Day 4 it's all about Paris!

Well what does one say to riding in to Paris with an escort of motor cycles closing the roads as you approach. The ride up the Champs Elysses with crowds cheering drew a tear to my eye and filled me with a mixture of pride and emotion. For me it has been a personal journey from being completely out of shape both in weight and fittness to someone who is now regulary mistaken for an athletic young chap (its been a while). This may be a short blog and I will close my account once I have reflected in a day or two, but for now I need to tell you about people. The last four days have been made by the people I have met along the way, I can not name them all but some of note. Lee, James, Keiran and George the Essex massive who have taken me in as one of their own. Roomy Andy, your an inspiration, your story touched me and your determination in life is legendary, even if I did have to make the coffee and be your alarm call. Others of note the whole of LLR for the organisation of the event, very impressive, the French out riders, those guys were the bees neeze. The celebs who have mingled and been a laugh along the way. One group of guys have touched my heart, all those that have a personal story where Leukaemia has touched them or their family, you all made me cycle harder and faster, thank you for sharing and inspiring me. So as I head to the bar for a well deserve pint or few please find it in your heart to give a little and support a worthy cause. "Roll on Paris" ?  BEEN ROLLED.

Day three report

What a great day we had today, if yesterday was great then this topped it. Once again we were blessed with some great weather that has lead to some interesting tan lines and the sweating does nothing for the comfort on the saddle, thankfull for suder cream. When we started the day it was a bit overcast but the road conditions were good and flat which led to good speed, the peloton has got used to riding in a group and with the gaps closed up we were flying along. The big challenge of the day was do I attack the two timed sections. Well when the time came and the start flags were flying that competitive edge took over. Full on effort over both sections saw my legs burning and the sweat pooring but what satisfaction in leaving nothing in the tank, can't wait till Sunday to find out my times. The whole day was full of rolling hills and fantastic countryside, this was more than I had imagined and all too soon the day drew to a close and again we grouped at the last stop ready for the ride into Beauvais. We decended the hill into the town and experianced a little of what Paris will hopefully be tomorrow, coasting through the town center and upto the town hall you had a sence of pride in your achievement. To cap it all we then were invited to a champagne reception with the mayor and saw Geoff Thomas get awarded the freedom of the city. So now we sit here three days in and with a beer in hand (only one or two tonight) talking about the adventures past and looking forward to tomorrow. The body is starting to ache and I am now entering the unknown but one thing looms large, the goal that I set back in November, the talk of all, tomorrow we see it at last "Roll on Paris".

Day two report

Well what a day, that was probably the best days cycling I have ever done. Everything was perfect, the weather was hot with a light breeze and riding in a group that was led by a support car with outriders on motor bikes closing every junction. Not only did the support make you feel special the ride had an even pace that let you cruise, eating the miles up while having the oportunity to chat riding side by side. This is as close to being a pro as I will ever get, talking of pros someone said today that we will do something that Bradley Wiggins won't and thats make Paris. There were several people fall today, nothing serious that I heard of thank god. I have to share Ian Wright's fall, sorry Ian. As the group slowed to a stop the rider by his side lost his balance and put a hand on Ian's shoulder, this sent Ian still clipped in heading in to the biggest bunch of stinging nettles ever. While there were several explitives and much laughter amoungst the group, Ian took it in great spirit and the defining image was of him stuffing dock leaves down his shorts, a top guy all round. As for me I had one near miss with a guy falling in front of me and the heat took its toll in the afternoon, I have never drunk so much and not needed the loo. So I actually feel great at the end of day two and am looking forward to tomorrow already, thanks for all the support and "Roll on Paris".

London Paris day 1

Well we finally set off today and what a great experiance. In my eagerness not to be late I was the first cyclist at Greenwich this morning, at least there was no que at regestration. It was a bit chilly and the waiting around was doing nothing for my muscles, but with all the photo and media stuff done we set off shortly after 8am. The morning London rush hour was not great with lots of stop start action but once into Kent we were racing along, one long decent saw me doing 43 mile per hour and what a thrill that was in a large group nose to tail. The first stop saw Ian Wright throwing his bike on the floor and cursing the hills. The second stint was the long one of the day and I hooked onto a group with a good average speed and got pulled along for what was many a mile. We had left the busy roads and found some quiet country lanes, in full sun this was what I had dreamed of. Lunch stop was around 62 miles with only 13 left to the coach stop, this turned out to be the hardest part of the day. The legs felt dead after the stop and the wind had picked up and was in our faces, on top of this the timed hill climb loomed, I was not in a good place at this point. Well what a hill, I did make it with out stopping but I dont know how and I sure did not break any records. Two miles later I was hit with cramp and struggled to the finish, It was a brilliant day and I have met many people, I finished ahead of Wrighty and Geoff Thomas so was very satisfied. Many more challenges lay ahead in the next three days but as I say "Roll on Paris".

The final Count down!

 Well it has been quite a journey and to my regular blog readers you will remember this:

 "Welcome to my new blog, I am a first time blogger and have been inspired by the challenge I am about to embark on. I took up cycling in March this year to take part in a charity event, riding 62 miles and raise money for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research. This has unleashed a passion that has seen me cycle over 1200 miles this year and turned me into what is commonly known as a MAMIL (middle aged man in Lycra).
In my wisdom or a moment of madness I have signed up to the very challenging London to Paris ride next June, covering 460km in four days with 300 other cyclists, all with one goal. Supporting vital work to beat blood cancer, we can and will win if we can all pull together and this event alone will raise in excess of £300,000 for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.
I will be putting myself to the ultimate challenge and enduring hours of training in all weathers to be in a position to achieve my goal."

This was my first blog back in November 2012 just after signing on the dotted line, thinking how far away June was and wondering weather I had gone insane. Well I think the answer is probably yes, but let me tell you one thing as I sit here three days before setting off I would not have changed a thing. From training in all conditions during a winter that never ended to the hours on the bike riding a loan furrow, every minute of pain, worry and fear has been worth it. For one I have transformed from an over weight, unfit and lethargic man fast approaching middle age into a trim energetic guy who enjoys shopping for clothes that look good rather than just cover up the portly belly. The tail of the tape reads as follows. Total weight loss two stone nine pounds, inches lost from waist six and miles cycled since my first blog 2,000, WOW WOW WOW.

