I wasn't going great northwards; sleep dep seems to provoke the severe loss of appetite others have reported elsewhere (and I started with sleep dep) so I wasn't eating well, but getting along well enough. On Monday, stopping at the monument by Castle Howard Priddy kindly squashed a mosquito settling on the back of my calf, and I swatted away a couple more, but I didn't notice the one that got me dead centre on my left leg, about 10 cm up from the heel (it's important because I sometimes get an allergic reaction, but more usually from midges rather than mossies). Anyway I started to feel better as I got to Scotland and turned round taking a bit of sleep in Edinburgh and the lovely Eskdalemuir; as I was approaching Thirsk for my next sleep I noticed a bit of an Achilles tendon niggle on the left leg and hoped it would disappear after a rest. Next day the Achilles tendon pain was bad and I was limping along; however I could cruise at reasonable speed on mostly right leg, although any kind of acceleration was slow, and hills were excruciating, but getting back within time was just on. By the end of Thursday I was in Spalding at 21h25 with 180km remaining and a finish deadline of 09h05, so being in time was still on. But I felt it would be too dangerous to try to get to London without sleep (I knew I was tired), so took a good feed and an hour's sleep, heading off for St Ives at midnight. The headwind across the fens was really hard going and it was 03h15 when I got to St Ives, at which point I knew the game was up given the continuing wind, with added hills.
So a mosquito bite bang on the line of the Achilles cause a slight swelling, which caused the back of my shoe to rub (although I didn't notice) bringing on the tendonitis. Some ibuprofen gel helped mask the pain while cruising along, but any flexing of the ankle was mega-painful although I did my best to ignore it. The outcome was I felt great in terms of power and energy all the way from Edinburgh, but the tendonitis meant I couldn't apply it
and was unable to make up time. Anyway I finished the ride in proper tourist mode, including an unscheduled pub control, and feel very pleased to have completed the ride, even though out of time.