I am not going to keep this going for long - I just wanted to put put there that the official 'final' total including 'gift aid' on the paper sponsorship forms was £5,200!!!
Target more than met and more than doubled!
Thank you all so much for everything! We love you all!
Take great care and don't forget our fundraising page www.justgiving.com/joandpenni
Loadsa love, Jo and Penni xxx
Thursday, 22 October 2009
Thursday, 1 October 2009
And that is, for the moment, the end of that chapter!
Today is October the 1st and it is the day the Justgiving page has closed for business!
Everyone has been so very supportive and extremely generous and we have raised a brillo amount for the MS Trust!
Our initial target was £2,500. This was set by the company who run the challenge and not a number we picked out of thin air, had we done so I don’t think either of us would have set out sights quite as high as that! I think there were a few people who even doubted that we would make £1000 but to them, all I can say is….not publishable and would be frowned upon, so I won’t write it!
Last year, the official amount of money raise for the Trust was £60k towards Information, Research, Education and Support. A large amount of money by anyone’s standard – not however very much when you compare it to the millions that are raised on one night during the telethons of the BBC. When you consider this, it is not unreasonable that there would be a target of £1,250 (minimum) per person and that the expenses for the ride should be paid for by the participant before going – at least with that the whole amount raised goes directly to the charity and as well we know, every penny counts!
As I mentioned all the way through the diary, people were giving constantly through the training, we held a number of fundraising activities and soon we had met and exceeded the official target, from then on, everything else was a bonus! As time went on and people kept giving we decided that we wouldn’t stop fundraising and we wouldn’t stop asking for money, it is not a very easy thing to do but this charity is so very important to my family and I that we just kept on; because of this the target was always being ‘upped’ and soon we were £1000 over the target!
Even when I came home from Paris and the trip had not been as successful as I wanted, although I was honest and told people that I had failed to do it, people still gave money to the cause – as I say, everyone has and continues to be amazingly generous!
Considering the kindness, it is no surprise that from a fundraising point of view this venture was a success! It makes all the difficult times throughout the training, the lonely feelings when Penni moved to Birmingham, the devastation both Penni and I felt when she wasn’t able to take part with me (although for an amazing reason which should be here 2 months today!) the muscle strains, the early mornings and late evenings at the gym, the early morning road rides in the freezing weather through the winter and the feeling of complete ‘Wallyness’ for subjecting the people of the Vale of Glamorgan to the sight of me in not only Lycra but padded shorts as well – all worthwhile! (But I still don’t know what I am going to do with 4 pairs of padded shorts!)
So, I guess you have listened to me rabbit away for long enough and want to know how much we raised. So, online, our amount raised was £1,863; Offline the amount raised was £2,437 and the gift aid from online donation was £460.59. So not counting the gift aid that will have been added from the paper forms we sent in, (donations from people off line,) our combined total was £4,760.59 – 59p is very important when every penny counts!
Thank you all again for everything, for being such fab, generous wonderful friends – we love you all loads!
And, until the next time;
Take great care,
Loadsa love, Jo xxx
Everyone has been so very supportive and extremely generous and we have raised a brillo amount for the MS Trust!
Our initial target was £2,500. This was set by the company who run the challenge and not a number we picked out of thin air, had we done so I don’t think either of us would have set out sights quite as high as that! I think there were a few people who even doubted that we would make £1000 but to them, all I can say is….not publishable and would be frowned upon, so I won’t write it!
Last year, the official amount of money raise for the Trust was £60k towards Information, Research, Education and Support. A large amount of money by anyone’s standard – not however very much when you compare it to the millions that are raised on one night during the telethons of the BBC. When you consider this, it is not unreasonable that there would be a target of £1,250 (minimum) per person and that the expenses for the ride should be paid for by the participant before going – at least with that the whole amount raised goes directly to the charity and as well we know, every penny counts!
As I mentioned all the way through the diary, people were giving constantly through the training, we held a number of fundraising activities and soon we had met and exceeded the official target, from then on, everything else was a bonus! As time went on and people kept giving we decided that we wouldn’t stop fundraising and we wouldn’t stop asking for money, it is not a very easy thing to do but this charity is so very important to my family and I that we just kept on; because of this the target was always being ‘upped’ and soon we were £1000 over the target!
Even when I came home from Paris and the trip had not been as successful as I wanted, although I was honest and told people that I had failed to do it, people still gave money to the cause – as I say, everyone has and continues to be amazingly generous!
