Thank you!!!

A massive thanks to all the people that sponsored me (too many to list) my total currently stands at about £1750!!! got a few more people to collect off!!

Thank you to Grant, for all the support and help and clothing and training and dragging me out of bed when I wanted to give up - Love you!!

Thank you to Graeme, for the bike, the shoes, the socks, the service, the hard training rides!!

Thank you to Malcom for your patience whilst cycling.

Thank you to all the people I met, truly some heart breaking stories, you are all amazing and I am glad to have met you!! i hope we keep in touch!!! (less beer next time though!!)

Day Four - Final Day!!!!

Beauvais - Paris!!!

After Jim (support man) fixing my bike last night - needed to new inner tube and new tyre!! Thank god Grant sent me prepared with lots of spares!! We were ready to go!!

Felt raring to go this morning, the end was in sight - only 55 miles to go!!!

We had a quick water stop at about 10/15 miles! then lunch was at 25 miles, by the River Seine. We had a little walk into the village where we stopped and rewarded ourselves with an Amstel - mmm French beer!!

And then we were off again!!! Only 25 miles to Paris!! through mainly urban areas that were quite busy with traffic!! kids on the path were shouting Allez Allez and Tour De France at us!!!!

We stopped at a park just 5 minutes from the Eiffel Tower had an ice cream and organised ourselves into a convoy and then we were off!!!

Mum and I began crying as we were cycling down the Champs Elysees, we couldn't believe we were nearly there!!! And then the landrover let us go across the road and we all sprinted for the Eiffel Tower!!! We had made it!!!!!

After a very emotional and hard 4 days we were there!! Only 300 miles but the journey of a lifetime!!!

I would like to say Thank you to my mum!! For MAKING me do this!!! I had a great time with you, i can't believe we didn't have a cross word the whole time - so unlike us!! Love You Lots!!!xxxxx

Day Three

RAIN, RAIN AND MORE RAIN!!!

I have nothing more to say about this day really, 68 miles of torrential rain and wind and cycling through sweetcorn fields!! I don't really remember anything good about this day!!!

However - do not think that just coz it's raining you can't get a tan - check out that wind burn!!!!

Hotel was average, we stayed in a Campanile, had to keep our bikes in our rooms, which took up a bit of space!

Had to take a trip to the supermarket to buy newspapers to stuff our shoes as there were puddles in them!!!

Had a random dinner of roast chicken leg, with watery mushroom sauce and spaghetti on the side!! Oh and more tart tartain!! a few beers then off to bed!!

Oh and I meant to say on Day two - I fell off!!!Luckily I was coming to a stop when it happened but I have a scabby knee and loads of bruises!!!

Day Two

Calais to Abbeville. 80 miles(ish)

We woke up at 7am and dragged ourselves out of bed and down to breakfast. Everyone gathered outside the hotel for our briefing, things would be better today as there was no time limits, no ferry to catch or wait around for!

So off we set. Legs took a while to get going and I was a bit worried about the black cloud in the distance. I needn't have worried though, soon the sun came out and we were cycling through beautiful French villages, following streams and tree lined avenues.

There was a water stop at about 23 miles, funnily enough there was a hill first! We soon learnt that Hill = Refreshment!!

So when we approached approx 45 miles and we knew lunch should be soon, we saw a long hill in front of us. So heads down, a*ses up, we ploughed up the hill, not stopping to walk and congratulated ourselves heartily at the top. then we passed Stan (the 64 year old rider who put us all to shame) coming down the hill!!! He said there were no orange markers at the crossroads. We carried on anyway - just to check and sure enough - no orange makers. So mum phoned Jim, the support guy who didn't really seem to know where we were and I consulted the map...upon which I discovered that there was a small left turn we should have taken...AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL!!!! Oh well a few extra miles won't kill us, we hoped!!! So back down the hill we went, turned down the track we'd missed (stupid orange markers!!) and lunch was just there!!!

