The Grand Plan

We're about to do something that will either make or break us physically. We've decided - possibly rashly - to do a sponsored cycle ride in August to raise money for an amazing charity called SOS Children. The route is Ulm to Pula, taking in excess of 1500km and 5 countries over 20 days.

We're not uber-athletes, and Lance Armstrong would leave us for dust on a unicycle, so why are we doing this?

After a year in which there have been a series of catastrophic natural disasters, which have wrought so much damage to so many countries, it has been incredible to see the tireless work of many, many charities. First in, working in less than ideal conditions, they have inspired us to try and do something more ourselves.

Why SOS Children?

It was difficult to single out one charity in particular, but we managed it and this one's a cracker. SOS Children's villages is a global charity whose mission is to provide orphaned or abandoned children in unstable or impoverished areas a loving family, access to education, healthcare and a real chance to enjoy their childhood as children and latterly grow up to be contributing members of their community. The organisation has no political or religious ties and operates at grass roots level, funded both through child sponsorship programmes and donations as we have in the UK, but also through local support in the areas in which they operate.

SOS Children is committed to long-term care and work in each of its villages and we loved the idea that whole communities of youngsters are given permanent security in their new families on an ongoing basis. This isn't reactionary aid, it's sustained help.

The Details

With no previous cycle touring experience or indeed any history of endurance-type exercise this is going to be hard, but we wanted something that would be a challenge for us. We will cycle at least 80 kilometres a day. To give you some idea if how far this is in UK  terms, it is approximately the distance from London to Brighton. Every day. We have allowed ourselves twenty days to go the whole distance, though we hope to do it in around fifteen. Bring on the sore bottoms...