as “John o’Groats” ( OS Map of Thurso & John o...
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Fuel, Fluids, and Figuring It Out

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How I stopped waking up with cycling-induced headaches (and found peace with porridge) When I started training for LEJOG, I knew I’d need to eat and drink well. I’ve done marathons — I understand energy depletion. So when I began getting post-ride headaches, my first assumption was straightforward: hydration . I increased fluid intake, and not just plain water — I used properly balanced electrolyte drinks (pH1500, SIS tabs, isotonic mixes). I stayed on top of it throughout the ride and continued drinking afterwards. But the headaches still came. Sometimes that evening. Sometimes not until the next morning. I'd wake up feeling off — like something had slipped overnight. Despite rest, paracetamol, and drinking litres of the right stuff , something was still missing. The Peanut Butter Moment One morning, with a headache starting to creep in, I tried something slightly different: two slices of toast with peanut butter , along with porridge and a pint of pH1500. It helped — a lot. The h...
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The Ride That Bit Back

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A cautionary (and barely scientific) tale of post-ride plumbing problems [Contains unapologetically anatomical content. Men’s health. Bits. You’ve been warned.] After a long, cold endurance ride earlier in the season, I encountered a strange and persistent issue that, until then, I’d never heard discussed in any cycling forum, podcast, or chat at the café stop. Midway through the ride I had difficulty peeing — no urgency, but when I tried, nothing wanted to happen. Post-ride, I was hit with a sharp stinging pain when urinating, and over the next 24 hours it didn’t let up. It wasn’t bladder pain — it felt local, right down the urethra. Alongside that was a mild headache and signs of dehydration, despite having drunk plenty after the ride. My assumption was UTI. Accordingly I increased my fluid intake, reached for the sugar-free electrolytes, I don’t drink caffeine or alcohol anyway, and I Googled a bit. Then I asked ChatGPT for a second opinion. Step 1: The Usual Suspect A urinary...
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Rear Mech Hack: Building an 11–42T Climbing Machine

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Coming from a mountain biking background, I’ve always had an appreciation for a decent granny ring. There’s something comforting about knowing you’ve got one more rescue gear left in the bag when the gradient turns ugly. So when I started preparing for LEJOG on a gravel bike — my otherwise dreamy 2025 Specialized Diverge Elite — I was honestly surprised at just how limited the factory climbing gear felt. To be fair, the stock setup isn’t terrible. GRX 400 with a 46/30T crank and 11–36 cassette gives a decent range. But “decent” doesn’t cut it when you’re staring down 14% Cornish climbs on day two of an 11-day trip. I wanted something lower. Something I could spin. Something that wouldn’t drain me before lunch. Testing the Limits First up, we tried the simple thing: swapped the rear cassette for a Shimano CS-M4100 11–42T. That gave me the range I wanted — technically. But we were now pushing the GRX RD-RX400 derailleur way beyond its comfort zone. Shifting onto the big cog was hesitant....
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