My friend Paul Martin and his wife Clare sadly lost their newborn girl Olive last year. She was expertly cared for by the world-class staff at Gt. Ormond St hospital so I've joined Team Olive at the Ride London 100 to help raise some cash for a very worthy cause. 

Now I know this is the 3rd year I've done this event, and asked for sponsorship so I've increased the challenge thusly:

- I'm aiming for a top 50 finish (last year was 105th)

- I'm riding the full 100 mile route again the following weekend as a member of Team Olive can't make the official event, so I'm going to guide her round

- I'm racing in the 10 mile World Brompton Championship criterium in St. James Park the day before Ride London on my trusty folding bike.

This is worth a few quid, surely? 

Some background on the cause from Paul:

"Our beautiful daughter Olive was born on 7th June 2014 with a very complex heart condition, sadly too complex even for the team at Great Ormond Street Hospital to fix. After two 9-hour open-heart procedures in the space of a week, and another week of being fully supported on ECMO, our brave little girl passed away in our arms on 22nd July 2014, only 6 weeks after she was born.

Why are we doing this? Clare and I are determined that everything we do in Olive's memory can help other sick children and their families. For this reason we have chosen to support Great Ormond Street Hospital – specifically we want to fund break-through heart research projects and also contribute to further advance the care of all GOSH patients and families."

Any sponsorship welcome! Thanks in advance.

Neil