Hello and thanks for taking the time to visit this page!
In July, two fantastic things are happening. Two very good friends (Eamon and Lucy) are getting married in Cumbria and I am becoming a fully fledged grown up as I turn 30. To celebrate these two milestones, I have decided to ride my bike all of the way there.
As many of you will know, I like to ride my bike long distances and often set out to ride 100mi or more when I can. However, to ride three consecutive centuries in three days is going to be an enormous challenge for me and the training has already begun in earnest. Some of more experienced cycling buddies have told me to prepare for the most gruellingly painful but rewarding three days of my life.
To get a rough idea of what is involved, the preliminary route is 330 miles and includes over 20,000 feet of uphill. During a normal 100mi ride, I tend to burn about 1,000 calories an hour which means that if I manage to string three slow centuries together, I will end up burning approximately 20,000 calories during the 20 or so hours I will be riding. The average male tends to burn about 2,000 calories in 24 hours. This is roughly the equivalent of 25 Large Big Mac meals (my favourite training food) but sadly I will only be travelling with a small backpack so I will have to rely on energy gels and fig rolls instead. My chips would probably go soggy too.
Here is the (very) preliminary route:
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/30942528
I normally don't like to ask for charitable donations for a personal endeavour however I feel that it would be a great shame to miss the opportunity to raise some money for a charity that is very close to my heart. Wheels for Wellbeing are a charity who help disabled people to get involved in cycling in London. Whether your independence has been limited from birth or you have been the victim of an accident, Wheels for Wheelbeing provide support to help you enjoy the exhilarating sense of freedom that makes me love my chosen sport so much.
If you can afford to contribute, please don't be shy about amounts. Every pound will help. If you can't afford to contribute (these are tough times we're living in!) it would be fantastic if you could just spread a little information about what Wheels for Wellbeing are doing to help those who need it.
Thanks for taking the time to read this. I'm looking forward to the biggest personal challenge I have ever undertaken and whilst I know it will be tough at times, I intend to finish and perhaps help a few people on the way.
