Morning...

I blame my sister. "Why not enter the ballot?", didn't think i'd actually get a place. 

Although I am a keen cyclist, this is a bit outside my comfort zone. I prefer a 2 hour blast in the morning, back in time for lunch. 40 miles around Hertfordshire will suit me just fine. This is not that kind of race...

• 112.4 miles
• 13,406 ft elevation gain

oh and after 100 miles you have Hardknott and Wrynose pass.

https://www.strava.com/routes/19518?hl=en-GB - look at the route! It's going to hurt

The reason for the charity I have chosen is that after looking after a hedgehog over winter I realized how much these little critters are in decline. from 30 million 20 years ago to just over 1 million now. Conservation doesn't have to be exotic and far-flung, it can start in your back garden.

I'll be donating half the money to the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, and half to my local hedgehog lady in London Colney. These are very small organisations with no bureaucracy so every penny will count.

Thanks for reading