May 8.
When I first heard the date of this year’s Etape Caledonia, I envisaged a warm early summer’s day.
Of course I’d take part. Who wouldn’t want to sign up for a tough but pleasant cycle around gorgeous Highland Perthshire in shirt sleeves and shorts?
Now? Forget all that positivity: tonight’s weather has me worried.
I’ve just got in after my mere five-mile route home from work and I spent the whole time thinking: “What if it’s like this next Sunday?”
My training has been going well and a solo 76-mile round trip into the Angus glens a couple of weeks ago gave me new confidence that I should be able to handle the Etape’s 81.
After a week that was more pub than PB I'm back. Up (very up) to Glen Doll. 75 miles. Game on. #etapediary pic.twitter.com/uzNc1zrFUl
— Richard Rooney (@C_RRooney) April 9, 2016
However, I’ve been pretty lucky with the weather. Most of my training runs have been done in dry conditions with only fairly light breezes to contend with.
Can I do it if it’s raining and the wind is in my face like it was tonight?
The weekend forecast remains tantalisingly out of reach. It looks like things are pretty bad early next week but improving. But my weather app of choice only shows up to Thursday so far.
It could go either way from there.
In truth, we’d have to be very unlucky to have as hard a day as had my Courier colleague Jack McKeown in 2012.
I remember waking up that morning, looking out of the window and saying: “Poor Jack…”
He battled his way to the finish line in some of the toughest conditions the event has seen, so the Courier’s team of 2016 owe it to him to do the same.
I’m just hoping the weather is kind enough that we can enjoy the day, rather than endure it.
Fingers crossed…
