Hi there, please find below the press release I've just sent out to explain why I'm attempting the Lands End-John O'Groats ride. Please donate whatever you can. Many thanks James

 

A CHATTERIS journalist who describes himself as a non-cyclist is embarking on a 1,000 mile charity bike ride in memory of his father.

James Fuller,whose 66-year-old dad Tony died from a heart attack on December 7^th, 2009, is raising money for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) by tackling the Lands End to John O’Groats challenge from June 10^th.

‘I’m not a cyclist, the only time I’ve been on a bike in the last 25 years was an ill-advised attempt at the BHF London-to-Brighton and I couldn’t walk for a week after that. That’s 54 miles in one day and this is 1,035 miles over 14, the equivalent of 19 London-to-Brighton’s without a break,’ said the concerned 38-year-old former Cambridge News journalist who lives in New Road.

‘I’ve been training for the last six weeks mostly around Somersham, St Ives, Warboys and Manea. I’m the one in the bright red t-shirt with face to match. Hill training has been an obvious problem. Fortunately Heath Fletcher at Bodywise Cycles has been giving me plenty of advice and I’ve unintentionally provided him with amusement in return. I’m yet to be convinced about middle-aged men in lycra though.’

Fuller, who went to school at Burnsfield and King Edward in Chatteris and The King’s School, Ely, says he would like to raise as much as possible for the BHF.

‘Everyone knows somebody affected by heart disease. Dad was a very fit man, active his whole life but heart disease really can affect anyone and the British Heart Foundation does tremendous work in the fight against it. Dad was a Chatteris man through and through and well-known in the area, especially in the farming fraternity through his work with Fengrain and Dalgety. It would be lovely to raise a significant sum in his memory.’

You can sponsor James on his fundraising page at www.justgiving.com/James-Fuller1 or, alternatively, sponsorship forms are located at Ely Weekly News, 27 Market Place, Ely; Fengrain Ltd, in Hook Lane, Wimblington and Bodywise Cycles, 6 High Street, Chatteris.