Further more I have to thank my wife Angela, she has been my rock, supporting me throughout. She has not only put up with the hours of training but been my motivation during the freezing cold, all while campaign managing my fund raising. As always Angela has shone and out done any expectation I had, or could have dreamt of in the amount we have raised. As we speak our total sponsors sit at £1,456 and is expected to go beyond the £1,500 mark before the off on Thursday, I truly love this woman of mine.

So last week saw the final part of the training, ninety miles in total, finishing with a very social ride on Sunday. Once again I met up with the guys from the Tour De Tendring, it was a great opportunity to catch up with the last minute preparations and offer each other the encouragement that would quell the nerves. We have all bonded in a common cause and I am sure we will as a group conquer the challenge ahead and have some laughs on the way. We mused over a coffee before parting knowing the next time we met would be in Greenwich on the morning of the 6th of June, our own personal D day and the culmination of effort that has left me with a great deal of satisfaction. All that remains is the final preparation of kit and essentials, no more training to do, no more planning of routes. The next two days will see me fuelling on carbs and dreaming of Paris, riding down the Champs-Elysees on Sunday afternoon (in the sun Ha Ha), the roads closed allowing the triumphant peloton to glide through and cruise to the finish at the Eiffel tower. Everyone of us amazed and jubilant at our accomplishments and above all else the pride of completing the challenge that we all set, raising money to help put and end to blood cancer. "Roll on Paris".



Paris looming large!

 

This week was always going to be hard to get any serious miles done on the bike, work had to take most of my focus with the bank holiday looming. As well as work there was the finer details of insurance, currency, bike service and kit to sort out. Sitting here on Sunday evening only eleven days away from the start of London Paris it seems mad to think how quick it has come around. I did get a couple of twenty mile rides in this week, the first was after work on Wednesday and the second with a group of lads from UK cycles. I picked up some great tips from the guys who all have good experience of group riding and cycling etiquette, thanks John for the invite and making me welcome. The last two weeks has shown me a great side of cycling, as up till recently I had trained alone and been missing out on the friendly and all welcoming attitudes of the cycling community. Its been a real eye opener and added to my anticipation of the ride to Paris. Well its late as I write this due to my fund raising quiz tonight. I would like to thank the people that came to support me and in the process have a bit of fun. We raised another £150 tonight which takes my total to £1,310 and in sight of £1,500. So with my eyes closing I will have to say sorry for a shorter blog and see you soon, Working again tomorrow so hopefully some miles to be done on Tuesday and Wednesday. Please keep following and if you can please donate to such a worthy cause. "Roll on Paris"

New friends

 Well it was back to the bike full on this week, I totalled 170 miles and met some great people along the way. With Paris getting ever closer, three weeks away, preparations have really hotted up.
 The week started with a 50 mile ride on Tuesday, it was a day with lots planned so an early start was the order of the day and with he alarm raising me from my pit at 5.30am I did question my sanity on my day off. Getting out by seven it was great to hit the roads with little traffic, the rush hour was all heading in the other direction, I felt good and was soon eating up the miles. It was my normal route out towards Southend, Wakering and Wallasea Island, a path that has become well worn over the last few months and one that only held the challenge of time and how quick I could master it. Well I impressed myself arriving home at an average speed of 16 mph and in time for a slightly late breakfast at 10.20. Later in the week my shift patterns at work allowed me to cycle home on Thursday and back on Friday, this was a very useful additional 56 miles to my weekly total. It still amazes me the difference in car drivers attitudes when your on the road in the evening rush hour, these people must lead very stressful lives to hurl that kind of abuse at cyclists.
 During the week there had been a lot of activity on the London Paris facebook page and with ride packs due out and new contacts made I was getting more excited or maybe nervous about the impending challenge. Having done all my training alone I was keen to get together with some other riders to experience a bit of group riding, so I was delighted to make contact with a group of guys also doing the London Paris ride. We arranged to meet at the "Tour De Tendring" on Sunday, a 60 mile sportive from Harwich to Clacton and back. Before that we were all waiting with baited breath for the rider packs to arrive as promised from LLR, true to their word we all had them before Sunday and so would be sporting the full kit for Paris, at least we would look the part if nothing else.
 So Sunday came and I waited at Harwich for my new companions to arrive, Lee and James dully obliged but we were two men down. Keiran had not risen from his bed and Georgie was catching us up later. There were many riders and we set off with the pack, soon to be joined by Georgie and later on Keiran. I had a great day sharing stories and learning loads about group riding, thank you Georgie. Best of all I felt I had gained new friends, how four strangers all be it with a shared goal can make you feel so welcome and belong within the group from the first minute amazed me. By the time we had finished the ride I felt I had known the guys for far more than four hours and look forward to meeting up again on the 6th June, what amazed my most was the pace of the ride as we all did our fastest ride and I finished the 60 miles at over 17 mph.
 With new experiences and new friends I feel far more confident now than I did a week ago, with only 17 days left and the fund raising going well I am starting to look forward with excitement rather than fear, all that remains are the final preparations and a few more miles. "Roll on Paris".

Target practice!

