Hi! I am cycling around 3000km from the southernmost point to the northernmost point of Norway to raise money for ME Research UK. ME Research UK fund medical research into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (also know as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). If you’re interested in why I’ve written a little bit about my experience with ME/CFS here :)

I fell ill towards the end of my first year at uni and never seemed to recover. I attempted to get back into cycling, running and climbing hills way too early which didn’t help, although through the first summer I found it was possible to cycle (and then spend a few days in bed recovering). However as uni restarted for my second year it became clear that I was not well. I had to leave my waitressing job because I was unable to stand up for long enough to complete a shift and would spend three days in bed recovering. I was diagnosed with ME/CFS and told there was no cure and not much to be done. That semester I didn’t attend a single tutorial for one of my courses because it was on Fridays and by the end of each week I was too unwell to get there. At the worst times I was unable to study for longer than 45 minutes per day because I was simply too exhausted and would have to ask my friends to do my shopping, laundry etc (thanks so much guys you’re the best). For an idea of what it feels like to have ME/CFS, I felt so much better after running a marathon than I did when I had ME/CFS. As you can probably imagine being stuck in the flat, unable to do much and not knowing if I would ever recover and return to my normal life was pretty difficult especially considering almost of the things I enjoy doing are outside (I spent a lot of time looking out the window)!! I have been incredibly blessed to have since made a full recovery, however, many people experience far worse symptoms than I did and do not recover, with some people bed bound for life. This is why I am raising money for ME Research UK, to try to find treatment for this illness which continues to debilitate so many people and impacts so many lives.

I would also like to take the time to share this verse from the bible which continues to mean a lot to me

“His (God’s) pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭147‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭

It is an immense comfort to me that God delights in our hearts and not in our abilities.

P.s. if you’re wondering why I’m posting this now nearly three weeks in to the cycle it’s because I didn’t do much training and I wanted to make sure I had a decent chance of making it to Nordkapp! Of course there is still plenty of time for it to all go wrong :)

P.p.s. Thank you so much to everyone who has leant me their kit!! Especially Ali and Matt for lending me the bike!

This is a little bit from the ME Research UK website about what they do and why they do it:

"....doctors do not treat us and science does not study us. How could a disease this common and this devastating have been forgotten by medicine?" Jennifer Brea

Only biomedical research can find the causes of ME/CFS, improve diagnosis and treatment, and, ultimately, arrive at a cure. That’s why research is our focus.

We've awarded 64 full grants and 5 PhD-level awards since 2000 and invested over £3.5million. But research is expensive and becoming more so every day. That’s the challenge we face, and that’s why we need your help.