All this technology frightens me to death - at my age I don't really want to know what my heart is doing apart from beating often enough to keep me alive!

My carb loading this week consisted of two lots of fish and chips.

However, I have been managing two trips a week to the office for the past three weeks (44 mile round trip, and the odd 20 miler at the weekend).

I've just replaced my razor blade standard trek saddle for a very old fashioned Brooks B17 (first designed in 1917 - with little change since then) at the recommendation of cycling friends, and it has transformed the nether region area already. It is completely comfortable and produces no discomfort whatsoever. Why change something that works so well?

Hope to up my mileage over the next few weeks and quite frankly am aiming just to be able to keep up and complete the ride in one piece.