Edinburgh to London Cycle Ride

...now that the ride has finished there are a number people I would like to thank who made this adventure possible for me:

 - Integra Associates: Integra were my title sponsor and provided a large proportion of my fund raising.  There support throughout my training and during the ride was key to being able to finish and enjoy all the stages of the ride, thank you Integra! (read more about them below)

- Guildford Sports Therapy: Phillipa Lock from Guildford Sports Therapy provided a very generous donation towards my fund raising total, thank you to all the support!!

- All my sponsors: Thank you to everyone who took the time to spare some money, little or big, to help Right To Play and to let me going on this amazing fund raising event. Big thanks to you all.

- Katharine Wright: For putting up with all the training rides, sore legs and general sleepiness after a tough day, I wouldn't have been able to do this without you!!

The final day!! After a good ten minutes trying to wake up my legs, we climbed aboard our bikes for the last time. Moving was difficult but it only took a couple of miles for the muscles to start working again and the speed to pick up. Chris and myself had to make a quick roadside stop which put us a mile or two behind the pack. The flat roads east of Oxford before the Chilterns made for excellent time trialling and so we put the power down and gathered a train of people along the way to the front of the pack again!

I managed to injure my right knee in the process, but as we neared the front of the group again, the road started to turn upwards as we hit the Chilterns. A number of long scary descents through narrow forest-enclosed roads, as well as some equally lengthy climbs followed before the roads started to flatten out and the suburbs of London were in view.

After a short stop just outside the city centre we split onto groups and began the final push through London to reach Buckingham palace.  There were some navigation errors along the way, along with a few worried phone calls from people at the finish line asking where we were, but we made it in the end!!

We finished triumphantly and after many photos were taken, the entire group joined up and went for one last lap around the fountain outside the palace, waving to the Queen and all the fans who appeared to welcome us home!!

Day 5 was the longest day of the trip in terms of miles, but reassuringly it was also fairly flat. The route down towards Oxford was extremely picturesque and I had no mechanical issues for the entire day! However, after an ill-timed toilet break at the second feed station I found myself on my own and chasing the pack with no directions and a strong headwind. I eventually caught second group of riders, but decided to push on to catch up with the first group. The going was tough but worth it when I was back up riding with the guys I had come to know over the past few days!

The long downhill section into the centre of Oxford was fast and exciting we were all attempting to get the speed cameras to flash as we sprinted past the traffic in the bus lane. After some good navigation a a bit of luck we were almost at Oxford Brooks University Campus. We sprinted the final hill of the day, taking us up into the campus and I couldn't wait for the meal waiting us in the canteen!

After our ordeal on day three I was hoping for a non eventful day 4, however that was not going to happen.

Upon leaving the University campus, disaster struck for the third time!  This time it wasn't my chain, it was my front wheel and my leg!  My team mate Chris collided with another rider in front of me the three of us piled on top of one another.  Chris had some nasty road rash, but his bike was okay and after a brush off was off to chase the back of the group.  I on the other had managed to gash my leg and rip my front tyre, rendering it useless.  My leg was okay, but I had to wait for the support van to deliver me a new tyre, not so good!  Luckily however the van drove me to the head of the group where my the rest of the team from the University of Surrey were waiting for me 10 miles down the road... I figured that this made up for the detour we took on Day 2!

The rest of the ride went well and we eventually winded our way through the fairly flat (in comparison to yesterday!) roads towards our final destination; Nottingham.  Upon reaching the outskirts we were told we could take either the shorter route through the city or the longer route by the river...  of course, we had to take the longer route, especially after my free ride in the van that morning!

Day three was an unpleasant day... The weather had finally caught up with us and as we setted off on the epic 108 miles with 1800 meters of vertical climb the rain began to set in.

Almost as soon as we were out of the flat landscape of the city the roads began to rise and disaster struck again for me! At the top of the first hill my chain broke for the second time. The rest of the team from Surrey opted to stay behind and help me get it fixed (thanks guys!). The complete peleton along with some stragglers at the back went past us and it was another 5 minutes before we got on the road again! Some hard riding up the hills meant that we were back with the pack towards after 15 miles or so. Then the rain really set in and we were soaked by the time we reached the first of our four feed stations. Upon arrival we learned that the lead group had left just five minutes before we arrived so we set off almost straight away after re-filling water bottles!

By the time we reached the next stop we had caught them up and were back at the front of the pack, even the weather was improving. Stories of other riders not making it to some of the feed stations and having to pull out were filtering through to us as we pushed on!

After over 100 miles of cycling we finally reach the last hill into Leeds, a group of now familiar faces lead the way up the hill and then broke into a fast decent down towards the University campus where we finished the third day!