It has been a different week for me this past week. For once the cycling has not been the main focus of my efforts, instead it has been on the fund raising and along the way I have met some great people. The start of the week saw our grand raffle at work being drawn by Maisie, she is a wonderfully brave little girl who has survived Leukaemia and is so full of life. We raised over £600 in the raffle and also got some excellent column inches in the local paper "The Braintree and Witham Times"  have a look via the link: http://www.braintreeandwithamtimes.co.uk/news/10410115.Braintree__Maisie_draws_winning_ticket_at_raffle/?ref=mr

 |The best news of all was the fact that I have now passed my required target for the ride to Paris. All of the riders in the event were charged with raising a £1,000 minimum and this was probably as daunting to me as was all the training. However now I have reached it with four weeks to go I want more and feel that another £400 is not beyond the realms of possibility, so please keep on donating. To support this new challenge we are currently organising a quiz night and through Maisie's grandparents we now have a hall, thank you Mike and also to Jacquie who deals with bookings at The Great Notley church, your enthusiasm to the cause was great and we are looking forward to the church being represented at the quiz. It should be a great night as Angela has been working hard on the questions and I will do my best as quiz master, the problem will be that the stage will go to my head and I am sure the bad jokes will flow, why do all men think there funny on stage. I did ride this week, a good 53 miles on Tuesday at a pace of 16 mph, it was generally uneventful and I felt good afterwards, that was till the next day when I was a bit fatigued and in need of rest. So a few days off have followed, finished off by my wedding anniversary this weekend (23 years) with a bit too much excess if I'm honest. So it will be back to the bike this week and with only four weeks till the ride everything has become large on the horizon and Paris seems so close, so keep on supporting and follow me on my journey, "Roll on Paris".

D day landing...soon!

 It has been a long journey that I have embarked on since last September, after completing the London bikathon for LLR on my once trusty mountain bike, the notion that I would be even contemplating London Paris would have made me crack up. However I had purchased my road bike by the end of September and when announced at the start of November I jumped straight in with both feet without a care in the world, London Paris became a reality. Back then I was over seventeen stone, been riding for only six months and partaking in a diet that may have contained 5 a week rather than 5 a day. Moving forward six months and the month of April has just passed, so how does the progress look and do the figures stack up. Well the tail of the tape is as follows: My weight is now 14 stone 11 pounds, that's another half a stone lost in April, 507 miles cycled in the calender month and a fund raising total at £800. Wow how everything has moved on, after all the bad weather and limited occasions to get out the miles have now flowed, the weight keeps coming off and above all else we are getting closer to the £1,000 target for charity. I have to thank my wife at this point as Angela has been my driving force in fund raising as well as chief motivator during the dark days of winter. So if she comes calling during the next few weeks please give generously. This week I kept up with the increased mileage with another 136 miles done over four rides. Tuesday saw me complete 57 miles in bright sunshine, a long loop taking in Danbury, Hatfield Peveral, Ingatestone and Billericay. The legs felt good and the hills came and went with relative ease, the one incident came at Buttsbury wash. The ford over the road there had run wild during the winter months and the foot bridge had been the order of the day, with the turn in the weather and the river levels dropping today the ford looked ready for the taking. A cautious approach saw me beyond the point of no return, all looked fine to start, it became apparent very quickly though how deceptive the depth is and soon water flowed freely over my feet. Clever that but at least it was warm and I appreciated the shoe design with drainage wholes in the sole, so drying out did not take long. Friday and Saturday saw me commute to work by bike, at twenty eight miles I did the journey one way each day, leaving the car there overnight, it still makes me chuckle the reaction you get from work colleagues when you turn up fully kitted out in Lycra. At least it gives them something to laugh about. So to today and a ride with a difference, I had a busy schedule and limited time so I went for something new for me a real speed ride. My normal comfortable speed is around 15 mph, which I can manage over fifty miles. Today I didn't have a target but set out hard and drove through the peddles the whole twenty miles of my planned route, returning home and with thighs burning I was over joyed at the 18.1 mph shown on my trip computer, what a great end to the week. So June 6th is my own personal D day and now less than five weeks away, how quick have the last six months gone and how far I have already travelled. While I put the finishing touches to my training and fitness please take a moment, stop and think................ Cancer touches everyone's life at some point and with continued research Leukaemia and Lymphoma can be beaten. So If I have inspired you at all with my own personal efforts please just give a little via my link opposite. In return I will tackle my personal challenge and keep on cycling, "Roll on Paris"

That was the week that was!

Wow what a week it ended up being, a week off from work that included mountains, mountain bikes, upgrades to the road bike and a combination of rides over 142 miles, am I sure it was only a week. It was but the start of the week seems a long time ago now, I wrote last weeks blog from the back of a car on the way to Snowdonia national park, I was part of a large group of work colleagues set to walk mount Snowdon and raise over £8,000 in the process. We woke on the Monday morning to a cool but sunny start to the day, the forecast however was for rain and low cloud, it didn't seem that way at 6am, maybe they had got it wrong? Maybe not. The early going was all good the weather was calm and it was comfortable in just a fleece, as we progressed we could see the cloud low over the mountain and thought we new what lay ahead. We were mainly novices on a mountain including myself and were not quite prepared for what was to follow.

Once we entered the cloud the wind picked up and the rain began, the transformation from the calmness of the lower slopes was extreme, gusts of 50mph combined with the driving rain made this walk a true challenge and all bar none realised that we were going to earn those sponsors. By now I was feeling the cold and the horizontal rain was finding the weaknesses in my gear, I may have looked like Scott of the Antarctic but in reality with most of my kit from high street stores I was more like Mr Bean. We made the top and feeling a bit lightheaded I needed to eat, having removed my gloves I now faced my biggest issue, not being the best design and apparently only being shower proof, once off and almost inside out they were not going back on again. So with photo taken through gritted teeth that mimicked smiles I had the unenviable task of two hours walking down a mountain with no gloves and hands that already resembled icebergs. At times I could not feel the walking poles in my hands but with concentration taken up with not being blown off the mountain and finding the right place to put my feet, I picked my way down and the team congregated in the car park battered but not beaten. A true sense of achievement reigned and with a knowing nod and shacking of hands and plenty of back slapping we rejoiced in our success.

