Bloody hell it was windy on the way home, just getting up the drive at Ricoh & over Snedshill was a real strain on the legs. The blustery almost gale force wind was throwing my bike from side to side & was downright dangerous.
So far have managed to dodge any rain showers. Whoops, maybe I shouldn't have said that !!!
Had a meeting at work to discuss support to publicise my L2P challenge – great news ! work will create an Intranet page of the event & advertise all of my fund raising ideas.
Official launch of Ian’s L2P notice board at work – Its now official and everyone knows - theres no turning back
Good response and support from work colleagues
Not to be outdone by her little brother, Sue has chipped in with her sponsorship early doors – the baby oil thing sounds good to me!
Anyone who wants to sponsor me via the online account can do so at www.action.org.uk/sponsor/icarvell
Wow! I only opened my online account yesterday & I received my first donation by the time I got home from work Monday evening. Andy, Yoshiko & Erika became my first sponsors – [by the way they live in Japan] - thanks a lot for getting things rolling.
So if anyone doing the London to Paris can beat that for distance sponsorship let me know?
Training begins – J
Up at 6.00 am for the 7 miles stint as I make my way to work, an even split of flat & inclined roads with a sting in the tail over Snedshill from the Greyhound Island. The final zip into work helps to free up the legs before a breakfast of Fruit “n” Fibre cereal with a banana & a coffee.
The ride home [different route] takes me over Snedshill, through Oakengates & down to Trench Lock before utilising the cycle path along the A442 - 3 ½ miles on the flat to home, good ground for setting an even pace & cadence.
This will be my morning & evening routine for the next three weeks as I start to get wound up for the intense training that will follow. I wont bore you with this every day [unless something interesting happens]
AMR Information day
When: 7th March 2009
Where: London Embankment at the Walkabout Pub.
My wife [Sue] & I travelled down to London yesterday from Telford for the AMR information day. A chance to meet fellow participants, enthusiasts, pain seekers & fellow fundraisers
Although Sue would not be taking part in years ride she would be my right arm for my preparations and a welcoming face in Paris.
A healthy crowd packed the Walkabout pub and all of a sudden I didn't feel like I was having a mid-life crisis.
A warm welcome from AMR representative Oly Watts laid the foundation for a very relaxed, amusing & highly informative day. Ably supported by the AMR team & assisted by “Tiny” from “Discovery Adventure".
The interaction of the attendees was excellent & I found that many others had the same questions & requirements as myself.
The diverse range of fundraising ideas picked up during the day was excellent and was further inspiration for raising the necessary £1200, having only registered the week before I would need all the help I could get.
Following my accident 2 ½ years ago when I was knocked from by bike by a “careless driver “ Sue was feeling pretty nervous about me taking part & cycling this distance. However, the two presentations by AMR & Discovery Adventure put Sue at ease knowing the full extent of the back up we would receive during the event.
And then there was the buffet – not bad….not bad….this was soon polished of by a ravenous crowd & if Tinys slide show is anything to go by this would only be a started compared to the buffet lunches we can expect on the ride.
A good day and well worth the journey down from Telford
So what it in aid of I hear you cry?
Did you know that over 50,00 babies are born prematurely each year in the UK alone & that 25 babies a week die from been born prematurely. Staggering statistics.
I will be raising funds for Action Medical Research [AMR], an organisation who raise funds for research programs into the premature birth & death of babies & any associated illness resulting from Premature birth.
You can learn more about AMR by logging onto www.action.org.uk
All the details of the L2P event can also be found at this link
I have registered to take part in a charity cycle ride – yes, you guessed it from the title - London 2 Paris.
But this is not just any old cycle ride this is the BIGGEST charity cycle ride from London 2 Paris.
Delusional…slightly mad…that's as maybe but this is going to be one hell of an experience, so join me for the ride of a life time and follow my preparations and for live updates during the actual event in July.
*My London to Paris experience will now be referred to as L2P
