Story
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;">Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Post Race Update</span></span></span></strong></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hi all,</span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Just thought I would take a moment to update you on the race and thank everyone for their much appreciated support and donations.</span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the end I managed 15 laps of around 7.5 miles each, giving me 11<sup>th</sup> place (out of 57 riders) in the male solo category. So I achieved my target for laps but it wasn’t quite enough to sneak me into the top 10. Challenging course, daft amounts of sheet ice, lots of crashes, one broken bike, 14000 calories burned and plenty of bruises – but really happy with the final result. </span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The event was filmed by BBC Scotland for their Adventure Show – when I know the transmission date I will pass the details on.</span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Finally thanks again for all your messages of support and the donations - the final total will be significantly ahead of my £2000 target!</span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Andrew (Budge)</span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><strong><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pre-Race Update</span></span></span></strong></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After months of planning and training I am pleased that Strathpuffer 24 is finally here – will be good to stop thinking about it and just get on with it.</span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another huge thanks to all of you for your support, it is really appreciated. So far I have raised almost £2100 plus over £300 of gift aid – clearing my £2000 target.</span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; color: #000000; font-size: small;">The race starts on Saturday at 10am with a half mile run and ends 24 hours later. You can track my progress by visiting </span><a href="http://www.sportident.co.uk/"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">http://www.sportident.co.uk/</span></span></a><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> and selecting the Strathpuffer race. I will check my phone (07803 625575) for texts/emails whenever I take a stop, so feel free to encourage/mock/motivate me however you see fit. I will also be posting the odd update/photo to Twitter (@budge_team_jmc) and Facebook. A colleague (Jason Miles) will be posting updates to our Team JMC Twitter feed (@team_jmc_ragley).</span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The weather forecast sees the current snow and ice clear-up and be replaced by relentless rain and a decent wind to boot. But who knows – anything could happen between now and the start. </span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am in the solo category with 57 other starters and have an ambition to grind my way into the top 10. To do this I will need to keep a steady pace and stay out as long as I can possibly manage, keep fuelling regularly and hope that I get some luck and avoid being injured by one of the inevitable crashes, as well as hope that some of the fast lads get bored and pull out. Certainly know I am capable of riding for between 12 and 16 hours – not looking forward to the bit after that tho.</span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Will update you all next week with how I got on.</span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thanks again for your tremendous support!</span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Andrew/Budge</span></span></span></p>
<p>To raise funds for Help for Heroes I have entered the 2011 Strathpuffer 24 Hour Mountain Bike Race in deepest darkest Scotland - in the middle of Winter.</p>
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<p><span style="color: #0000ff;">Whilst I have a fair amount of experience of racing mountain bikes, and I competed at Strathpuffer in a team of two in 2010, I have stepped well outside my comfort zone by entering the world's only 24 hour mountain bike race run in winter conditions - solo!!</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;">The race is incredibly tough. Riding for the best part of 24 hours (I promise to try my best to stay out on the bike for as much of it as possible) is tough enough in any conditions, but in the middle of January, north of Inverness, the conditions can be fierce. Snow, ice, freezing conditions plus a really challenging course with loads of climbing and some heart in the mouth descents, and 17 hours of darkness out of 24 to boot.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;">Learn more @ </span><span style="color: #0000ff;"><a href="http://www.strathpuffer.co.uk">http://www.strathpuffer.co.uk</a></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;">I have an ambition to finish in the top ten but I will need to be in top condition and have a fair amount of luck as well. During the race you will be able to track my progress online at </span><a href="http://www.sportident.co.uk"><span style="color: #0000ff;">www.sportident.co.uk</span></a><span style="color: #0000ff;"> - feel free to email me (<a href="mailto:budge@jmc.it">budge@jmc.it</a>) if you think I am slacking.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;">What will keep me going is knowing that my efforts will raise a substantial amount of money for an awesome charity. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;">Please give as generously as you can.</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;">Cheers</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;">Andrew (Budge)</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #0000ff;">PS Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.</span></p>
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