So with mountains left behind me it was back to the bike and what I have began to call my thing. It was the day after Snowdon and I was feeling it a bit so I had choices. Do I hit the road as normal and end up doing too much through over eagerness or be more pragmatic and start with an easier ride and make sure that the after effects of the previous day don't ruin the whole week. Well the sensible me won and out came the mountain bike along with the sun, time, speed and effort were not even considered,  a short loop staying near home was in order doing what ever the legs wanted and enjoying it along the way. That's exactly how it turned out, I ended up doing two circuits and 16 miles real slow, it was bliss. Turned out to be the right decision as well, you see come Wednesday my thighs were tight and aching so a well deserved rest day ensued. A rest from cycling but not the bike that is, the plans for today included upgrades to the Chariot. With an extension piece fitted to the handlebars for a more comfortable ride and new Continental tyres with an anti puncture belt fitted, time to say goodbye to multiple punctures and roadside repairs. Why am I so trusting, will I never learn? Thursday and Friday were set to be my next back to back rides of any significance, eager to get out and feel the improvement to the ride comfort I payed little attention to my new tyres. This was until the unthinkable happened only four miles from home, O yes you got it!!

                                                                         

A puncture *^+'/x@, so much for anti puncture, I was fuming and started thinking back to the sales splurge from the up till now trusted bike shop. "These tyres will cut out 95% of punctures allowing for trouble free cycling" O and "The one draw back is they are harder to change due to them being more ridged" great that is all I need now. Well on removal it was apparent that the Tyre had not failed, it was either a faulty inner tube or the fact that they are harder to put on, I can vouch for that, and that a careless tyre iron from the shop mechanic had pinched the tube. I managed fine and with a little less confidence in my new purchases set off once again, this time completing the 48 miles without incident and for once in warm sunshine. Friday saw a new route for me, one that took in the Dengie peninsular and Bradwell on sea as my destination, I waited till the afternoon as the morning was wet and with the wind now coming from the NW it was a bit more chilly than yesterday. It was a good ride over more undulating terrain, I did however still catch a shower before returning to the sun that I started the ride in. I enjoyed the ride topping 55 miles and best of all I was still feeling great afterwards. Saturday was another rest day punctuated with some social media work promoting the blog and justgiving page, resulting in us now only £7 short of £800. The target is looming large so please help us get there if you can, every little really does help. My week finished with a gentle ride with one of last years riding partners from my early charity events. While I have been out in all weathers, Nigel's bike has been hibernating during the winter months and he has resigned himself to walking the dog, so finally persuading him to get back in the saddle was quite an achievement. Twenty three miles of social riding, chatting on route and working to someone Else's pace eased my week to a cosy close. With many tougher miles ahead this time in six weeks I will hopefully be sitting in Paris with a glass raised in hand and many a tail to tell of great hill climbs and newly gained friends. Till next time "Roll on Paris"

Detour to Snowdon

My update today comes direct from the car that is carrying the intrepid explorers, heading to north Wales, where we shall meet with our fellow adventurers. The challenge will be to get 17 inexperianced and slightly worried managers of Wickes up mount Snowdon. I know this is a digretion from my normal cycling blog but worth the time to blog about as in the process we will be raising over £7,000 for Leukaemia and Lymphoma research. Hopefull also returning with everyone we left with, wish us luck we may need it. In the world of cycling I did complete my back to back rides last weekend, see last weeks blog. On Monday I bit the bullet and did the third day running, problem was I was at work, so the ride became my commute, 28 miles each way with an 8 hour day in the middle. It was tough and when I arrived home Monday evening with 156 miles covered in three days I did feel it and took a couple of well deserved days off to recover. So with thoughts turning to tomorrow and the road signs turning to Welsh i'll sign off for now and report back in with new experiances and tails of heroic acts during the week. "Roll on Snowdon then Paris"

Green green glass go home!

This weeks instalment starts at the end, a bit like an episode of the classic Columbo where you know how it finishes right at the start. You see today was an eventful ride and one I was determined to finish, this weekend was set to be my first proper back to back rides of any significance and it seemed doomed from the start. The day before I had completed a fifty mile ride without much incident, it was warmer than it had been all year and I felt great cruising along at a solid 15 mph. I had a scheduled stop at mums to help cousin Paul install her new oven, he is the skilled electrician, I was just the humper and dumper. Mums was at three quarter distance and with a circuit of Hangingfield reservoir I was home from there in an hour, however I have digressed.

 

Back to today and my ride that was blighted by glass. I have found in my relatively short time cycling that cycle paths around Southend are not always the best place to be to avoid punctures and today was no exception. I was about twelve miles in and having traversed the seafront I was in Gunners park when there doing its best impression of pavement, blending into its surroundings was what once was a bottle of beer. However now it was a million shards laughing at me ready to pounce, I did my best having seen it at the last moment, swerving for all I was worth. It was not immediate and I'm sure the stealth glass was just waiting hoping that I had been lulled into thinking I had somehow missed it. No, a mile up the road and my back tyre gave in and with a drop of rain in the air I was starting to think the worst. Well it did not get any better, the rain did abate never to return but the same tyre gave way only two miles up the road. Was the glass still embedded, I can't see how, I had checked that tyre with a fine tooth comb before putting it back together. What ever it was I will never know and a second repair with my last spare inner tube ensured I was once again on my way. This is when I could not believe my luck you see all this time and with my concerns fixed on my back wheel the unthinkable happened the front tyre gave in to the final shard that had lay dormant for four miles. In the space of three miles I had three punctures and now faced the dilemma, with only one CO2 canister left and no spare tube I would have to attempt a puncture repair on the roadside for the first time. Finding the hole was the challenge but one I was up to and after a short while why the glue went off I was fixed and ready to go. Now I was flying by the seat of my pants, with no CO2 left any further deflation's and I would have been calling an end to the ride and summoning my support driver, Ben my son, for a lift home. Well after all the trials and tribulations the repairs held firm, I was a bit preoccupied for the next few miles checking tyres but in the end I was able to relax and enjoy the warmth of the sun for the rest of the ride. So as you can see my end to the week was very eventful but overall very rewarding. I have completed three rides of around fifty miles including back to back rides of over three hours, tomorrow I am also set to cycle to and from work for the first time a total of fifty six miles. A step up in training that has left me satisfied and looking forward to the challenges ahead, more back to backs and upping the time to four hours plus. Please come back and let me share my efforts again next week, the training may take a few days off as I.m climbing a mountain with a group of colleagues a week Monday so the content may differ, a change is as good as a rest I suppose. "Roll on Paris".

Summertime (and the cycling is breezy)!

