The hardest part of the whole challenge was finishing it, and realising that Gareth wasn’t there at the end to meet me. My world hadn’t suddenly repaired itself while I’d been away and ultimately I was still in the same situation as when I set off. But something had changed. My confidence had received a little boost. I knew I would be able to go on.

So from there I decided to tick off another personal goal that I’d said I’d always do; riding a 24-hour solo mountain bike race.

Having ridden Mountain Mayhem a few times in a team, I knew it was a fun event, and at a month after I’d finished the LEJOG I hoped I’d be recovered enough to race. The only problem would be if it rained, when the course at Eastnor Castle famously turns into something resembling the Somme when several thousand riders have ridden over its clay-like mud multiple times in the rain.

As it happened, I turned up to the race to find it was raining heavily – so heavily in fact that I had to get my van towed onto the camping field as it was already so muddy!

The course deteriorated predictably and as such, the race was more a test of mental determination and who was prepared to suffer the longest than a test of speed, riding skill or fitness. At times, even pushing was out of the question as the tyres would pick up so much mud they would eventually no longer go round, and carrying was the only option.

Thanks to a combination of a great support team, fitness from the LEJOG, and plenty of practice at enduring long nights of feeling very low, I somehow managed to be the person willing to suffer the longest, and won the women’s solo category. I pretty much decided there and then to end my 24-hour solo career while on a high!