Disaster keeps striking me, first I have to ditch my hilly prep run for barbondale, then I find I've worn the bike rear tyre down to the Kevlar weave.

Back tightness forced me to abandon my plans to run, as it's screwing up my hamstrings, so I begrudgingly rolled the bike out. Whilst blowing some air into the rear I realised it was totally shot through to the webbing, and that I must have rode back from Ilkley with it in this shocking state on Monday. It also occurred to me that had it burst, Graham could have had the chance to cruise past in his Merc thinking to himself, I pity that fellow whoever he is.

So anyway, the standard 50m up to the craven arms and back on, horror of horrors, the Raleigh 853 summer bike. The lightweight, low drag construction meant I was flying and completed the ride in 2h57.