So more tea, pasta and chocolate cake and a sit in the sun!! Then after borrowing a bit of sudocrem (saddle sore is not nice!!) we were off again!!!

Another water stop at about 60 miles and then to Abbeville!!! Hoorah!!! This elation lasted until we checked into our rooms at the Ibis!!! Now I know I am a hotel snob but seriously...a single bed, smaller than student accomodation, half a bath, I could only just straighten my legs in it, to wash my hair I had to stick my legs up the wall!!!

The good thing though was that dinner and drinks bought the group together a bit more, we got talking to more people and had a good old chat. Dinner was vegetable soup, lasagne and tart tartain. then it was off to bed!!!

Day one

DAY ONE

London (Blackheath) to Calais, France. 95 miles.

The alarm call went off at 5am - it didn't wake me up as I was ALREADY awake!! Far too nervous to sleep, i think i managed about an hour.

Mum and I dragged ourselves down to breakfast and forced ourselves to eat a bowl of cereal, then we dragged the bags out to the trucks, collected our bikes and waited on the heath for the off!! We were briefed (follow the orange arrows, when the water stops were etc) and then we were off!!

Cycled out through London and off into the countryside. Our first water stop was at 25 miles, where we filled our bottles up, grabbed a cereal bar, a banana and a handful of American hard gums and then we were off again. With our sight firmly set on lunch at 45 (ish) miles. However you have to earn your lunch...and earn it we did...the biggest hill I have seen rose up in front of us and try as we might to get up it, it just wasn't happening, so we got off and walked, which was just as hard! I was considering calling the air ambulance, when I spotted the peak - thank god!! Only some one 'up there' obviously thought mum hadn't quite earned her lunch so she got a puncture 1K out!! The stop was closer to 50 miles than 45! After stopping for her to change her tube we carried on and finally made it to a little village hall, where there was TEA!!! So happy to have a nice hot cuppa and a fantastic lunch of breads, hams, cheeses, pasta, salads, fruit, cake - it was lovely! We filled our tummies, but some silly sod had decided to put a hill just after lunch so no sooner had we got on our bikes than we were getting off again for a bit of a stroll!!

We pulled over after a while to buy a bottle of water from a shop, where we got chatting to a lovely older lady about waht we were doing. She had flown out to Rome and then cycled back over 3 weeks! She thought what we were doing was great and so she gave us £10 sponsorship!! Thank you!!!

The next water stop was at 75 miles so not too far to go. More water, more cereal bars and more sweeties and then we were off again with only 15 miles to go to Dover!!

We arrived at Dover, grateful that the worst of the trip was over, only to have a ferry delay and have to stand outside at the port for 1 hr and 45 minutes, getting very cold and miserable!! When we got on the ferry we headed straight to the canteen, where we ate lasagne and chips - don't ask me what it tasted like, it didn't even touch the sides, I was so cold and hungry by this point!

We arrived at Calais, in darkness and we still had another 5 miles to cycle to the hotel. So we fixed our lights to our bikes, put on our high viz jackets and rode in convoy to a lovely Holiday Inn. Where we collected our bags, had a bath and fell in to bed exhausted but very proud of ourselves!!

ONE WEEK TO GO!!!!

Well firstly i need to apologise for not being on her for at least a month but I have a very good excuse!!! I have been training!!! ALOT!!!

Last week i did 293K (about 183miles) in a week and felt good for it!!

I took part in an organised ride from the The Stag pub at Mentmore last Sunday. Malcolm and I rode the 50 mile route and Grant cheated by driving the team car on the 85 mile circuit!!

It is the first time that I have ridden 50 miles without a stop at a cafe for a cup of tea and a bit of cake so I was very impressed with myself. We did the whole route in 3 hours and 24 minutes! The ride was twice round a 25 mile circuit which climbed Ivinghoe Beacon...see picture above for the elevation!! Oh it hurt - alot!! But i did it - yay me!! I was so proud of myself!! http://www.georgeburgessphotography.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=10683

This weekend I have cycled 130 miles over 3 days! Hard work but so worth it!!

