Update : Thank you to everyone who donated , it was a great day for cycling and I made it to Windsor in just over 3 hours , a little slower than I'd hoped but my excuse is the usual " the London traffic was awful and every traffic light was red ! "

I will be taking part in the Palace to Palace cycle ride on 5th October 2014 to raise money for the Prince's Trust . The ride is now less than a month away and becoming much more real than in April when I signed up while lacking an actual bike to complete the journey on having not owned one for the best part of 30 years .

Having taken possession of a new bike in May - which apparently now only come equipped with a razor sharp saddle and the advice to buy padded shorts - I'll be aiming to complete the 45 miles from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle .

Through the sponsorship raised I know that it will help The Prince’s Trust continue their work supporting disadvantaged young people in the UK.