Considering the kindness, it is no surprise that from a fundraising point of view this venture was a success! It makes all the difficult times throughout the training, the lonely feelings when Penni moved to Birmingham, the devastation both Penni and I felt when she wasn’t able to take part with me (although for an amazing reason which should be here 2 months today!) the muscle strains, the early mornings and late evenings at the gym, the early morning road rides in the freezing weather through the winter and the feeling of complete ‘Wallyness’ for subjecting the people of the Vale of Glamorgan to the sight of me in not only Lycra but padded shorts as well – all worthwhile! (But I still don’t know what I am going to do with 4 pairs of padded shorts!)
So, I guess you have listened to me rabbit away for long enough and want to know how much we raised. So, online, our amount raised was £1,863; Offline the amount raised was £2,437 and the gift aid from online donation was £460.59. So not counting the gift aid that will have been added from the paper forms we sent in, (donations from people off line,) our combined total was £4,760.59 – 59p is very important when every penny counts!
Thank you all again for everything, for being such fab, generous wonderful friends – we love you all loads!
And, until the next time;
Take great care,
Loadsa love, Jo xxx
Monday, 6 July 2009
Back in Blighty
There are a number of reasons why I wanted to do this challenge, I wanted to raise as much money as I could for the MS Trust, I wanted to raise the profile of the disease and show it in a positive way rather than the extremist and over indulgent press that has been seen in recent months with the high profile court cases of Debbie Purdy.
There were a number of reasons why I shouldn’t have ever thought about doing this challenge, I hadn’t ridden a bike in 15 years, I am not the sporty or athletic type at all and balance is a problem for me.
So, Tuesday June the 30th. We set off for London Penni, my mum, my dad and I. Loaded the bike and bags into the car and off we set. The weather was reasonably OK when we left, warm but not too bad, however, when we got to London the sun was blisteringly hot; still we checked into the hotel, stored the bike and tried to get comfortable. This was impossible and as the perfect start to the trip – we could none of us sleep because of the heat, lack of air, humidity and worry for the next day.
Wednesday, July the 1st and registration was at 6am on the heath opposite the hotel, breakfast between 6.15-40 and a briefing on the common from 6.45 until the off at 7am. The night before, we had gone for a meal as the sun was setting and as I looked at the direction in which it was, I had a clearer picture of the direction I would be travelling the next day, after all, Dover is south east isn’t it? You can imagine my dismay when instead of setting off in that direction we went the complete opposite and went north east – I think it was at that point I began to realise that we were being sent the most difficult of routes rather than the most direct. I didn’t imagine that we would be cycling along the M20 but I assumed that there would be some kind of parallel (direct) road that we could use.
The heat was unbelievable, the route was ridiculous and the promised front and back marker cyclists were non existent! It was quite an eventful morning. My chain came off twice trying to sort out the gears to get me up the ‘undulations’ (not the hills) and as I got to the top of the worst one of the day so one of the racing snake figures/ die hard cyclists who had gone sprinting off at the beginning of the day appeared at the top, covered in blood and scratched and cut to ribbons. He had gone down the wrong road and the bike that he had (a road bike) had calliper brakes which hadn’t been able to stop him and he had come off the bike and fallen 20 feet through brush, gravel and smashed into a tree. Although I didn’t know this man and I had just got to the top of a really spiteful hill (by Detling) I felt that had I been in the same situation I would have liked someone to stay with me so I and another guy that I was cycling with at the time went with him to the bottom of the hill to phone the support vehicle.
When the van arrived I met the team doctor for the first time. A nice guy called Derick who was at that point more worried than I was about the weather, my condition, the humidity and the way that they might (or may not) work together. The afternoon was less eventful; the route was as ridiculous as it was in the morning up single track roads and terrains, up unbelievably steep hills in increasing heat and humidity.
I got to Dover, day 1 done – and so was I. It was at this point that the doctor I had met earlier advised me that because of the heat in this country and the forecast for the next few days in France, I should stop the ride. I could carry on if I didn’t want his advice, but if I did that and rode against his advise, my insurance would be invalidated. I can’t remember when, if ever I have been more upset, disappointed or angry in my life. My overall fitness has not been this good for years, my general strength has increased 10 times since I have been training (one of the reasons (perhaps) I haven’t had a relapse which has meant me being off work for 18 months) and if we had had last year’s summer this year I know I would have been fine.
As you know I haven’t been one to sit in my pity pot for too long over things to do with this illness but this is one reason I would crawl into it, put the lid on and not come out for a hell of a long time.
