So I’ve been thinking about doing this for a while now but have always thought A, I am not capable, and B, I haven’t got time. Then I decided that was bullshit. Recent events make you re-evaluate life a bit. Anyone is capable of doing anything they want if they put their mind to it, and not having time is a mere excuse, you simply prioritise what’s important and make time.

Two of the most important ladies in my life have suffered at the hands of the evil disease, cancer. My mum has been hit by it not once, but twice, and both times she has kicked it's arse and still going strong. Then Emma was diagnosed just after Christmas 2017 and has had to endure a gruelling 6 months of treatment, with much more still to come. Seeing the effects of this every day, first hand - the sickness, the exhaustion, and the emotions, which are often kept behind closed doors, it sort of opens your eyes to the reality of the disease. It’s horrible. 

So the idea is that I try and raise a bit of cash by cycling from mine and Emma's house in Chapel Allerton, Leeds, to my mum's house, in Cowfold, West Sussex. My planned route (still a work in progress!) over four days takes me down the country along some 430km of road, cycleways, disused railway lines, and canals, so it's going to be quite a slog but at least it will be nice and scenic!

We are incredibly lucky for the tailored treatment that Emma has been receiving, it means that she is now on the road to recovery and we can see a small light at the end of this dark, brutal tunnel. This is all down to the ground-breaking work carried out by the likes of Cancer Research, which without it, we may have been looking at a very different outcome. I do believe, however, that there is still a long way to go in developing treatments that are more bearable for patients without the prolonged suffering, and more importantly, improving treatment to increase survival rates for those with late-stage cancers. And I have confidence that they will one day get there, with the continued support from fundraisers. This is why I humbly ask you to kindly spare a few quid to help this extremely worthy cause (and give me a kick up the arse to do some training!).

I can ride a bike, but I’m not the fittest bloke (although I’m working on it!), so this is going to be a mega challenge for me. It’s also probably going to hurt. But if I feel even a fraction of the pain that Emma has had to endure over the last 6 months, then all the better, it will rest easier on my conscience. Probably won't be able to complain though!

Thanks for reading, and any donation you are able to give would be massively appreciated.

www.nicksbikeride.co.uk