My week has been an unusual one with Easter being a busy time at work and the weather still trying to defy what is considered normal for this time of year. We had a good weekend at work and alongside the normal once a year Easter DIY'ers we had some fun and raised almost £200 for Leukaemia with our grand raffle and guess the number of mini eggs in the jar. To top it off I met Maisey (Leukaemia survivor from my previous blogs) and her parents, they were all an inspiration and have agreed to come and draw our raffle on the 6th May, what more encouragement does one need to know that all your donations make a difference to peoples lives.

As for riding this week I have managed three trips out and what a contrast, Thursday saw my first opportunity of the week and it was a day that I wished the forecasters had got it horribly wrong, but no of all days they had to be right for once. We had snow, we had a biting Easterly wind and we had rain mixed in, making a truly miserable combination for riding a bike. Undeterred and with all my winter gear on I was determined to rack up forty miles, at the start with little snow in the air this seemed fine. In reality as the miles rolled by and the snow set in it became quite unpleasant but in a sadistic kind of way enjoyable too, enjoyable as the challenges thrown up by the weather made it different to any ride I had done before. The last four miles the snow had become real heavy and was starting to settle, not just on the road but on me as well. I was glad to be home and very satisfied with my efforts. My second ride was a first for this year and the product of British summer time, an evening ride after work, just a blast of an hour but welcome extra miles in the legs. Rounding the week off today with the weather set fair if a bit chilly, was blue sky and sunshine. I geared up minus the winter jacket and with the fingerless gloves in my pocket for when and if the temperature climbed, hopeful I know but lets face it there has been little to get excited about with the weather so far this year. I had with all the best intentions intended to do fifty miles, how the best laid plans of mice and men crumble. Interrupted by my phone and the news that my colleague had had an accident going to work led to a bit of managerial organisation from the road side. Tony was fine if a bit shaken and with the relevant phone calls made it was set that I would be needed at work by the afternoon, the ride would continue but unfortunately curtailed. It was great in the sun and it did warm up enough for those fingerless gloves, I was in my element and thirty two miles was all to short. The one striking thing about the ride today was the amount of cyclists and the contrasting clothing. You see there were cyclists everywhere, how the sun brings them out, some I recognised from my many winter rides and others were obviously out for the first time this year. This is where the contrast became apparent, those of us that had been hardy and out in all weathers were wearing shirts while the newbies were in heavy duty coats snoods and balaclavas and ski gloves to finish the look, god knows what they would have worn in winter or even last Thursday. So with eight five miles in the bank this week and plans a foot to raise the bar in the coming weeks, I look forward to better days with excitement rather than in trepidation, under two months to D day 6th of June and I won't be stopping at the beaches, "Roll on Paris".

Eggstreme at Easter, Brrrrrrr!

 Happy Easter to all my blog followers, I hope you managed to spend a bit of quality time with your families. It's tough for me working in DIY retail but I did spend a few hours today having dinner with my mum, brother and family. Today also See's the start of British summer time Ha Ha Ha Ha, and April fools is not till tomorrow. Joking aside another training ride this morning and again I was greeted with sub zero temperatures and frost on the ground, I must sound like a stuck record but how long before this winter ends, boring, tedious and abominable don't go far enough in describing the severity of the weather this year. With the cold weather ritual well rehearsed, snood on, layers of clothes duly applied and the gloves coming straight off the radiator on to my hands just before leaving. The cold of a frosty morning burns the back of your nostrils with those first deep breaths and as my speed picked up on that down hill stretch my cheeks felt the bite of the wind, by now my finger tips were loosing sensation and I started to question my sanity. It was 9am on Easter Sunday and apart from a handful of cars and the odd dog walker the only other people I saw were other daft cyclists, a rare breed or completely bonkers? It wasn't until about eight miles in that my core temperature rose and the feeling started to return to my fingers, it's at this point that I start to enjoy the ride as my focus is not on keeping warm but on performance, speed and the now beautiful countryside I was riding through. Twenty five miles was the order of the day as the before mentioned dinner date with mum beckoned, I could have done much more despite the cold but longer rides lay ahead.

So the end of another month means June 6th is just that little closer. What did March bring, apart from more cold horrible weather, well on the weight loss front I slowed up, I have lost another four pounds taking me to 15 stone 4 pounds. Total weight loss since the start of January is now 1 stone 12 pounds, Incredibly proud. Cycling wise despite the cold snow and ice I managed 190 miles in the month, I'm happy with that and with lighter evenings in April more miles will be the order of the day, watch this space. The final part of my March round up and the the most important is the reason I am putting all this effort in and that is fund raising for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research. With a target of £1,000 I have reached £560 so far, thank you to all that have contributed. The best bit of news for me on this front is that LLR have included my blog within their official web page, please take a look at http://leukaemialymphomaresearch.org.uk/campaign/trevor-jackson. This great news has given my an immense sense of pride and spurned me on even more, so roll on April, roll on sunshine, roll on sponsors and most of all "Roll on Paris".

Reversing! Not an option.

Paris became closer than ever since the day I signed on the dotted line for my greatest sporting challenge. The final payment was requested and duly paid, no turning back from here, pulling out is not an option so the training needs to be stepped up and motivation lifted. This has been tempered by the subject that I, amongst many other people, have become board of talking about, the great British Winter. It has been said before that we now only have two seasons, but I didn't think they meant Winter and Autumn. Another week of below zero temperatures and back to snow this weekend have left me with only one opportunity to get out on the bike, on Tuesday I did a twenty mile ride with a bitter Easterly wind making it pretty unpleasant.

There  was only one incident of note on my ride, one which left me with my heart in my mouth and a renewed respect for the vulnerability of being on a bike. A motorist had decided it was alright to reverse down the road just after a blind bend, not clever. It was on quite a quick stretch of road on a bike and with a greasy road surface I was heading for potential disaster, as I rounded the bend I saw the reversing lights and in a moments panic hit the brakes hard. Having not cleared the bend yet the back wheel slid out and for the first time back on the bike I was not in control. By more luck than judgement I regained control and without stopping steered around the car that by this time had stopped reversing and with a sheepish look on his face the driver gave an apologetic wave. I carried on at a slightly reduced pace for the next couple of miles while regaining my composure.

