My mum had a heart attack a few years ago, followed by a double bypass. She's still here, still telling me what I'm doing wrong, and that's entirely down to research the British Heart Foundation helped pay for. Bypass surgery, the drugs that keep her well, the scans that found the problem — none of that came from nowhere. Someone funded it.

So on Saturday 19 September I'm riding the BHF London to Brighton Off Road — 61 miles from Apps Court Farm to Hove Lawns, across the North and South Downs, on a mountain bike.

In the interests of full disclosure: my training has been almost entirely theoretical. Between work, coaching and family, preparation has consisted of good intentions and one optimistic look at the route profile. I will feel every one of those 61 miles, and I'd rather not dwell on which part of me will feel them most.

Dean, Oli and I are riding together. If you can spare anything at all, it goes straight to the BHF — and if you're a UK taxpayer, ticking Gift Aid adds 25% at no cost to you.

Thank you. Mum says thank you too, though she'd also like it noted that she'd have done more training.