I will get on to the more serious matters in a moment, but it was such a pants time I don’t think I can’t tell you about the (slightly) funny aspects of things. (Although it wasn’t funny at the time!) Because of having to retire at Dover, my bag had already gone to France, along with my contact lenses and glasses, all I had to help me see were the daily lenses I was wearing, my medication – 3 injections worth of Beta Interferon, all my clothes had also gone and all I had were the lycra t-shirt and padded shorts I stood up in, as had my wallet with my Barclaycard all my cash bar £60 and €35 but as luck would have it, I did have my passport as I had to keep that in my ‘bum-bag’ for the ferry that day! So a quick trip to M&S to buy pants and clothes, Boots to try (to no avail) to get some more contact lenses (thank goodness for Specsavers the next day) and a toothbrush, Penni to rush to the bank to arrange some cash for me to borrow and mum to book me a ticket on the Euro-star. I had decided that as they had all booked and paid for a to Paris for the next few days and David had also arranged a trip over on the Saturday to see the bike ride finish, and as I had arranged some time off work that I would go with them all and see the ride come in and collect my bag while I was there.
On the Saturday, Dave, mum, dad, Penni and I were having lunch at a little bistro by the Eiffel Tower when Penni spotted two guys in Discovery Adventure t-shirts! Dave and I ran over to them to ask what the best thing to do to get my bag back. They spoke to the main organiser of the day (and other Dave) and were told to ‘rock up’ to the meeting place but the fountain at the front of the tower at about 3pm and meet the ride. As I had already decided that I wanted to see it finish this was perfect. When we got there I saw one of the girls I had met on Wednesday who was very kind and said that everyone was so excited and pleased that I had gone to Paris – I was to touched for words but nothing prepared me for the emotion I felt as I saw the bikes come around the island and stop in front of the tower, I felt such a mixture of emotions, I was so proud of the guys who had completed the ride, I was gutted that I wasn’t able to do it with them and the knowledge that I probably never will be able to do it was almost unbearable. When Dave (the organiser), Laura (the administrator) and Derick the doctor came over to where I was with a London to Paris t-shirt and “said put it on and get in the photo” I nearly died! It was something I hadn’t ever expected to happen and wasn’t the reason I was there – it was so out of the blue that once again the emotion overcame me.
So how should I look at this? 300 miles will always be a challenge but 300 miles in a 100˚ heat wave is even more of a challenge and when you couple with this the route which we were given and the humidity that usually comes with the warmer weather in this part of the world it makes for an even more difficult time is one way. I fought the disease and the disease won – and perhaps I should listen to people like Debby Purdy rather than trying to show everyone that things can be different is another way but I am trying to be as positive as I can, Penni and I have decided that after she has had the baby, after my wedding and when the weather is not as hot (probably next autumn) we will ride our bike from Barry to St David’s in west Wales. It doesn’t have the same impact as London to Paris but it will be 150 miles and we will both be doing it.
As it is, am I allowed to say that I got to Paris, it wasn’t on a bike as I had planned but of all the things that I can battle and fight, as much as I would like to I can’t control the weather and I can’t fight a disease that reacts badly to humidity. I can try, but we all know what will happen and what good would it do putting myself into relapse and missing my mate’s party on the weekend and my mate’s wedding in Tunisia the week after? Perhaps this is a bit selfish and not quite accurate but I did put my MS Trust t-shirt on and stand in front of the tower for a photo because although it wasn’t on a bike, I got to Paris and I (and Penni) raised at the last count £4,009 for the charity; four thousand pounds more than they would have had if we hadn’t decided that we would try this challenge.
I won’t be begging anymore as I really don’t think that I can (and although your donations have already gone to the charity, if you want the sponsorship money back please let me know) but I hope that the promise that both Penni and I will ride 150 miles in cooler weather and the 90 miles from Wednesday will be symbolic enough for you to keep your donation to the MS Trust. And if you want to give anyway or know anyone who does the online donation page is open until October.
So thank you everyone for your support over the last year – it has been one of the most inspiring things ever and it has really helped me with training and fundraising to know that you have been behind me.
So, until the next time; take great care and don't forget our fundraising page www.justgiving.com/joandpenni
Loadsa love, Jx
There were a number of reasons why I shouldn’t have ever thought about doing this challenge, I hadn’t ridden a bike in 15 years, I am not the sporty or athletic type at all and balance is a problem for me.