 I have also been busy on social media this week and set up my own Facebook page, hope you will all like it and follow my fund raising activity, the page is Londonparistrevor. My final piece of news really lifted my motivation and made me feel very proud, it is early stages and I hope it comes to fruition. You see I have been contacted by Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, they have made enquires with the view to including by blog on their official Web page, watch this space as for me this would be the ultimate recognition of my efforts to be recognised by the charity I am supporting. "Roll on Paris"

"I'm half way there, living on a prayer."

I'm sorry it has been over a week since my last blog, I feel a bit of a failure as I know of several of you that like a read on a Sunday evening, so please except my apology. It had been a busy week last week which included my son's twenty first birthday and several meetings at work. What this meant was I missed my ride on my day off in the middle of the week, so come the weekend I was desperate to get out for a few miles. So Sunday came and O how fed up am I of this rotten weather, I must be old because I am sure I remember March days of old that shared, at some level, a resemblance of spring. When the sun made an appearance and the nip in the air of early morning lifted to be replaced with a pleasant feel that allowed one to dream of summer days. Not now, not this year because winter still has a firm grip on the country and riding a bike is still for the brave, cold, wet and windy is what accompanied me on thirty miles of tarmac. It could have been any thirty miles of tarmac as with head down and the wind appearing to come from all directions I was determined to do a good time and with yet another meeting Sunday afternoon I had lots to fit into my day. So getting home in an hour and fifty six minutes at an average of sixteen MPH I was pretty chuffed with my efforts. The main aim of all my efforts, fund raising for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, took a real positive turn today on two fronts. Firstly I have reached half way to my fund raising target, thank you to everyone who has donated so far, you are all stars. Secondly today I had a chance meeting at work, we have a charity table set up advertising our fund raising efforts and as part of this there is literature from LLR promoting their work with stories of children that have beaten blood cancer. One is a story of Maisie Speller and today her grandparents came into the store and saw her picture, this led to me being lucky enough to spend a few minutes talking to two really wonderful and grateful people with so much love for their granddaughter. This was all the confirmation I needed to realise that all my efforts are worthwhile and to continue to raise as much money as I can so every child can beet blood cancer and every parent and grandparent can see their children grow up. Please give generously on my just giving page link on this blog Thank You, and while you do I will promise to give this challenge my every effort "Roll on Paris".

 

Maisie Speller

 

Chalk and Cheese!

 It has been a week of extreme contrasts with two rides at the complete opposite ends of the British weather spectrum. On Tuesday I was off work and the sun was shining, for the first time this year I set off in shirt sleeves, no jacket and no waterproofs. It was a barmy 13 degree C and little wind. This was what I had been missing and to say I felt good was an understatement, forty miles lay ahead of me and it felt great. It was a day when all the hard graft of winter seemed to have payed off, for the first time I felt that Paris was in my reach and with an average pace of sixteen miles an hour I could have gone all day, it was just a shame that other things have to be done on my days off and forty was all I could fit in. However come the weekend and the good old British weather had taken a turn for the

worse, Sunday morning came and with it temperatures hovering a couple of degrees above zero and a wind chill below, so out came the thermals and full finger gloves. It was extremely cold setting off and instead of the flat roads of Southend I headed towards Hangingfield and a more challenging hilly ride, I kept warm and was enjoying the ride when I felt the first few flakes of snow, Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, snow was not on the menu for today's ride and before long I felt like a member of the SS Enterprise hitting warp speed, but instead of stars it was snow flying past and into my face. With the snow now turning to rain I was on the homeward stretch and travelling well through the lanes, up ahead there were a group of mallard ducks meandering across the road without a care in the world. I got closer and closer before they noticed my approach and then with a cacophony of quacks and flapping of wings they all took off just in time to clear me as I in turn flew past. Lets hope next week and the months ahead have a more settled outlook, "Roll on Paris".

Everyone falls off!

I feel I need to explain the choice of photo that goes with my blog this week, you see the picture shows the great Sir Chris Hoy laying down on the track, not in a voluntary state of comfort but having fallen from an upright position. Thus showing even the best cyclists can fall over and that I can say that I now belong with a very long and illustrious group of people who can say, "I fell off". It was not spectacular and I can honestly say it didn't even hurt, well not my body anyway, can't really talk for my pride though. It does not even go down as a crash, I know because I have already ticked crashing off the list last year, no this was the kind of fall you see from a new born calf with wobbly legs. Going back to January when I bought all my new gear and started using SPD peddles and proper bike shoes I was confidently told, by friends I may add, "O you will fall off, everyone falls off". For two months I have dumbfounded and disappointed these friends, especially Nick, that I had not fallen, well Nick you were right and yes I am now not so cocky and will be forever humble in your presence. You see I have now joined the club that can say "yes I have fallen over when I stopped because I couldn't get my shoes out of the clips". This was not graceful and done with spectacular timing with the most people possible to witness my misfortune. I had found the back end of a queue of traffic in roadworks up Crown hill, coasting to the back of the queue I un clipped my left foot but at the same time my weight had transferred to the right, putting the bike and me into an irreversible motion driven by gravity that would ultimately end in me laying flat on the ground still attached. I made a point of not looking back at the car behind me as I picked myself up, but even now I can see the laughter on their faces. So a week of new experiences and another forty miles this weekend, I can say I am part of the bigger cycling world and a fully signed up member of the " Everyone falls off club" Sir Chris Hoy has more in common with me than he thinks. "Roll on Paris".

Weight loss, O yes!

Well end of the month and time to weigh in and check the progress. End of January I went 16s 4lb, had not set myself a target for the end of Febuary, that way I could'ent be disappointed. So what am I now, 15s 8lb, very happy indeed as thats another 10lb last month. I did think I had slowed up a bit but thats now two months running loosing 10lb. To say I am pleased is an understatement, "Roll on Paris".

Chiily dogs and seagulls!

