When you are close to turning 40 and your eldest son says "Dad, you are half way through your life!" You begin to think about what might happen when you do enter old age.  I gather that is in around 30 years.  I guess you think of yourself as indestructible and try not to dwell on what might happen. You then start thinking of what challenges you might like to face before you do get too old.  It was during one such conversation with my friend Stuart Holmes that he suggested we cycle from London to Paris.  Upon further research we decided that if we were to do this we would want to do it for charity.  The Alzheimer's society London to Paris bike ride seemed to tick all the boxes as far as the physical challenge but it was only when I stopped and thought about it that I realised how much Alzheimer's has affected our friends and family.  In fact only this week (1st February) we found out that our lovely friend Lottie's grandmother had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's.  This after her grandfather had also suffered from it as well.  Life can be so cruel sometimes and this illness can greatly affect such lovely people without any rhyme or reason.  

I have never been a cyclist and vowed never to be a middled aged man in lycra.  However the combined motivation of completing a challenge in my 40th year and trying to raise money for charity that helps people cope with Alzheimer's is enough for me force myself into the dreaded Lycra.  I have never ridden a road bike more the 10 miles let alone more than 300 miles.  I do not even own a road bike to train on, yet!  I don't own a pair of padded shorts.  I am sure these things will change and I will endeavour to keep everyone updated on how the training is going, how the saddle sores are and hopefully how much money I am able to raise.  So please follow my story and if you feel that you are able to donate some money please do.  

With the help of my lovely wife and some of my wonderful friends I will be looking at running other events to raise money, so keep an eye on this page and on Lucy's Facebook account.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story.