Wow! I did it. I completed a stage of the Tour de France, and I've also raised hundreds of pounds for charity. I'm chuffed to bits - but don't let that stop you if you've turned up late to sponsor me. This website will still accept cash from all you latecomers / tightwads out there until September. Dig deep, it's still a good cause and I really did go to hell and back.
What was it like? Gruesome, terrible, agonising, fantastic. 117 miles is a very long way. The mountains were higher, steeper and longer than I'd expected. It was scorching hot (35ºC) as well. The route and the heat took a heavy toll. 7,500 people started, and over 1,500 failed to complete the course - many of them collapsing at the side of the road. It was carnage.
It took me 8.5 hours to complete the route. That's 4 hours to the top of the first mountain (Col d'Izoard); then another 1.5 hours to the top of the second (Col de Lautaret); followed by just under 1.5 hours (1:28 to be exact) up the legendary 21 hairpins of Alpe d'Huez. The remaining time was the fun bit - tearing down mountain passes at 40 - 50mph.
Raising money for charity really did help to spur me on. There was a point on Alpe d'Huez when I was close to cracking and packing in. I was suffering really badly, and all I could do was ride to the end of the next white line in the road; then the next one; and the one after that. Bit by bit I drove myself onwards and upwards. The thought that my exertions were for a good cause really did keep me going - corny, I know, but true. If you want to hear more of the gory details, and more about the event, check out the articles at www.roadcyclinguk.com.
When I set a fundraising target of £500 I thought I was being hopeleslly optimistic, but I'd reckoned without everyone's support and generosity. Now that we've beaten it I was thinking about raising the target, but I reckon that would be cheeating - so don't let the fact that we're over-achieving hold you back. Your cash can still save lives.
The charity I'm supporting, Médecins Sans Frontières, is an independent charity providing medical aid all over the world - whether it's for the 2 million refugees in Darfur, treating the cholera outbreak in Angola, or vaccinating kids against infectious diseases in Indonesia. You can find out more about MSF via their website, www.msf.org.
Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Médecins Sans Frontières UK will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.
Many thanks for your support.
Jim
