My story

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Now here’s the story:
 
I am a late entrant into the HotChillee London-Paris Cycle Race 2013. I am riding for the DEBRA charity after being substituted for a cancellation.

The Charity:

DEBRA is the national charity working on behalf of people in the UK with the genetic skin blistering condition Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).

EB is a group of genetic disorders that result in fragility of the skin and, in some cases, other internal membranes and organs. Blisters, open wounds and sores form as a result of the slightest touch, rub or trauma. To see kids with this is absolutely heart-breaking.

Your support is vital in enabling DEBRA to provide nursing and support services and fund much needed research.

The Challenge:

The London-Paris is a professionally organised road race for which most have been training hard for months.  Distinguished by having motorbike outriders, rolling road closures in France and professional logistical back up along the 520km route, from Hampton Court to The Eiffel Tower, this is the real deal.  

The London-Paris is one of only two cycling events granted road closures in the centre of the French capital - the other is the Tour de France.  The Peloton, with its 50 motorbike outriders, rolls along the famous Parisian streets to an emotional finish.
 
Trust me this is as professional as it gets and there is hardly anyone else doing it for charity like me.  Nearly everyone I spoke to, do it to challenge themselves and compete for the best times. In the words of the organisers, “to ride the London-Paris you need to be in peak physical condition and prepared to be challenged, mentally and physically”. These guys don’t do breaks and riding the peloton is dangerous and extremely unnerving to say the least.  They ride in groups of 25, with their front tyres no more than 30cm away for the rider in front and touching elbows with the people either side.
 
When you have a puncture, there is no stopping, you shout and notify the mechanic whether it is a front or back tyre and the brand of gear sets and then you peel off once everyone in the peloton is aware of your situation.  The stop to change tyre is no more than 10 seconds as the mechanic slots in a pre-prepared wheel and he holds on to your original until the end of the day.  You then get a tow from the motorcyclist to re-join the group.  Its nuts!!!!
 
The Daily Telegraph listed The London-Paris as one of the world's top 25 mass participation events, alongside the New York and London marathons.   It also named The London-Paris as one of the top 10 adventure events for women and gave us a top 10 place in international endurance events. Watch the event on Eurosport TV!

I DIDN’T KNOW HOW SERIOUS IT WAS WHEN I SIGNED-UP.   I THOUGHT IT WAS A FUN-RIDE.   I’VE JUST 10 DAYS LEFT  TO PREPARE.   I’VE MISSED ALL THE TRAINING RIDES

Training: I start my day at 06:30AM with 90-mins of hot Bikram yoga (that's yoga in a sauna..). Then I ride to work and hit the gym. At the end of a long day I ride home and circuit train. I must drop 5-10kgs in 16-days if I am going to keep up. My gorgeous baby son Theo is either sleeping soundly through the night or trying to kill me. I’m averaging 5 hours sleep :)

I have set a target of £1300 to raise for DEBRA. This is where YOU can help. DEBRA is an awesome charity but if awesomeness isn’t enough – think of the pain I am going through!!!

Remember £10 donated is the equivalent of £0.019 per km and £20 is £0.038 per km. I have to ride 520 km at an average speed of 25 km/h. That's about 7 hours per day. No stops. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE GIVE GENEROUSLY

 

Thank you,

Paul