As I started thinking about this ride I wondered what kind of shape does one need to be in to complete it. I didn’t find any answers to that question but as I read descriptions of the route and terrain I figured I better get working. The purpose of providing an overview of the training is to hopefully answer that question for someone else who might want to know.
The page is not yet complete. At the end of the ride I will update it to say whether the programme was in fact adequate, too much or too little.

A review of my training should probably begin with my hip replacement in August 2013. After the surgery I was determined to rebuild unused muscles and regain full functionality and so was diligent in following my re-hab directions. Recovery was remarkable and within four weeks I was back at the gym on a daily basis doing upper body weights, stationary bike and elliptical. About 45-6 min a day.
I was fortunate to have both great massage therapists (Kristen Nelson and Sasha Goudriaan) and a great physiotherapist (Janique Taylor).
With their treatment and advice I was soon doing a full circuit of the leg weight machines and had overcome any traces of limp, knee pain etc. I was feeling good about my progress.

It was at this point, on a visit to Dublin in March that John talked to me about his plan to cycle solo from Seville to Santiago de Campostela. I was interested. Believing in the power of goals the idea of a ride like this was just what I needed for motivation. It
would need me to get into pretty good shape, I came home and thought about it and in my May visit to Dublin committed to the ride. Now training had to begin, I obviously needed to be able to keep up to John, a much better cyclist.

On my return to Toronto, the first test was to get out my bike and take a road ride, my first since surgery.
I was quickly into a routine of an hour at the gym followed by an hour bike ride through the parks in Toronto.

As time progressed I moved up to a two hour ride every few days. When the weather warmed up I augmented this with 2-3 hour kayak paddle on the weekend, great for both enjoyment and core conditioning.

here I show the elevation profile of two rides where I was getting some practice on hills. The first, a 105 km ride over the Dublin mountains in Ireland to Glendalough and back, the second a repetitive run up and down a hill close to my home in Toronto.

Below is a view of my cycling calendar for the moth of August