I have started sorting out the practicalities of the ride now - I went to see Dickie at Phil Corley Cycles in Milton Keynes yesterday and he did me an excellent deal on some energy bars for the ride - What a Star!! Thanks you so much!!! I've been and bought my Kendal Mint Cake. I need to go an get my Euros! Our clothing is being finished this week!

I have got the day off work tomorrow as I have got to go and see the physio (Mark Booth - Body Limits) I have a little bit of tendonitis in the back of my right knee! It really hurts and tightens ups while I am cycling so I need a good sports massage! Then Mum is coming over and our bikes are going in for their service with Mr King, make sure they are fit for the journey!

And then we are going to get a 30 mile ride in!!

Then i will have a rest day on Friday 2 long rides over the weekend and then rest Monday ready for the trip down to London on the Tuesday!!! I can't believe its nearly here!!! I am getting excited now!!!

I will make sure that I blog again before I go and then the next one will be when I return!!!!!

Oh and also I would like to add that I am dedicating my ride to Sandra, over in New Zealand! We are thinking of you!! xxx

Cycling Photo Shoot

Cycling in the sun!!

I would highly recommend you use lots of sun cream!!! Lots!!! It hurts!!! But I refuse to complain about this gorgeous weather!!!

I went out 6 out of 7 days this week, totalling 150 miles and even went swimming twice as well!!

I have also hit my £1500 target so thank you to everyone that has sponsored me!!!

Also thank you to Sue and everyone at Kiddie Caru who raised £251 at their open day for me!!!

Had a well earned rest day yesterday.

But finishing work shortly to go out on the bike inbetween showers. I need to work out which way the wind is blowing first and pick the easiest route!!!

Have started to think about the logistics of the ride now, all the things I need to make sure I have, charger for I Pod, batteries for camera, jelly beans, SUNCREAM!!!

5 weeks today and I will be heading to London!!! woo hoo!!!

Egg

xxx

We're famous!!

Our article from the Daventry Post!!

Still Going Strong!!

I'm still on it - believe it or not!
Last week Grant and I went out last Thursday and did 45 miles. It was a hard ride. Grant decided I needed to do some hill training...oh it hurt! I got up all of them eventually and only stopped on one of them which just seemed to go on and on! I likened my reaction to the hill, to the one you have on a rollarcoaster, when you go up and round the corner and thats when you see the drop and think "oh ****!!" well i did that in reverse - along the road and round the corner and thats when i saw the hill!!!

Then on Saturday me, Grant and Malcom went out over to Winslow and had a cuppa and then came home - about 27 miles, then on Sunday we went out with Graeme and Ruth and did about 26 miles but that was a horrible ride. Grant, Graeme and Ruth can go so fast compared to me and I just felt like I was playing catch up the whole time. They even took me up over Cranfield Hill and by the time I got to the top there were tears!! I turned off left at that point and cycled home and they went off and did a bit more!

Then last night I did my little Woburn circuit which is 18 miles and was really good!! I like that circuti, I'm getting quicker each time I do it and I know the hills pretty well now so like to push myself on them!!

Hopefully we will be out tonight as well!!!

6 weeks today and I will be packed and getting ready to travel down to London! Mum and I are staying in the Clarendon Hotel the night before, which is right on Blackheath where we start off from!!!

I'm so scared!!!!!!

xx

Back on it!!

I'm back on it - big time!! No more messing around!!

I did do the predicted 107 miles the week of the 30th June and then the weather turned and I had to have another week of rest!!
But this weekend I did 35 miles on the Saturday, 50 miles on the Sunday and I did 11 last night!!

