Story
Had to create a new page - took me too long to get round the world! 12,400 mile down
Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: British Heart Foundation gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.
So please sponsor me now!Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: British Heart Foundation gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.
So please sponsor me now! here is the final press release.....
In late 2007 chairman of Stratford Cycling Club, Gerard Adams (known to all and sundry as "Wedge") decided that he wanted to take on a challenge in 2008. He decided that he would cycle the equivalent distance of from North to South Pole (12,600 miles) and would raise money for the British Heart Foundation whilst doing so. His reasons for choosing BHF as his charity were twofold - firstly because although heart disease is the biggest killer in the UK, the charity receives relatively little publicity and secondly in memory of a Stratford Cycling Club member Graham Chandler, who died suddenly from heart failure in 2006, after returning from the club's annual winter training camp in Lanzarote.
In order to achieve the necessary number of miles, Wedge has had to cycle 240 miles every week for a year. He started on New Year's Day 2008 and will be finishing on Sunday 21 December with the club's annual Tinsel Run which will end at The Fox in Loxley. This sees club members out for their regular Sunday ride, but dressed in fancy dress, and with decorated bikes.
Wedge works full-time, so many of his miles have been done during early morning cycling sessions on his turbo-trainer. He gets in a few more miles each lunchtime at the gym, and spends most weekday evenings either out training with the Club, or back on the turbo. During the 2008 Lanzarote training camp he managed to get a staggering 1,000 miles under his belt in just 2 weeks. He has also taken part in numerous cyclo sportives both in the UK and France, including the extremely demanding "la Marmotte", which is a 176km ride that takes in some of the biggest climbs of the Tour de France, and which he completed in just over 11hrs.
Wedge has stuck to his task tenaciously for the whole year, despite moving house in the autumn. He hopes to have raised approximately £2,500 by the time all his pledges have been collected.