5 men.....1,000 miles......3 days.... 

They say its not possible....well those who know us do!

".....you've tried the cabbage soup, the Atkins, the GI & the south beach diets... You've weight-watched, calorie-counted, alternated between red & green days & endured the ritual humilation of weekly weigh-ins...  You've Zumba'd, body pumped & PDX90'd until you've collapsed in exhaustion... But love, that middle-age spread just keeps on spreading!!"

And thats how it all started....

One night over a romantic dinner, one of the wives - who'll remain nameless- but who is blessed with an elfin-like physique thanks to a  fast metabolism(!) - turned to her husband, demanded he put down his laverbread & told him that it was time he shaped up...!

The rest as they say is history... bound by the spirit of male brotherhood & solidarity (you insult one of us, you insult us all!) & inspired by Bradley Wiggins & the British Cycling team, Team Pie was born & our Trans-Pennine challenge began....

A route was plotted & a date was set: Southport to Hornsea - 346km (215 miles in old money!) in 3 days.  OK, its hardly the Tour de France - but then again, we're hardly finely tuned athletes!  But it's a challenge nonetheless....over 70 miles a day each - a whopping 1,075 miles between us in total!. Thats a long time in the saddle & an awful lot of pressure resting on one rather delicate area for an awfully long time!. 

But this isn't just an excuse for us to carb-load, take on plenty of 'fluids', shave our legs and recapture our Adonis-like physiques of yester-year...no really its not!.  We're also doing our bit for charity too...

We're looking to raise over £2,000 for Derian House Children's Hospice - a local charity that focuses on specialist palliative respite & terminal care for children who may not live to reach adulthood. It's a charity we admire greatly - we're all Dads - there but for the grace of God and all that.....

Please give generously!  Without your support, we fear that come day two when we awake from our slumber - aching, sore & slightly hungover - it's only the thought of letting down the people who've sponsored us that'll stop us catching the train home.

Thanks for your support....x

 

So who are Team Pie?  Left to right on the pic we have.....

Chris Male - whilst he shares the same forename as Sir 'Chris' Hoy & does have a nice sideline in Gold Medalions (Winner of Best Newcomer, European Elvis Championship 2010 - just look at that silky, shiny quiff!), Mr Male was sadly blessed with the thighs of a woman....

David Schofield - our experienced endurance athlete & resident ornithologist (HONK!).  He's organised, commited & the only one who's actually done any training to date.  He'd never admit it but he's gagging to capture the Yellow Jersey!

Nigel Mair - the Ying to David's Yang....if he was any more laid back Nigel would be horizontal!  He's a fella who never gets flustered - a humble man blessed with an even-temper, good-humor and the patience of a Saint....(have you met Vicky!?!?).

Gordon Shepard -  unofficial team medic & an expert on chaffing & boils.....  Oh how we look forward to G's daily rant on why this year is going to be Liverpool's year!

Dominic Holt-Gregson - the baby of the team... the only one under 40 & 5ft!...as thick of thigh as he is of head, he's the one on the bike with stabalisers and tassles on the handlebars!