Chris Hall Completes Bike packing the Perimeter of Britain
Q&A Final Thoughts
Chris finished riding the perimeter of Britain for Movember, fresh from cycling the full perimeter of Britain for Movember he reflects on the highs and the lows from his incredible 30 day challenge…
Is there anything you will miss from riding so much everyday and this trip?
I think the simplicity of just cycling every day and riding my bike all day every day. It's quite refreshingly simple and easy and helps to reset the brain a bit.
What are the lessons you have learned from the journey?
Good waterproofs are essential when doing anything in the UK! Also I think I have learnt to go with the flow a bit more. Don't force things. Listen to the body and take each day as it comes. There's always issues that can occur.
What’s your nutrition strategy both on and off the bike?
Keep the fire fuelled basically! I'm lucky to be supported by Styrkr so of course I will be using their products, especially the salt tablets but there is no way I can carry enough fuel for this whole trip, so it'll be a case of whatever I can get, most likely at petrol stations. The key is making sure I'm getting enough calories in whilst riding and then a proper meal for recovery. Basically don't stop eating.
Is this last part of the ride going more smoothly than the middle part of the journey or have you still faced lots of challenges?
The last part of the ride was a bit more smooth in terms of not having any major issues but the fatigue was incredibly high and my brain was just smoosh a lot of the time. I basically rode through from Glasgow to the end in London with a half day off in Bristol where Saddleback gave the bike a complete service which was much needed and helped with the bike feeling amazing until the end.
How have the people that have joined you help get you through the ride?
It really made a huge difference having chats with people whilst out riding. It becomes a bit of a distraction but also it's a way to chat and connect about serious things as well as fun things too. It works as a great distraction and is amazing to just chat with people about everything and anything. Time passes faster. A massive thank you to any one who came out.
How did the ride go compared to your plan?
I ended up finishing in 30 days of riding. I had planned 29 days of riding. I took it a bit steadier for the last few days as I wanted to finish at a more reasonable time and not the middle of the night which it may have been. I'm still incredibly pleased with that! Some monster days on the bike and also a lot of time spent dealing with all kinds of bike, hotel and life admin which I think people often forget. That's often harder than the cycling.