My week has been quite a full one with work, cycling and fund raising. At work we have been approaching the end of our big sale period and the pressure to deliver the numbers has meant a big draw on my time, thankfully it paid off with a very busy weekend. We have also set up our grand raffle draw at work this week with three great prize's topped by a Kindle fire HD. We only have a matter of a 1,000 tickets to sell, but the girls at work did a fantastic job in selling £50 to customers on Saturday, with the draw on May 6th we have a big task ahead to sell them all. I picked the best day of the week to have as a day off on Tuesday, the sun shone bright even if it was slightly chilly. I am still getting up to full speed after hurting my back and left home on the bike with the view to seeing how I went, no set mileage in mind just suck it and see. I felt OK and was operating at a steady pace, turning off the main road in Rochford I headed for the country roads. Up ahead and at a low altitude came a suicidal seagull, it was one of those moments when you look and think it will see me, it will see me, for F*@! sake why can't it see me, and as I started to break it did see me and like an X wind fighter after bombing the death star it pulled out at the last moment. Now cruising through the lanes and the sun on my back I was dreaming of the summer days that lay ahead, I felt real good and ended up taking the longer way back from Wallasea extending the ride to thirty miles. While coming up the final drag to home I encountered my second animal near miss of the day, the old boy with his dog up ahead had obviously not judged my speed and had started to cross the road. I made the decision to speed up to clear him before he reached my side of the road, this was fine until I jumped out of my skin as his dog, unbeknown to me, had a pathological dislike for bikes. He strained at the leash and growled and snarled like a rabid beast, I was truly thankful for the short leash he was on at the time. We then came to the end of the week and to today, a nice peaceful Sunday at home which with Paris in mind means a bike ride is a must. Now today was nothing unusual Gray and overcast like a lot of days, one thing stood it apart was a keen North Easterly wind giving a wind chill of about -4. Gearing myself up for a cold one I got the bike from the garage, a flat tyre, where did that come from. After changing the inner tube I picked up the trip computer, flat battery, ahhhhhhh, I could see how today was going and I was not liking it one bit. At least I had my new thermal top and the gloves came straight off the warm radiator as I left the house. Boy was it cold but I was well wrapped and in good shape, head warm, check, body warm, check, hands warm, check, feet warm, no. You see I still haven't invested in shoe covers and while the rest of me stayed real toasty my feet ended up as blocks of ice, peddling was fine clipped in and with twenty miles the order of the day I could live without my feet. Summer still feels a long way off but Paris is rushing up fast, with work getting busy and fund raising in full swing my focus in firmly on being ready for D day June 6th "Roll on Paris".

Back in the Saddle.

I was at the physio on Saturday to check out the back. I was a bit concerned and not looking forward to the prognosis but as the days went by and Saturday came it felt a bit easier every day. It had been a while since I have had the need for physio and had forgot the art of contortion performed by such individuals on your body. Well the good news was that there was no damage to the discs, I had opened a facet joint though and been given a number of stretches to help it recover. So now its time to re strengthen and not over do things, easier said than done. Like a good boy I have been keeping up with the stretching and on Thursday went out for a leisurly 15 miles on the bike, felt ok if a little stiff, looking to repeat again on Sunday. Still a long way to go and with a renewed determination "Roll on Paris".

Painfull problem!!!

Just a small update from today. I undertook a small 20 miles this morning in the wind. Everything was going well until turning into the end of my road. Pushing away from a stationary position on an uphill junction, BANG. It felt like I had been shot, the pain through my lower back was intense. I coasted home and needed help getting off the bike. Lets hope the back gets better soon, at the moment its a bit sore, Paris looks a long way away today so please support me with a small donation. "Roll on Paris".

A weight off my mind!

It has been a good week all round, I have been out three times on the bike racking up a total of 100 miles and the healthy eating is starting to deliver results. Even West Ham won this week, so could not get much better than that. After the twenty miles in the high winds of Thursday I set myself the target of fifty on Friday, it was wet when I left and the wind chill made it a bit colder than I had expected. However the rain soon dried up and the coldness in my hands was not quite so bad now they were dry, I really can not wait till it warms up a bit and all I have to worry about is building up the miles and not about how I will keep from freezing. I enjoyed the ride and it was good to be able to get out in the saddle two days running, as the training progresses this will need to be two days running and four hours in the saddle each day, but for now just getting out is good enough. The other thirty miles was done today (Sunday) a blast out to Wallasea Island, a reasonably flat route that enables me to put some extra effort in and build some good speed. The wind was still blowing a bit and the way home was a little harder than normal. As I mentioned earlier I have been eating healthy since my Birthday on the 3rd of January and the big weigh in came at the end of the month. I was 17 stone on the 3rd and was looking to have dropped half a stone, so I was over the moon when the scales read 16 st 4lbs that was 10lbs lost in under a month WOW. So with four months to go till London to Paris I feel really positive and looking forward with a little less intrepidation than a couple of months ago, the big thing now on my mind is fund raising. £1,000 is my target and if everyone can give just a little I will feel all my efforts will be worthwhile, so if you can follow my link to the right for my just giving page I would be eternally grateful. With a renewed vigour "Roll on Paris".

Sailing bike needed!

To say it was windy today is a bit of an under statement. Over night it blew a gale and to tell you the truth put me right off going out in the morning, so I didn't. So come the afternoon the rain had cleared and the sun was out, sitting in doors is not getting me any closer to Paris so out came the bike and the elements had to be braved. The wind had eased a little but it was still very gusty, I set off with twenty miles the goal and a long trip planned for Friday. With the wind behind me it felt like I had raised the spinnaker sail and was flying along, touching 30mph with a slight decline aiding me, for the first few miles it was great. I left the town behind me and found the fields, with cross winds now trying to blow me to the other side of the road, I started to think about the journey home and heading into the wind. It was on me before too long and boy did I notice the difference, the spinnaker was now down and it felt like I should start tacking my way into the wind. At times when it gusted I felt like I stopped dead in the road, for all the speed and effortless riding out it was hard and energy sapping on the way back. I was glad I did go out and after all if the wind blows in June I'll still be doing 460 km. Roll on Paris.

