Hello Everyone,
Thank you for taking the time to visit my fundraising page.
In November 2008, I will join Professor Robert Winston for Cycle Cuba, the 8th women-only challenge to fund groundbreaking medical research work at the Wolfson and Weston Research Centre for Family Health in London. I will be cycling 370kms across the CaribbeanislandofCubaand need to raise a minimum of £3,000 to take part. I am asking you to please support me. Please dig deep and sponsor me on-line.
Hundreds of women from across the have already helped Professor Winston raise nearly £1.5 million for theInstituteofObstetricsand Gynaecology Trust's Women for Women fund by taking part in cycling challenges around the world. Women for Women raises funds to train women scientists and clinicians to work at the centre, empowering more women to lead in this field. They will work to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a range of devastating conditions which cause genetic diseases, miscarriage, infertility, cancer and brain damage. The fundamental aim is to improve women's health and to ensure that more women have a normal pregnancy with a healthy baby.
For further information on the charity, please visit their website at www.women-for-women.org
Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me. Women for Women will receive your money faster and, if you are a taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you. So please sponsor me now.
For those of you who have already sponsored me, A GREAT BIG THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. For those still contemplating – it's for a great cause, and as you can see, every little helps, so please, please, please, dig deep and sponsor me now.
If you would like to donate and do not wish to do so on-line, not a problem, as cheques can be made out directly to the charity, payable to: "THE INSTITUTE TRUST FUND".
Training for the challenge to date has been going extremely well, my levels of fitness are slowly building up.
SEPTEMBER – DECEMBER 2007
The Land Rover Global Challenge Team kindly loaned me a G4 Challenge bike to get me started on my training (THANK YOU GUYS – VERY MUCH APPRECIATED). After having the bike serviced 5 miles away from home, I had the daunting task of cycling for the first time in over 30 years'. Led by my husband who gently explained the gears to me, I managed to get home in one piece.
It has been pretty much go since then. I gained much confidence by keeping off the roads initially and building up the miles by cycling around the local park. By the time I was able to clock up 15 miles in one go, I felt a bit like a hamster going round and round on a treadmill. By then I was ready to face the cars and cycle on the road.
JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2008
I started back at the gym in January and have been doing two spinning classes a week. The spinning has greatly improved my stamina. I'm less daunted by the hills. I'm still left huffing and puffing by some of them, but the difference now is I manage to cycle up them, rather than push my bike uphill (which wasn't a pretty site). I've been gradually clocking up the miles and was extremely pleased with myself when I managed my first 30 mile ride at the end of January. I've been able to improve on that each week and am happily cycling up to 45 miles in one go.
The weather makes a huge difference. We've had some great cycling days in February. I've teamed up with Donna, who will also be doing this challenge in . We've had some great rides through the Warwickshire countryside, and it's been great having the opportunity to cycle with someone else and share advice and tips on gear changes, etc.
I'm looking forward to my first group ride on the 15th and 16th March. A group of us will be staying in a local hostel in Warwickshire. We will be cycling for two consecutive days – I can't wait. I'll let you know how I get on.
MARCH – MAY 2008
It's been quite a while since I updated this page. We only managed one day of cycling on our first group ride - a total of 38 miles. Day two was rained off – which was a shame, but it was great meeting the other ladies on the ride.
On 27th April took part in a 60 mile (100km) charity ride for Action Medical Research in theForest of Arden. Did this purely as a practice cycle to see how well we could cope under pressure. The day was a great success, despite falling off my bike twice. Decided to try out cleats for the first time – to put it mildly, we didn't agree and have now been nicknamed "Cleatless@Warwick".
On the 18th May, I had the opportunity to meet Professor Robert Winston. It was good to learn more about the wonderful work that's being done by the institute and about the projects that are being funded by the monies you've so generously contributed.
We are off on another cycling weekend (30th May to 1st June) – to theNew Forestthis time. We are aiming to cycle Saturday and Sunday. We're camping in Tepees for the first night – should be fun. Will let you know how that goes.
We had a fabulous two days of cycling in theNew Forest– kindly arranged by Elaine Havercroft, who did a fantastic job in organising routes, accommodation and feeding us (thanks Elaine). We managed to clock 50 miles on day one, two punctures and me falling off my bike to avoid a muddy puddle. It was a soft landing this time. I seem to be making a habit of falling off – I hope this doesn't happen in . On day two we managed a quick 25 miles, as everyone was eager to head back home.
JUNE 2008
I've decided to brave the peak time traffic and have started cycling to and from work (7 miles each way). My first ride took 38 minutes, and I've now got it down to 36 minutes going into work (uphill) and 30 minutes going home (downhill). I'm glad it's the other way around as I don't think I could face riding up hills after a long day at work.
is quickly drawing closer, the thought of cycling 370kms still scares me, but it's for such a great cause, I know it’s the right thing for me. So thank you all again for your continued support. For those of you who are still thinking about it – please, please sponsor me soon.
JULY – AUGUST 2008
Training is still on schedule – I've been doing shorter timed rides during the week and the longer rides at weekends. I'm pleased to say that I am now able to belt it up some of my local hills without passing out at the other end. However, it's so easy to become complacent, just when you think "yes I can do it", you get a reality check "not all hills are the same". On the 12th July Donna and I cycled with Jane and Deena in Leicestershire – there were lots of hills and one in particular where our bikes just stalled in 1:1. None of us made it up without pushing our bikes up. We're determined to have another go soon, so fingers crossed we do make it.
At the beginning of August we had another training weekend in the Cotswolds. We had a BBQ on the Friday night at my house and the rain managed to stay away. It was a great night and Keith was in his element cooking for 12 lovely ladies.
We cycled 50 miles on the Saturday and managed a quick 27 miles on the Sunday doing my local route Warwick – Wellesbourne – Kineton – Chesterton – Warwick. I managed to cycle up Fiz Hill for the first time without stopping. I was so thrilled – as it was my ride, the competitiveness in me kicked in – I was determined to make it up that hill at any cost.
Mac Ride 2008
On the 7th September, I had another opportunity to cycle in a large group for the Macmillan Cancer Support. Despite lots of surface water and fast flowing fords, paced by Speedy Gonzales (Deena), we were able to complete a 70 mile ride in 7.5 hours. It should have been a 63 mile ride, but due to flooding, had to detour a bit. On one occasion we had to carry our bikes through a two foot deep ford. The cyclists behind us were a lot braver, they just cycled through the deep water without giving it a second thought.
Women for Women Official Training Ride in the Cotswolds : 13 – 14th September 2008
We had our first official training ride organised by Women for Women in the Cotswolds. It was a great opportunity to put names to faces of the other ladies. There was a total of 87 ladies cycling together – a great fun weekend, only hampered by the film crew who chose the most inopportune moments to pull out in front of us to film.
I've roped Donna and Jane into revisiting the Mac Ride again. We plan to cycle this route again on 27th September. Thankfully the weather has been a lot drier, so hopefully no repeat of the two foot fords. It's a great route with lots of friendly hills and undulations (I can't believe I'm calling hills friendly – I bet I won't be saying that in ). Adios for now.
Many thanks again for all your support.
