Firstly most people are probably wondering, why? Why would you

want to cycle over 1000 miles, facing whatever the best of the

British weather can throw at you, with nothing more than you can

carry on your bike and still manage to turn the pedals!

Hmmm madness would probably be a very fitting answer. The truth

is an unfit, overweight, 45 year old, dedicating too much time to the

appreciation of fine wine and pizza! Then being hit with the loss of

his Father and the realization that you only get one chance at life!

Since that sad day last year (February 14th), I bought a road bike

and re-awakened my long lost boyhood passion for cycling, five

months later I announced to family that I would like to cycle from

John O Groats to Lands End, having convinced them I was serious,

Katie (my wife) insisted that I should not do the ride alone, Ok, so

who would be mad enough to want to go with me? Phillip! I emailed

him that night and almost by return a reply saying that he

too had always fancied a Lejog or Jogle!

It maybe madness and seem a huge endurance to undertake such

a trip, but my motivation is my Father, a modest man, a man who

endured a far bigger challenge, a fight for survival during one of

Europe’s coldest winters, as a WWII POW he was evacuated and

force marched across Poland and Germany, a journey that

constantly changed to avoid the Allies and lasted five months, a

journey covering almost 2000 miles on foot, a journey that claimed

more lives than those that survived, a journey that fills my heart with

pride, my Dad. So if I should have moments of despair and my

derriere starts to resemble that of a red ars** baboon, I will remind

myself of those that have truly suffered and gleely stamp down on

those pedals until the very end.

And so the planning and intensive training started, another 5

months on and almost 3 stone lighter, the transport booked to get to

John O Groats, it's time to tell the world or at least as many folk as I

can, with the aim to raise money for Marie Curie and give a little

back for the help and support they gave the family during my

Fathers final days.

So this ride is dedicated to my Dad Tony Lovemore, my hero....

You can follow the journey as we progress, both on www.twitter.com user name granfondouk and www.facebook.com Username Richard Lovemore