The 35 miles with Grant on Saturday (12th) was a really nice ride. We went off to Winslow and stopped at Cappos for a cup of tea and I really enjoyed the ride. At one point I was plodding along at 17k an hr when some of the MK boys came whizzing past me and Grant, patting Grant on the back as they speeded past and shouting their hellos!! I realised I looked like a bit of an amatuer so speeded up a bit with Grant giving me a little push and eventually managed to catch up with them and ride along with them for a little bit at 35k an hr!! After a couple of minutes of that luckily we turned off to go to Winslow - I don't think I could have kept pace with them for much longer!!

Sunday was a good day too, albeit very hard going!! It was lovely and warm so no arm warmers needed which was great - although my farmers arms tan will look ridiculous in my strappy dress at Anita and Darryll's wedding this weekend!! Malcolm came out with us, which made the whole ride a little bit more competitive!! I was hanging around behind the boys then every time I saw a village sign I would sprint pass them - to victory!! Watch out Mark Cavendish!!! Although when Grant and Malcolm go - I don't see them for dust, so I have to be cunning to win!!
We stopped out at Long Marsden for a cuppa and sat in the sun for a bit!! And Sean Brennan popped out to meet us (in his car - lightweight!! Get back on your bike!) Then we cycled back home through Leighton Buzzard, Hockcliffe then back up the Woburn Road, which is when I started to struggle, luckily we turned off before we hit the big hill!! At one point going up the Woburn Road, Grant went to give me a little push to help me up the hill and I told him not to, I wanted to do it on my own, no matter how much it hurt. When we got home I felt physically sick, my body felt like it had been hit by a bus, so I had a hot bath, which helped, but not a lot!!

So last night I thought I better go out and turn the legs over. Grant heard the Tawny calling him so didn't come out (these boys are rubbish!!!) so I went out on my own! I'd planned to do the 18 mile Woburn circuit, but when I got to the top of Woburn Sands and could see the hill to Woburn in the distance my legs shouted at me "DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!" so I turned right and went the flat route through Bow Brickhill! I did 11 miles.

It scares me now how much my legs hurt the next day after a big ride! I have completley lost all excitement for the ride and just keep thinking "Oh my god, i'll never do it" which in a way is a good thing - it's spurring me on to do my training because more than anything I want to stand under that Eiffel Tower on Saturday 6th September feeling proud of myself for acheiving such a huge goal!!

Egg
xx

I'm a big skiver!!

I have done NO training recently!!! I was meant to do a 50 mile charity ride with mum, at the beginning of June but the night before was my birthday BBQ and in a drunken dance with Jo I tripped over Mickeys scratching post!! it felt a bit sore but that was fine, until 4.30 in the morning when I went to get up to go to the loo and I couldn't even put weight on my foot! So that put pay to my 50 mile ride!
My foot was bad for almost 2 weeks and for the last few days of that I had a stinking head cold so didn't go out on my bike! I finally managed a little 20 mile ride before heading off for a week of work in Manchester and London and, you guessed it, no bike riding!!!!

So finally on Sunday I went out on my bike! Mum came over and I was going to do the 45 mile circuit that Grant took me on when I got cramp in my hip and cried!! However one wrong turn and it turned into a 24 mile circuit! Still thats not too bad considering how little training i've done!! Then Monday I went out on my own and did the Woburn circuit, which I love!! 18 miles in 1 hr and 10 mins - i flew round it!!
On Tuesday I had a rest day. Then Wednesday I did a lovely new circuit with Grant, 23 miles, which I really enjoyed!! Now normally I love down hills - that is until we got to the top of this enormous great hill and Grant gently broke it to me that "this is the type of hill you will be riding up in on day one of L2P" GREAT!!! I had already had the fear this week, that "oh my god, what the hell am i letting myself in for, i'm never going to do this" fear and the thought of climbing a hill like this made it so much worse!!

It didn't stop me going back out on my bike last night and we did the bike ride from hell! We decided to ride to the bowl to watch a bit of the race and most of the ride was dual carriageway!! It was horrible, so much fast traffic, a dead road surface and a head wind made for the worst experience on my bike so far!!

