Alan Murrells
Alan Murrells's Fundraising Page
Fundraising for Lymphoma Action
Story
Saturday-Sunday June 13th-14th, 2009 ride report
I made it into work after the weekend’s 150 mile sponsored bike ride on the Monday morning (ok, only working from home rather than commuting to London!) and that there were no mishaps other than a sudden bout of cramp after just 7 miles! I’d decided to charge up the road to rejoin my buddies after stopping to take off the extra Lymphoma Association t-shirt I’d worn for the start line photo call with BBC Look East's Amelia Reynolds (see pic) and my body wasn’t ready for that so early in the day. I went more sensibly after that with 143 miles to go!
It was hot on the Saturday and Sunday, so I drank quantities of liquids on both days and found this continued through the nights as I kept waking with a dry mouth. And I’d only had the one beer at the end of each day, just in case you were wondering! So the mileage and heat made it feel like an achievement to get to the end in a reasonable time.
It was a more emotional ride than I’d expected as I had the good fortune to ride with 3 people who’d benefited from the works of the Lymphoma Association charity’s strong personal support network. I cycled with a lady and her 13 year old son who were riding in memory of their husband and father, respectively, who had died in December 2008 of a very aggressive form of NHL (Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma) that he had been battling with for 4 months. He’d celebrated his 50th birthday just before being diagnosed.
I also cycled with a chap riding in memory of his daughter. She had had NHL and, after various chemotherapies and a Stem Cell Transplant were unsuccessful, died in May 2008 while at university at 20. You get time to chat on a ride and these encounters brought home what I was riding for, but they took a bit of an emotional toll as well.
There is further information about one of these stories in the following link, but take a deep breath before diving in.
You’ve helped me raise over £600 (against a target of £300) so far, so thank you very much for that generosity. From the weekend’s experience, I can assure you it is money well spent.I finished the 150 miles over the 2 days in a pedalling time of 12 hours 40 minutes and 35 seconds at a pedalling average of 11.8mph (or 10.7mph including all stops en route). Perhaps I won't try for the 2012 Olympics in case I embarrass Sir Chris Hoy ;-)
Thanks again for your tremendous support.
Alan
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Original note:
Dear friends, current and former work colleagues, and family members,
As someone who has been blessed with good health for all my life (ok, my eyes and ears aren’t perfect!), it is nice to be able to help others less fortunate than me.
This year, my charity event will be a cycle ride for the Lymphoma Association (LA) - registered charity No. 1068395 - taking place over the weekend of June 13th to 14th. It will involve around 150 miles of cycling on and off road from to Ipswich via the coast on the Saturday and back to inland on the Sunday. As a Colchester United FC supporter for over 30 years, there will be the added trauma of having to stay overnight in the town and city of 2 close rivals!! Only joking ;-)
This year, my charity event will be a cycle ride for the Lymphoma Association (LA) - registered charity No. 1068395 - taking place over the weekend of June 13 to 14. It will involve around 150 miles of cycling on and off road from to Ipswich via the coast on the Saturday and back to inland on the Sunday. As a Colchester United FC supporter for over 30 years, there will be the added trauma of having to stay overnight in the town and city of 2 close rivals!! Only joking ;-)LA provides information and emotional support to someone who may be newly diagnosed and frightened, to a family member who needs help understanding the medical terminology they have been given, and to a carer wanting to talk things through with someone who has had a similar experience. It costs just £15 to answer a call, so every penny will make a huge difference. I happen to know that LA relies on this annual cycle ride to help keep its services running freely as it is one of its biggest fund raising events each year. For more information on LA, click here www.lymphomas.org.uk or call Alice Strudwick on 01296-619419.
I have raised money for LA before in both 2002 and 2006 by cycling coast to coast from west to east across the after the considerable necessary training, so I know that this year’s event will be a similar challenge. I am now well into my training regime and have managed a 35 mile ride already without problems building towards 70 miles one day before the event.
This year’s event has special appeal for me from two viewpoints – it enables me to meet up with some old chums from Ford and Logica with whom I have worked and/or cycled in the past. It will also be almost a year to the day since my Mum, Win, died of a brain tumour in 2008. She was always one of my regular sponsors over the many years in which I have been on this kind of nutty escapade and she was always encouraging me to do it, so I am riding in her memory as well this year.
Please sponsor me so that I can reach my target of £300!
Alan Murrells
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