Updated on Jul 30th 2012 at 9:04 PM from the JustGiving API

Hooray! Thanks to everyone who has supported us with kind comments and donations. You can still donate here if you haven't already. Between us, I think we are very close to our target total :-)

Updated on Jul 20th 2012 at 6:35 AM from the JustGiving API

... So... We leave tonight! A couple of days travelling up to Scotland before we actually start pedalling on Sunday. THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who has sponsored us so far. It means a lot :-)

Updated on Jul 9th 2012 at 10:06 PM from the JustGiving API

...Sadly my car has given up on me, and as I have been faffing around for two weeks without replacing it, it means a 26 mile round trip to work each day! Oh well... It's all good training. Only 2 weeks to go!...

Updated on May 30th 2012 at 12:59 AM from the JustGiving API

Triathlon 'warm-up' for copathlon JOGLE completed. Read a sort-of race report here: http://notmuchofarunner.wordpress.com/2012/05/27/i-tried/

Updated on May 24th 2012 at 11:47 PM from the JustGiving API

In preparation for cycling John O'Groats to Land's end in the summer, this weekend is my first triathlon and I'm hoping to raise as much as possible for this brilliant charity which my friends found invaluable. See their vid here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bWnF7XUoCo&feature=share

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

What...?  When...? 

I''m not really a cyclist... but I've agreed to be part of a team cycling the infamous John O'Groats to Land's End (JOGLE) route in one week in July.  The aim is to raise money for Rutland House School for Parents.

In preparation for this (to get fit and lose some weight I hope) I will also be participating in my first, and possibly last triathlon at the end of May. I may even post an embarrassing pic of me in my random all-in-one tri-suit after the event, if sponsorship is forthcoming.

Why...?

I'll try to keep this short(ish)... My good friend, Andy Coppins, is a fantastic bloke.  He lives with his his wife Helen and 3 children in Nottingham. Their second child, Matt was born with Down's Syndrome and a heart defect, requiring major surgery while he was still very young. Matt did not communicate verbally but in his early years learned many signs and would 'sing' nursery rhymes.

He later developed autism and unfortunately lost many of his signs and communication skills which was heartbreaking for his family.  Matt has an amazing personality and he is loved by many people but things have been tough for him too as he tries to make sense of the world around him. The Rutland House School for Parents   have provided support for Matt, his parents, and others like them, to help give them, AS A TEAM, the knowledge, confidence and strength to not only deal with the difficult times but to help Matt reach his full potential...

...a journey which has many more ups and downs than a piddly bike ride of Britain! 

So don't give because I'm doing this bike ride... Give because of the great work this charity is doing, and because Andy has somehow managed to organise this whole Copathlon thing (aiming to raise £10,000 over 10 decathlon-ish events) as a tribute to charities and people that have touched his life.

If you've read all the way down here, then well done and thank you. Now go and have a cup of tea and please think about clicking that donate button.

Phil

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