HOWEVER it means i have clocked up 89 miles this week!!! I am not going out on my bike tonight as I am going to watch my brother Olly play a gig (Happy Birthday Little Bro - by the way) but I plan to do the Woburn Circuit again in the morning so that will be 107 miles this week!! yay me!!





On a sadder note, I would just like to extend my thoughts and condolences to Andy D'Agata's friends and family. Grant was working on another L2P race last week and Andy was tragically killed after an incident with a motorbike. I would also like to add the rider of the motorbike was not at fault, there was some diesel spilled on the road and both motorcyclist and Andy slipped on it. A very tragic accident. RIP Andy.

Emily
x

Ow ow ow ow ow!!!

I've hurt my back!! I think its all this lifting heavy boxes (I am currently moving in with Grant!) So as a result I think I am going to have to rest from the bike! My training has been a bit hit and miss to be honest! But now its going to be all miss until I can get into see my physio! I am supposed to be doing a 50 mile organised ride with mum on Sunday aswel but at this rate I don't think i'll be able to!!

I went out last Sunday and did 21 miles and felt fine! But before that I hadn't been out since the Friday before.
That was my birthday and as a treat(!!) Grant took me on a 45 mile ride. My longest so far!! It was fine and I felt like I was riding really well, until we got about 8 miles from home and I had the worst cramp in my hip I have ever experienced!! I tried to ride it off - as I was going up a hill at the time but I really started to struggle and the tears started!! Grant had to give me a bit of a push but I was determind not to stop until I got to the top!! I managed it and when I got there Grant gave me some Kendal Mint Cake to give me a bit of energy and I had a bit of a shake out then we were off again. Grant said I did really well, he thought he was going to have to push me a lot more than he did!!

The Saturday before that, Mum & I with some friends of ours, Sally & Sue, went for a 2nd session of bag packing in M&S Food Hall in Milton Keynes. We raised £185 in 2.5 hrs. It was really quiet for a Saturday though. Still, we did very well and that money has now been deposited into out respective Just Giving accounts. A BIG thanks to Sally & Sue for their sterling efforts. Sue was like a rottweiler with a bone, she wouldn't let go and Sally said she now knows what rejection feels like!!

So i think thats it from me at the moment!!

Please keep your fingers crossed that my back heals soon!!

Oxford Charity Ride

Well last weekend Mum and I took part in a 30 mile charity ride around Oxfordshire. If only that was the end of this story!!! After a seriously heavy night out drinking with Clare, Fez and Grant I felt suitably rough when I wouke up VERY early on Sunday morning. In my hungover state I manage to put mine and mums bikes on the roof rack of Grants car and pack all my stuff for the ride, then Grant checked the bikes, set up the Sat Nav and away I went!!
When I was just getting off the M40 at Oxford I realised I had forgotten my cycling shoes!!! Was I wearing sensible shoes??? No of course not, I was wearing flip flops!!! That will teach me for a) drinking too much and b) not packing my kitbag the night before!!!
So I got to the ride eventually, parked up and couldn't find Mum, stress levels rise another couple of ntches!! Ring her again (had already phoned her about the shoes) she's in the other car park, so back in the car and round to other car park.
I eventually find her and we unload the bikes from the roof of the car. i get on mine - in my flip flops and ride up and down a bit and think - I can do this in flip flops no probs!!
So off we go to the start line and what does Mum do when she gets there - falls off her bike - AGAIN!! I'm sure she is just attention seeking!!!

The ride was started by Lucy Rusedski and Greg was there too - yummy!! And after she's done a little talk we were off!!! After climbing a harsh hill (which may I add a lot of people were pushing their bikes up but not us!!) I realised my computer on my bike wasn't working, and neither was mums so we stopped and after calling Grant (he didn't answer!) we realised our wheels were in the wrong way so the sensor wasn't picking up the movement of the wheel!! doh! so after a quick wheel change we were off again!!!