We all woke up, quite stiff from yesterday's ride, but eager to get back out on the road again! Today was the leg to Newcastle and it was a fairly flat 80 miles.

The day started off as the previous day had finished with a group of the faster riders breaking away and keeping a fast and steady pace through the rolling countryside north of Newcastle. I was having a great time leading the group through the quite hedgerows of the north and before long we were 30 miles north of Newcastle.

However, it was becoming apparent to us that being the group a few miles in front could become an issue... We took a wrong turning at about 55 miles and ended up having to retrace our steps adding a fairly sizeable hill and 7 miles to our overall distance for the day!!

Eventually we reached Newcastle and after half an hour of dodging traffic to reach the University the end was in site along with a shower and possibly the best lasagne any of us had tasted!

Finally, we all made it up to Edinburgh for the ride!! None of could get much sleep and I was really nervous while eating breakfast. All everyone was thinking about was the next 550 miles we had to ride...

Disaster struck before the ride had even got under way!! My chain broke on the way from the accommodation in Edinburgh to the start line! Luckily, after a quick roadside fix and some photos with Mark Cavendish (wow!) we were off!

The first few miles were slow as we edged our way south through the suburbs of Edinburgh. Eventually about 20 miles into the first leg we were on the roads headed towards Berwick Upon Tweed and the pace picked up. The hills over the highlands had our group of 100 riders stretched out, but after 60 miles of cycling we eventually all made it to our camp site for the first night just North of Berwick.

The next big training date is the 9th of August, this will be a loop from Guidford to Box Hill and back with some training at Box Hill. The profile of the circuit around Box Hill is in the picture below or click here to check out the route.

Thanks to everyone who made it on the Esporta Guildford to Brighton bike ride!! The event was a great success and everyone enjoyed themselves, we covered a total of 46 miles at an average speed of 13.5 mph, so well done to everyone!

As part of my training I also cycled back to Guildford and you will be glad to know I made it in one piece, covering a total of 92 miles and averaging 15 mph, though I'm still in need of much more training!

The first draft of the jersey I'll be wearing on the London to Edinburgh bike ride is now ready, check out the above picture! The jersey contains the Right to Play logo and the logos of my corporate sponsors- Integra Associates and Guildford Sports Therapy.

Integra Associates have been confirmed as my title sponsor for the Right to Play Edinburgh to London cycle ride!

Integra Associates specialise in financial systems, providing services in software selection, system implementations, business improvements and organisational change management. They are expert users of Agresso and remain to date the largest and longest established independant supplier in the United Kingdom. Find out more about Integra by visiting their website below.

http://www.integra-associates.com/default.htm

Thanks to everyone who was at the new members evening at Esporta Health Club in Guildford yesterday evening, I raised much more than I had expected! Cash donations will be uploaded to Just Giving and a special thanks goes to Paule Leroyer for her very generous donation.

This photo shows my stand, what it doesn't show is that I was dressed up in my cycling lycra for the duration of the evening and I have yet to work out if this increased or decreased my chances of obtaining sponsorship!

Guildford Sports therapy are confirmed as a sponsor!

Information about their first class services in sports therapy can be found via their website. They offer high quality, discreet care to ensure a personalised treatment along with exercise programs that help you to achieve your health and fitness goals. At appropriate times liaising with other professionals, with direct referrals to Chartered Physiotherapists, highly qualified Personal Trainers and other health care professionals. Find out more information on their website:

http://www.guildfordsportstherapy.co.uk/

If you've found this page then either you have already sponsored me or are planning to sponsor me when I cycle from Edinburgh to London in August 2009 for the charity Right to Play!

This blog will keep you up to date with information about how I am doing throughout the ride as well as information on my training and fund raising beforehand.

I have always been a keen sportsman, so taking on a challenge such as this one combined with raising money for a good cause was something I had to do. The charity for the event will be Right to Play and further information on them is shown below.

Creating a healthier and safer world through the power of sport and play

Right To Play is an international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play programs to improve health, develop life skills, and foster peace for children and communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world. Working in both the humanitarian and development context, Right To Play trains local community leaders as Coaches to deliver its programs in countries affected by war, poverty, and disease in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and South America.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child guides our work. Right To Play programs target the most marginalized including girls, people living with disability, children affected by HIV and AIDS, street children, former child combatants and refugees.

Currently, Right To Play works in 23 countries: Azerbaijan, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Pakistan, Peru, occupied Palestinian territory, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, the United Arab Emirates and Zambia.

Right To Play is supported by an international team of top athletes from more than 40 countries. As role models, these athletes inspire children, raise awareness and promote opportunities for funding for Right To Play programs.

WHEN CHILDREN PLAY, THE WORLD WINS