Many thanks for visiting my 'l'Etape du Tour 2010' JustGiving page. 

As an update, I made it - 11 hours 50 minutes of pure pain... including 3 hours 50 minutes for the last 18 miles (12 miles of which was the Col du Tourmalet, the most famous Pyrenees climb on the Tour, after 100 already gruelling miles!). 

It is commented to have been the toughest Etape for years - at times it was like a war zone (and that's not belittling war). People overrunning 50mph descents and breaking bones in ditches, grown men crying, people being sick all the way up and even lifelong cyclists wheeling £5k+ bikes up climbs in the horrendous heat. Thousands didn't finish. I used up 9000 calories. The final straw was having to cycle either end including 15 more miles to the coaches after crossing the line... so it turned out to be about 130 miles. 

As some of you will know, through a scheduled screening test my mother found out she had developed a particularly nasty form of breast cancer.  The screening process followed by swift diagnosis, decisive action and unerring commitment of the Kent & Canterbury Hospital staff saved her life, to the benefit of all who hold her dear in their lives. I am therefore raising money for this specific hospital and a specific cause - towards innovative equipment which will help diagnose breast cancer faster. 100% of contributions go directly towards paying for the diagnostic equipment. Please don't forget to Gift Aid your donations. 

The £3,700 fundraising target I set was a big stretch target. This has been blown to pieces thanks to your exceptional generosity (the totaliser above plus gift aid puts me over £5k, which I am astonished by). That's around £7.60 per minute of pain. It was this generosity alone that got me up the Col du Tourmalet - there was simply no way I could let myself fail.

Many thanks for your very kind support.

Mike

 

More about the event: http://www.letapedutour.com/2010/ETDT/presentation/us/index.htm