About 10 miles in and we stopped again!! Riding in flip flops is agony!! They were really rubbing, so mum gave me her sports socks!! I looked like a Japenese Geisha girl - with socks and flip flops. But at least it made the ride slightly more comfortable!!

So i eventually finished the ride - just over 30 miles in 2 hrs 17 mins!!

However the pain doesn't stop there - I got serious sunburn, and was in agony for two days afterwards!! and massive blisters on the soles of my feet from riding in flip flops!!
However on the plus side I was really proud of myself for not giving in and have received a lot of admiration from people for my determination!!!

Since then I haven't been on my bike!! I did 145 miles in 8 days but have taken a week off - through laziness really!! So tonight i am back on the bike - it's gonna hurt!!!

Oh and mum and I did a charity bag pack in Marks and Spencer again on Saturday and raised another £185!!!! getting there on the minimum amount!!

Speak to you all soon.

Em
xx

Loving the Sun!!

Thank god for this weather!! It is so gorgeous and making me feel far more motivated to go out on my bike!!

I cycled a total of 70 miles over the Bank Holiday weekend!! Yay me!! On Saturday Mum came over and Grant came out riding with us. We cycled over to Winslow and stopped off at Cappos again for a lovely cuppa. The Chas Messenger 2 day race was on over in Winslow too so we were watching the pros warm up for their time trial! Then we cycled back and Grant and I got cut up by a Royal Mail van!!!! Needless to say Grant gave him a piece of his mind - while holding onto his wing mirror!!
Anyway the whole ride was just a smidge under 30 miles and took us 2 hours exactly which is not too bad!!

My 2nd ride of the weekend was a lot harder!! Grant has told me i'm lazy!! He's not being rude - I am!! I don't push myself at all when i'm out on the bike, if I can't be bothered I slow right down and when he tells me to get a move on I give him some choice words!!
So the cunning fox cooked up a little plan!!!

On Monday Grant and I rode out through Woburn Sands, past Woburn Abbey, through Steppingly, Flitwick, Millbrook (gorgeous!!) to Marston Moretaine Country Park. We stopped there and had a can of coke and a slab of chocolate cake!! mmm.
There we were met by Graeme and Ruth Freestone King, very good friends of Grants (and now mine) we all sat at the Country Park, basking in the sunshine (i even had shorts and a short sleeve jersey on!) Then we set off again and Grant made me ride with Graeme, while Grant and Ruth rode in front of us! Sounds easy right?? WRONG!! those 3 have been riding forever and can go fast and are a lot fitter than me! Trying to keep up with them was really hard work, especially as we headed towards Cranfield. I had heard about Cranfield hill from Grant and Graeme, in fact most of the guys Grant cycles with dread it! They didn't lie it really is a b*tch of a hill!! My lungs and legs were screaming at me to stop!! But I got to the top eventually!!!

Then we cycled on to Newport Pagnell, Moulsoe, back towards Cranfield, through Salford (where they were having a big BBQ outside the Swan - gits!) through Wavendon and back to home!! Totalling 40 miles!!!! Yay Me!!!
And when I got home I realised I had very sunburnt arms!!! Lesson learnt - always wear suncrea, even if it does look cloudy or its not that hot!!!

And Grant told me I did well and he was proud of me! But I didn't tell you that!!!

Off out again tonight with Mum, Grant and Mum's friend from work, John Hunter! Should have gone out yesterday too but was being a lazy bones!!

Going to ride on Saturday and then Mum and I are doing a 30 mile charity ride on Sunday in Oxford!!

Thanks for reading.

Laterz!!
xx

I am Still Alive!!!

Hello all,

So sorry I have not 'blogged' for ages!!! Things have been so busy at work that I just haven't had a chance to write!!
So here are a list of things that have happened since I was last 'blogging'!!

