WE DID IT!!!

 

Thank you again for your sponsorship - the response has been overwhelming and the cycle team and everyone at DSEI are grateful to each and every donor: we shots the lights out of the target and raised over £13,000 in total!  

On 4th July, after 174km and 5,100m of climbing, cycling over four mountains and expending an estimated 9,000 calories each in the process, five of us ground up to the ski station at the top of Alpe d'Huez in total individual times ranging from 10hr35' to 11hr19'.  Two of the team achieved "silver" standard and the rest achieved "bronze" and, most importantly, avoided the broom wagon!  It was undoubtedly the hardest physical challenge any of us had undertaken. 

We were blessed with great weather, no mechanicals or even punctures, and some indelible memories from what was a spectacular, slightly treacherous and highly sadistic event!  

Thank you again!

 

La Marmotte for DSEI team

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I want to raise funds for a worthy charity, Down Syndrome Education International (DSEI), so I've entered La Marmotte, which is claimed to be the world's toughest one-day Cyclosportive!   I'm privileged to be joined by some good friends to help me with this cause and share the pain to complete the event on 2 July.

La Marmotte (named after the furry creature that is the symbol of l'Oisans region) covers 174km with over 5,000m of climbing and features some of the famous mountain passes of the Alps including the Col du Glandon, Telegraphe, Galibier and finishes with a 14km climb up the 21 hairpin road to the top of Alpe d'Huez.  Still, all for a great cause..

Our daughter Cecilia was born with Down's Syndrome (also known as Trisomy 21). This condition means that each cell has an extra 21st chromosome, which is unhelpful.  It occurs quite at random in around 1 in 800 births, and often without warning from the screening process.  Lia is now two years old, in good health and very much enjoying life.  Still, one can't help thinking about the future challenges faced by children with her condition.  Lia is fortunate because she benefits from "early intervention" education by DSEI.

Through its research-based, cognitive development programs, DSEI helps thousands of children worldwide with Trisomy 21 to improve their speech, read and write, enter mainstream education and lead active social and working lives.  I was so impressed with their support and objectives that I joined the Board of Trustees.

There's lots to do: in some countries, parents still send their infants to institutions due to outdated preconceptions about their potential, which is a terrible outcome for the children, the parents, the economy and the wider society.  Please help - all donations welcome!

Warm-up events and results (watch this space for updates and, eventually, a team photo!):

13 Feb 2011: Epsom off-road, 55km, slog through plenty of slippery mud and rain - dreadful! Finished in 3hr58" (middle of field).    

6 March: Surrey Rumble, 125km road sportive - 970m climbing,  finished in 5hr15" (middle of field, including two puncture stops!) 

22 May: King of the Downs, 180km - 2,740m climbing, finished in 7hr32" (95th out of 507 finishers - progress!) 

5 June: Dragon Ride Wales, 200km - 3,000m climbing, 8 hours (good practice cycling big hills in heavy rain)

2 July: La Marmotte, 174km - 5,180m climbing, completed between 10hr35' and 11hr19"