So, Tuesday June the 30th. We set off for London Penni, my mum, my dad and I. Loaded the bike and bags into the car and off we set. The weather was reasonably OK when we left, warm but not too bad, however, when we got to London the sun was blisteringly hot; still we checked into the hotel, stored the bike and tried to get comfortable. This was impossible and as the perfect start to the trip – we could none of us sleep because of the heat, lack of air, humidity and worry for the next day.
Wednesday, July the 1st and registration was at 6am on the heath opposite the hotel, breakfast between 6.15-40 and a briefing on the common from 6.45 until the off at 7am. The night before, we had gone for a meal as the sun was setting and as I looked at the direction in which it was, I had a clearer picture of the direction I would be travelling the next day, after all, Dover is south east isn’t it? You can imagine my dismay when instead of setting off in that direction we went the complete opposite and went north east – I think it was at that point I began to realise that we were being sent the most difficult of routes rather than the most direct. I didn’t imagine that we would be cycling along the M20 but I assumed that there would be some kind of parallel (direct) road that we could use.
The heat was unbelievable, the route was ridiculous and the promised front and back marker cyclists were non existent! It was quite an eventful morning. My chain came off twice trying to sort out the gears to get me up the ‘undulations’ (not the hills) and as I got to the top of the worst one of the day so one of the racing snake figures/ die hard cyclists who had gone sprinting off at the beginning of the day appeared at the top, covered in blood and scratched and cut to ribbons. He had gone down the wrong road and the bike that he had (a road bike) had calliper brakes which hadn’t been able to stop him and he had come off the bike and fallen 20 feet through brush, gravel and smashed into a tree. Although I didn’t know this man and I had just got to the top of a really spiteful hill (by Detling) I felt that had I been in the same situation I would have liked someone to stay with me so I and another guy that I was cycling with at the time went with him to the bottom of the hill to phone the support vehicle.
When the van arrived I met the team doctor for the first time. A nice guy called Derick who was at that point more worried than I was about the weather, my condition, the humidity and the way that they might (or may not) work together. The afternoon was less eventful; the route was as ridiculous as it was in the morning up single track roads and terrains, up unbelievably steep hills in increasing heat and humidity.
I got to Dover, day 1 done – and so was I. It was at this point that the doctor I had met earlier advised me that because of the heat in this country and the forecast for the next few days in France, I should stop the ride. I could carry on if I didn’t want his advice, but if I did that and rode against his advise, my insurance would be invalidated. I can’t remember when, if ever I have been more upset, disappointed or angry in my life. My overall fitness has not been this good for years, my general strength has increased 10 times since I have been training (one of the reasons (perhaps) I haven’t had a relapse which has meant me being off work for 18 months) and if we had had last year’s summer this year I know I would have been fine.
As you know I haven’t been one to sit in my pity pot for too long over things to do with this illness but this is one reason I would crawl into it, put the lid on and not come out for a hell of a long time.
I will get on to the more serious matters in a moment, but it was such a pants time I don’t think I can’t tell you about the (slightly) funny aspects of things. (Although it wasn’t funny at the time!) Because of having to retire at Dover, my bag had already gone to France, along with my contact lenses and glasses, all I had to help me see were the daily lenses I was wearing, my medication – 3 injections worth of Beta Interferon, all my clothes had also gone and all I had were the lycra t-shirt and padded shorts I stood up in, as had my wallet with my Barclaycard all my cash bar £60 and €35 but as luck would have it, I did have my passport as I had to keep that in my ‘bum-bag’ for the ferry that day! So a quick trip to M&S to buy pants and clothes, Boots to try (to no avail) to get some more contact lenses (thank goodness for Specsavers the next day) and a toothbrush, Penni to rush to the bank to arrange some cash for me to borrow and mum to book me a ticket on the Euro-star. I had decided that as they had all booked and paid for a to Paris for the next few days and David had also arranged a trip over on the Saturday to see the bike ride finish, and as I had arranged some time off work that I would go with them all and see the ride come in and collect my bag while I was there.