1) I managed to cycle 30 miles!!! Grant and I rode out to Winslow (15 miles away) and stopped in a fantastic cafe there called Cappos. They do the most amazing carrot cake ever and the lady that runs it is lovely and very friendly - i would highly recommend it! And then we rode 15 miles home and it was really good and i felt fine afterwards and I managed to get up a hill that once when Grant and I drove up it in the car I said "i'm never going to get up here on a bike!"

2) I fell off my bike - TWICE!! On the ride to Winslow we stopped at a roundabout and unclipped my foot from the pedal but shifted to the wrong side, a gust of wind hit me and down i went!! I cried - alot!! Grant was very sympathetic - he came back round the roundabout, stopped next to me ( a crying heap!) and said "come on, get back on your bike!" Nice ay??
Then when we came out of Cappos i bounced down the crb and a car came round the corner, i panicked, knocked my wheel on the curb and fell down like a sack of spuds!!
Sore hand, sore arm, sore hip, sore knee!! hay ho it had to happen some day!!!

3) we did a charity bag pack at Marks and Spencer food hall in Milton Keynes city centre!! Me mum and Nan packed peoples shopping bags for 2 and a half hours a couple of Sundays ago and we raised £200!!! It was a wierd day, some people are really funny about letting other people pack their shopping bags, they have systems and things!! But most people were lovely and asked lots of questions about what we were doing and why!! and they were very generous!! So we are doing it again on Saturday 17th May and we are hoping to raise lots more - so come and see us!!!

4) When Mum came to MK for the bag pack day Grant fitted her up on her road bike - very exciting!!! She had a little ride up and down the road on the Sunday and then she came back over on the Monday evening for a proper go on it. So we put the bikes on the roof rack and drove over to Cheddington to a do a little circuit over there!! Grant very patiently trained with mum and I cycled with Malcolm who met us over there!! It was a good ride and Mum did really well (well done you!!!) She is coming back over tonight for another go on it!!!

I think thats about it really!!! I have not been out on my bike for a week as I have been working in London all weekend but I am hoping to go out tonight if the black cloud dissappears and then I have Friday and Monday off work so I want to get out every day this weekend, weather permitting and providing I can bear to be parted from the new kitten that Grant and I are getting on Friday!!!

Anyway things are a bit quirter at work now so blogs should be a bit more regular!!

Thanks for reading!!

love
Egg

Sunday (Check me out in lycra!!urrghh)

On Sunday I managed 25 miles! Which put my total for the weekend at 48 miles!! I was so tempted to go off and ride another 2 miles so that I could say i'd done 50 but my knees were sore and to be honest so was my arse!!

There was a really horrible hill on the circuit and as you can see from the photo above I struggled on it! This was the 4th time i'd gone up it this weekend and I hated it at this point!!

While we were out on Sunday a random cyclist on a Bianchi overtook me and then Grant going down a hill, But then i picked up a bit of speed and started to catch him up again. Grant was egging me on and I think I was trying to prove something to myself, so I went all out and passed him - Yay me!! Then I realised I needed to maintain that speed otherwise I would look like a prize idiot!! So legs burning, head down I kept going and Grant and he sat behind me having a good old chat about me cycling from London to Paris! Then he came up to ride beside me - like I could chat, I was gasping for breath!! He seemed like a nice bloke though and told me just to slowly build my miles up!!

As much as I whinge while i'm out on my bike I am enjoying it. My recovery time is quite good now, so although I struggle going up the hills, I catch my breath quite quickly and manage to beat Grant on the sprint to the village side (Catch up fattie!!x)

I am going out on the MTB with mum tomorrow and maybe Thursday, then another couple of long rides planned this weekend!!

Wish me luck!!

Hollywood

Saturday

This weekend was a success!! In the pub I managed to collect another £90 sponsorship money, just by asking around! So thank you to Richard, Paul, Pete and even Stephen - who sponsored me £20 - it had to be seen to be believed, so we took a photo to prove it!!

