It’s really been just about riding more and more mileage. It’s been about testing the bike, testing the bags on the bike and where I pack things, how I charge my electronics, and how I feed sufficiently so that I can just keep on riding.
Gravel Riding in Guisborough – and an Exploding Tyre
At the end of March, I went on a cycle club weekend I had organised to Guisborough in North Yorkshire, where we’ve done gravel riding for a few years now. We’ve been blessed with good weather each time, and we stay in the most luxurious accommodation. This year didn’t disappoint.
Back on my winter bike (which doubles as my gravel bike), I faced strong winds on a Sunday solo ride from Guisborough to meet my partner. Rounding a corner, my front tyre blew—exploding tubeless sealant onto the road, my bike, and my face. The pink fluid is designed to dry and seal punctures on contact with air, so I had to act fast to clean it off where it wasn’t wanted.
After the initial seal, I set off again but the gash was too big. The tyre blew once more, and I had to make a roadside repair before riding on to Bedale, North Yorkshire.
First 300km Attempt – and Mechanical Mystery
A weekend later I took on my first 300-kilometre effort of 2025: a solo road ride from Manchester, through North Wales, looping into Shropshire and around Shrewsbury before heading home. At 250 kilometres, my bike began making awful clunking, creaking, and knocking noises. Pedestrians stared. I joked it was my knees!
Worried I’d cause damage, I made the tough decision to abandon the ride and caught a train back. Ironically, when I cycled the final 5km home from the station, the noise had vanished.
French Hills and Short Sharp Climbs
In mid-April, my partner and I went to France, not a dedicated cycling holiday, but I managed to ride on five of the seven days. I always say a hilly ride is one with 1,000 metres of climbing per 100 kilometres. In France, I was doing rides with 1,000 metres in just 22 kilometres. It was steep, it was tough, but it was great hill training and this was all despite the poor weather.
Redemption Ride: 300km Success
Fresh back from France, I tackled the 300-kilometre route again and this time succeeded. My only mistake? Hitting the stop button on my Garmin halfway through, ending up with two recorded routes instead of one. I could stitch them together, but the full distance was clear on Strava and in my legs, so I left it.
Morecambe, the Tour de Manc, and a Trip to Italy
At the end of April, I cycled from Manchester to Morecambe to visit friends. The following bank holiday weekend saw a fantastic work group outing for the Tour de Manc—166 kilometres of cycling with colleagues in decent, if chilly, weather.
Just a few days later, I was off to Italy for a charity ride between Venice and Bologna for the Spinal Injuries Association. It was a beautiful trip for a great cause, with familiar and new faces along the way.
Back to Gravel – and Back to Tyre Troubles
In mid-May, with glorious spring sunshine, a friend and I went gravel riding and camping in the Yorkshire Dales. Not a drop of rain, but the same old tyre issue returned. Despite topping up the sealant in March, the gash had weakened again. I repaired it only for the fix to fail the next day. I limped back and am now shopping for new gravel tyres! They say it’s satisfying to wear out bike components, right?
400km Success – Holyhead and Back
The highlight of May was completing a 400-kilometre audax from Manchester to Holyhead and back. Around 60 riders took part; I counted just six women, four riding with male companions and two of us solo.
This was a big training milestone. I practised my fuelling, tested my tactics, and stayed strong through the headwind to Holyhead, then felt the reward of a massive tailwind all the way back. It was a great day out.
Fundraising for Women’s Cycling Safety
I’ve now opened my JustGiving fundraising page to support Cycling UK’s Women’s Safety Campaign: My Ride. Our Right. I’ll share more soon about how the campaign aims to improve safety and what your donations will help fund.
The Final Countdown
Keep following as I move into the final 8 weeks of training for London Edinburgh London. More mileage, more adventures, and no doubt more mechanical mishaps to come!