On the Saturday, Dave, mum, dad, Penni and I were having lunch at a little bistro by the Eiffel Tower when Penni spotted two guys in Discovery Adventure t-shirts! Dave and I ran over to them to ask what the best thing to do to get my bag back. They spoke to the main organiser of the day (and other Dave) and were told to ‘rock up’ to the meeting place but the fountain at the front of the tower at about 3pm and meet the ride. As I had already decided that I wanted to see it finish this was perfect. When we got there I saw one of the girls I had met on Wednesday who was very kind and said that everyone was so excited and pleased that I had gone to Paris – I was to touched for words but nothing prepared me for the emotion I felt as I saw the bikes come around the island and stop in front of the tower, I felt such a mixture of emotions, I was so proud of the guys who had completed the ride, I was gutted that I wasn’t able to do it with them and the knowledge that I probably never will be able to do it was almost unbearable. When Dave (the organiser), Laura (the administrator) and Derick the doctor came over to where I was with a London to Paris t-shirt and “said put it on and get in the photo” I nearly died! It was something I hadn’t ever expected to happen and wasn’t the reason I was there – it was so out of the blue that once again the emotion overcame me.
So how should I look at this? 300 miles will always be a challenge but 300 miles in a 100˚ heat wave is even more of a challenge and when you couple with this the route which we were given and the humidity that usually comes with the warmer weather in this part of the world it makes for an even more difficult time is one way. I fought the disease and the disease won – and perhaps I should listen to people like Debby Purdy rather than trying to show everyone that things can be different is another way but I am trying to be as positive as I can, Penni and I have decided that after she has had the baby, after my wedding and when the weather is not as hot (probably next autumn) we will ride our bike from Barry to St David’s in west Wales. It doesn’t have the same impact as London to Paris but it will be 150 miles and we will both be doing it.
As it is, am I allowed to say that I got to Paris, it wasn’t on a bike as I had planned but of all the things that I can battle and fight, as much as I would like to I can’t control the weather and I can’t fight a disease that reacts badly to humidity. I can try, but we all know what will happen and what good would it do putting myself into relapse and missing my mate’s party on the weekend and my mate’s wedding in Tunisia the week after? Perhaps this is a bit selfish and not quite accurate but I did put my MS Trust t-shirt on and stand in front of the tower for a photo because although it wasn’t on a bike, I got to Paris and I (and Penni) raised at the last count £4,009 for the charity; four thousand pounds more than they would have had if we hadn’t decided that we would try this challenge.
I won’t be begging anymore as I really don’t think that I can (and although your donations have already gone to the charity, if you want the sponsorship money back please let me know) but I hope that the promise that both Penni and I will ride 150 miles in cooler weather and the 90 miles from Wednesday will be symbolic enough for you to keep your donation to the MS Trust. And if you want to give anyway or know anyone who does the online donation page is open until October.
So thank you everyone for your support over the last year – it has been one of the most inspiring things ever and it has really helped me with training and fundraising to know that you have been behind me.
So, until the next time; take great care and don't forget our fundraising page www.justgiving.com/joandpenni
Loadsa love, Jx
Monday, 29 June 2009
The Last Post Before I Go
Now I really don’t know what to say! I am packed, my bike is ready but I don’t know if I am! I have a super new saddle, some slime filled inner tubes and Dave managed to fit the pump to my bike frame this evening. I have some sugary drinks; some energy bars and a high visibility vest so that when I am trippin’ my head off on glucose and fall in the river – I will at least be seen!
So, at about 10.30 tomorrow morning my mum, my dad, my sister and I will be on our way up the M4 east bound towards the smoke. I don’t know what to expect but I am, as I mentioned before completely petrified! I find the thought of sharing a room with a stranger for the first time in 13 years is really daunting! All I hope is that I will be sharing with someone who is as worried about the whole things and who will be as nervous about cycling 300 miles as I am!
All I know, is that I have done all that I could have to prepare for this challenge, whether it is enough or not will soon be known and I am sure that in 10 years time I will look back and think what a brillo time I had! Although I don’t think that will make the next 36 hours any easier! I am meeting up with a great mate tomorrow night – and that will defo be a good thing and I know that between her, her fiancée, my folks and my sister I will be made to laugh and the time will just fly! (In a good way!)
Well – here we are, my final post until it is all over and I really can’t think of anything interesting to say – no doubt I will want to finish the story when I get home and no doubt it probably won’t be for a few days – but I won’t hold myself to that – who knows, I might be on such a high that my fingers won’t keep up with my brain and I will have to get typing as soon as I get in! Whatever happens – it will be alright, won’t it?! We will see!
Until it is all over; take great care and don't forget our fundraising page www.justgiving.com/joandpenni (it's up to £3,879 now but we still need more!)