Then I went out training on Saturday and Sunday on the bike. On Saturday we did 23 miles, it was windy, it was raining, it was hell!!! I was getting very frustrated! I couldn't get to my drinks bottle because everytime I reached for it the wind blew me, then I couldn't see to put it back in the cage coz my eyes were all watery - tears of frustration or the wind in my eyes, you decide!

To make matters worse on our second lap Grant was trying to pass me a muesli bar and I dropped it. You would have thought the world had ended!! Grant wouldn't let me turn round to go back and get it but luckily he had a back up bar in his pocket!!!

Therefore my new nickname is Hollywood!!

Winter SUCKS!!!

I hate winter, it's cold, it's dark, I feel miserable!! I just want to sleep, not train!! I want to eat all the carbs i'm supposed to when i'm training but sit on my sofa and grow fatter instead!

I got on my bike once over the bank holiday weekend because of the snow! And even that was inside on the rollers!! I got off after just under 20 minutes, and Grant said, Ok you can stop now but you're only letting yourself down!! Needless to say I got back on and did another 5 minutes!!

Roll on Saturday night and the clocks going forward! I am out on my bike on Saturday and Sunday and then I am bringing my dreaded mountain bike back to Daventry! Mum feels lonely when she goes out training on her own so I am going to go out with her in the week.
Grant said I can't bring the Bianchi back to Daventry because i'd spend half the time waiting for Mum to catch up with me (the bianchi is so much faster than an MTB). So until she gets her road bike I have to train with her on the mountain bike.
So the plan is on Wednesday, for me to cycle from Daventry to Badby and meet Mum and then have a bit of a training session and then i'll cycle back! Or Mum can come to Daventry and we can train there!

So on Wednesday if you see any cyclists please be kind and not gits - like the 2 guys I saw in a white van recently. They were on the opposite side of the road to me and they beeped their horn and stuck their fingers up! To them i say **** *** *** *******!!!Add your own expletives!!

Oh and I want to say thanks to Mello Office Supplies who have sponsored me!! I will be wearing a Mello t shirt for at least part of my trip!!

Thanks for reading!!

Em
xx

Keeping you up to date - Training on the rollers

Hi All,

Well this is my first blog - I figured I would write one to keep everyone posted on how things are progressing! For those of you that don't know, It is 24 weeks until I begin my trip from London to Paris - 300 miles in 4 days in aid of Breast Cancer Care.

So far I have raised £595 (www.justgiving.com/emilyeldershawlondon2paris) and am up to 19 miles at a time when I go out on my bike.

It was far too cold, wet and windy to go out on my bike this weekend so Grant has taught me to ride the rollers!! To any non cyclists, the rollers are a contraption that you balance your bike on top of so that you can ride your bike without actually moving anywhere. If the weather is crappy it means you can ride your bike in the house with the stereo on - seems like a much better option right?! WRONG! its bleeding hard work, you have to concentrate so hard on keeping the bike balanced because if you don't you come off - there is only one way that I would know this!! Thankfully Grant was helping me to keep my bike balanced so instead of landing on the floor I just fell against him! After 15 minutes I had had enough and wanted to get off, however with Grant holding my bike up and not letting me get off it I had to carry on!! I must say I prefer him as a boyfriend than as a coach (even though he does know what he is talking about and I would have quit if he hadn't been around!!)

So thats where I am with my training! Not going out tonight but if I get back from Peterborough on time tomorrow I might try Spinning!!

Fundraising wise - I am getting there slowly - still plenty more people to ask! I am doing 3 'bag pack' days in the local Marks and Spencer to collect peoples change when they get to the till and my boss has also said my 3 days salary while I am cycling can be donated to the cause!!

So thats your first update - roll on the clocks going forward in two weeks so that I can go out during the lighter evenings!!

I'll keep you posted.

Love
Egg