Hello,  and thanks for at least making it this far. I guess it is safe to say that most people feel they should challenge  themselves every now and again and I am no different.   This time though have ‘gone large’  so to speak !  I have decided to cycle from Lands End to John O’Groats – now, for anyone outside the UK that is from the very bottom to the very top of the United Kingdom – give or take, about a thousand miles !   For anyone inside the UK, I was tempted to leave it a couple of years and see if the UK does get slightly shorter to ease the journey!

Now,  I have paid for my travel to the start, accommodation and food en route (the thought of camping lasted 12 seconds) and flight home (although the plane looks pretty scary from the airport up there – not exactly Heathrow), so

Every single penny, pound, Euro, Cent or Dollar  I raise from you will go to the campaign and I and they will be extremely grateful.

When I look to see whether I would part with some cash for a sponsorship request I always think “is this a really challenge” or am I giving Paula Radcliff money for just going out for a jog!  so I have to tell you I have started training  but, with only 16 weeks left to go,  I am not feeling totally confident  just yet;  I need to increase my current 50 miles at the weekend  to get to a level where I can do 100 miles per day for 10 days;  and in this weather that is not easy. 

As for the charity,  I am raising money for a local school, the one  my daughters go to (well one does and the other will soon)  and in particular for their “Play your Part” campaign – the school is trying to raise 1.5 Million to update some of its 1950’s built infrastructure,  which is definitely not going to be easy in this environment without help.   

Please also notice that the journey is made considerably more difficult by cycling from the bottom up, rather than the downhill version! – a decision I may still regret !