Snow reason! Yes there is a reason.

The snow in the last week has kept me off the bike and meant I've had to find other ways of keeping the fitness training going. The exercise machine has been recovered from the loft where it has resided for the past ten years and a newfangled machine to aid the perfect sit up has followed me home from the shops. So now the front room is starting to resemble a gym and the fridge has never looked so healthy my get fit campaign is in full swing, I've lost half a stone since my birthday on the third of January and found today for the first time my trousers attempting to slip my hips. I did 15 miles on the mountain bike today and managed to dodge the remaining ice patches on the roads, can't wait to get back on the road bike though.

I would like to bring to everyone's notice the reason I am on this journey to be fit for London to Paris come June, that is to raise money to aid research into beating blood cancers. I have attached some facts on the different types of  disorders that effect around 30,000 people a year.

My aim is to raise over £1,000 through my cycle ride and would ask everyone that can to donate to my just giving page by following the link on the right of this page, every pound will help, so please support me in helping beat blood cancer. Thank you.

Roll on Paris.

Facts about blood cancers

Anyone can get a blood cancer at any age. Around 30,000 people, from babies to grandparents, are diagnosed with blood cancer every year in the UK.

Leukaemia

Of the 7,600 cases of leukaemia diagnosed in the UK every year, 94% are adults.
We are leading research into tailoring treatments so that rather than a one size fits all approach, every patient in the future will receive the individual treatment they need.

Childhood leukaemia

Childhood leukaemia is the most common form of cancer in children.
In 1960 when Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research was founded, a child diagnosed with leukaemia had almost no hope of survival.
Today 9 out of 10 children survive the most common form of leukaemia thanks to our continued investment in research into better treatments.

Lymphoma

Around 11,700 people in the UK are diagnosed with lymphoma every year. Lymphoma is challenging to treat mainly because there are so many different types (over 35) of this blood cancer.
Lymphoma is the most common blood cancer in young people aged 15 to 24.
Thanks to our pioneering research, doctors are able to diagnose lymphoma more accurately which means every lymphoma patient receives the best possible care.

Myeloma

Myeloma is a cancer which occurs in later life: only two percent of cases occur in people under 40.
Around 3,750 people are diagnosed with myeloma in the UK every year.
Our scientists have developed a treatment that relieves the painful symptoms of this debilitating cancer. Now they are looking for a cure.

Other disorders

Over 5,300 people are diagnosed with other blood disorders in the UK every year. These disorders are more difficult to treat because they vary so much from patient to patient.
We are integrating insights from laboratory research with information from patients on clinical trials to improve the diagnosis of these blood disorders. Accurate diagnosis will mean that patients receive better treatments.

Unstoppable!

It's been a long week at work and having to go in on my day off meant I didn't get out on the bike till this weekend (such a pain when work gets in the way of life). I did however receive the last of my Birthday presents through the post, a new Specialized S3 helmet and a fantastic Unstoppable Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research top and shorts. Looks great if a touch tight, need to keep going with the healthy eating if I want to look half decent come June. As the weekend approached and the weather men started threatening a load of snow I was thinking the weekend was not going to be kind to me, I should have trusted in the inability of the Met office to get it right. So come Sunday no Snow, however it was a bit chilly with a brisk wind making the chill factor below zero when I set off. The regular route out towards Wallasea was the order of the day with thirty miles ahead of me, I felt good still coming to terms with the clip less peddles and shoes. Seven miles in and my hands were suffering from the cold, with the feeling slowly ebbing away from my fingers, It was time to stop and get some heat into them before they went beyond redemption. Now back in the swing of things Wallasea marina soon loomed large on the horizon, turning straight round it was time to head for home. I had not set out with a sprint in mind but feeling great and favourable wind conditions I decided to attempt an increased pace. Getting into a high tempo rhythm I surprised myself while passing several other cyclists, boosting the ego on the way, you see I was expecting my burst of pace to last a few miles at best. However on this day I was super human and driven on by my new found powers I maintained a sustained pace all the way home, finishing with an average speed of 16mph for the thirty miles and the last fifteen over 17mph. Feeling it this evening though but intensely satisfied with my workout, Roll on Paris.

Tackle Tart!

 

So 2013 is now here and London Paris is no longer next year, look at it this way today is the 6th of January, that makes it exactly five months till D day. Reflecting as to where I am now and where I need to be in five months I would say my school report would read C+, Good effort but requires more focus. Well that focus is taking shape, you see not only has it been Christmas but I am also now another year older having turned 43 on the 3rd. Knowing I wanted new bike gear I had requested money for both and first on the shopping list was clip less pedals and and new pair of Shimano shoes, taking the plunge into serious cycling and at the same time terrifying my wife in the process. As well as the shoes I've ordered a new Specialized S3 helmet and a set of Unstoppable cycling gear direct from Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research. Referencing my other

passion of fishing, this now makes me an official "Tackle tart". The other area of focus is my core health and fitness, so plans are to alter my eating habits (goodbye chocolate and biscuits) and the target is to loose at least a stone in weight. Well as soon as I got my shoes I was eager to try them out so a quick run round the block ended with Angela shooting a short video (I'm sure she thought I was going to fall off) and the attached short masterpiece was the result of an hour playing with video apps on the mobile phone. The serious first test came on Friday when I went on a fifty mile ride, and to my surprise I felt very comfortable if a little weird. One or two wobbles ensued at junctions but in general I was very happy and a little relieved. The only real problem came in the way of flood water still hanging around. It was out beyond Danbury when I came across the flood above, having been dodging pot holes further along this lane I felt it unwise to cycle through this river/road. So the only option was to walk along the bank to the side, in shoes or wellies no problem, in cleated cycle shoes not so. The next ten minute were spent trying to clear the the mud from my cleats and on I went hoping not to get them stuck next time I stopped, the fear of toppling over when stopping had become more of a reality. Sorry to report it didn't happen, I did have a puncture further up the road but apart from that the ride finished without any further incident. Satisfied with a good work out I look forward to the exciting times that lay ahead this year. Roll on Paris,