Day 5 Raid Pyrenean

So that's it. +750kms +11,000m ascent over 18 specified Cols in 100 hours. A successful Raid Pyrenean which, on Monday, I honestly doubted I could finish.

Thanks for all the feedback. I've sent these updates by email so there are no links and the formatting is weird. I'll tidy things up and write a full account with lessons learnt once we're back in the UK in July.

And I have learnt a lot of lessons.

Alongside you'll see I've Tweeted thanks Marmot Tours, Dr Garry Palmer of Sportstest and Science in Sport. This is not me pleasing sponsors (!) - this is genuine, heartfelt gratitude to people who helped me realise an ambition.

An ambition which, only last Monday, I secretly felt might be beyond me.

Next? Next is La Marmotte, one of the world's toughest Sportives. The Raid Pyrenean has been good training.

But right now I'm reminded of the words of the winner of the first Giro d'Italia in 1907. When asked by reporters for his feelings on this momentous occasion, Luiggi Ganna replied, "My arse hurts like Hell".