Socks

The first thing I should say, is I am not the blogging type. I can`t spell, have problems making stuff sound intreasting, drive a Skoda, 3 kids a wife and a daft dog....

All pretty A4 realy.

Anyway, I`m sitting here after my usual commute home checking my email where I find a fun challenge thrown up by the posh fella`s at Rapha.

Now, although I do own a few bits and bobs from rapha, I am not your stereotype rapha wearer. I`m a middle aged, grey haired mountainbiking bicycle mechanic with love handles. I do the odd race (both mtb and road) but my tactics are more in the line of  "start slow, peater out". I normaly enthustiasticly, suck to the back markers wheels and loose them after a couple of laps....

I have foolishly signed up for an epic mountainbike race caled the Ultra Birken, here in Norway, in August. The course is Norways toughest one dayer, where I expect to complete the 110km of running through bog in the pouring rain in around 8hrs (if I make it!)

Ok, back to the plot....

Rapha make some great clothing that not only looks posh but is very functional, so I have decided to give thier competition a go in the offchance that I just might win some gear.

This is all well and done for some of the other folks but although I live in Norway, you know, the land of the fjords and mountains, there arn`t any mountains down here in the south. Apparently, I am supposed to climb at least 21,125m within the next 22 days..... hmmm.

The fact that I now have 2 weeks of summer holidays helps a little, but with my wife still working I will have to forge a " get away from the 3 kids and dosy dog plan" before the riding starts tommorrow.