Loadsa love, Jx
So, at about 10.30 tomorrow morning my mum, my dad, my sister and I will be on our way up the M4 east bound towards the smoke. I don’t know what to expect but I am, as I mentioned before completely petrified! I find the thought of sharing a room with a stranger for the first time in 13 years is really daunting! All I hope is that I will be sharing with someone who is as worried about the whole things and who will be as nervous about cycling 300 miles as I am!
All I know, is that I have done all that I could have to prepare for this challenge, whether it is enough or not will soon be known and I am sure that in 10 years time I will look back and think what a brillo time I had! Although I don’t think that will make the next 36 hours any easier! I am meeting up with a great mate tomorrow night – and that will defo be a good thing and I know that between her, her fiancée, my folks and my sister I will be made to laugh and the time will just fly! (In a good way!)
Well – here we are, my final post until it is all over and I really can’t think of anything interesting to say – no doubt I will want to finish the story when I get home and no doubt it probably won’t be for a few days – but I won’t hold myself to that – who knows, I might be on such a high that my fingers won’t keep up with my brain and I will have to get typing as soon as I get in! Whatever happens – it will be alright, won’t it?! We will see!
Until it is all over; take great care and don't forget our fundraising page www.justgiving.com/joandpenni (it's up to £3,879 now but we still need more!)
Loadsa love, Jx
Sunday, 28 June 2009
72 Hours and (H)I’ll be Hon my Whey!
Can you believe it? I can’t!
It is 5pm, on Sunday, the 28th of June which actually means that it is less than 72 hours until I set off – but there is so much to do still! Like get thin, get fit, get a larger seat for my bike, get Dave to fix the water bottle holder to the frame (which I have just found out, doesn't fit!), get another bag for the frame of my bike – these things all take time and I just don’t have any now!
Still – I have been doing as was suggested in the information day – I have still been training this week but I have been very careful about it all! I am not planning on going at all tomorrow (Monday) and I won’t have a chance on Tuesday and then 6-6.30 on Wednesday is registration on Blackheath ready for a 7am at the latest set off!
I am having mixed feelings about the whole thing now – they range between complete panic and a relaxed state of c’est la vie but as Penni said, when I get there the feeling of being on the ceiling will probably be with me for ever more and “I rode a bike from London to Paris” will replace “I have more letters after my name than in it” as my favourite thing to say!
Today I have been to the gym and done another hour of resistance training and I am toying with the idea of going on the sun bed for a few minutes as we have been promised 30˚ heat next week I think I should try and give my skin a fighting chance – and if it rains, I will be very annoyed! Although I probably won’t be too unhappy as I am stopping off in M&S on the way home tomorrow to buy a waterproof packable jacket – watch me spend £15 on that at the weather forecast be completely right – but then again, we know what will happen if I don’t!
The online donation page is looking really very good and is up to £3,660 and I have £166 to send in with one more collection box still out collecting but we still need more! Please keep spreading the word and thanks to everyone for their support!
So, until the next time; take great care and don't forget our fundraising page www.justgiving.com/joandpenni
Loadsa love, Jx
It is 5pm, on Sunday, the 28th of June which actually means that it is less than 72 hours until I set off – but there is so much to do still! Like get thin, get fit, get a larger seat for my bike, get Dave to fix the water bottle holder to the frame (which I have just found out, doesn't fit!), get another bag for the frame of my bike – these things all take time and I just don’t have any now!
Still – I have been doing as was suggested in the information day – I have still been training this week but I have been very careful about it all! I am not planning on going at all tomorrow (Monday) and I won’t have a chance on Tuesday and then 6-6.30 on Wednesday is registration on Blackheath ready for a 7am at the latest set off!
I am having mixed feelings about the whole thing now – they range between complete panic and a relaxed state of c’est la vie but as Penni said, when I get there the feeling of being on the ceiling will probably be with me for ever more and “I rode a bike from London to Paris” will replace “I have more letters after my name than in it” as my favourite thing to say!
Today I have been to the gym and done another hour of resistance training and I am toying with the idea of going on the sun bed for a few minutes as we have been promised 30˚ heat next week I think I should try and give my skin a fighting chance – and if it rains, I will be very annoyed! Although I probably won’t be too unhappy as I am stopping off in M&S on the way home tomorrow to buy a waterproof packable jacket – watch me spend £15 on that at the weather forecast be completely right – but then again, we know what will happen if I don’t!
The online donation page is looking really very good and is up to £3,660 and I have £166 to send in with one more collection box still out collecting but we still need more! Please keep spreading the word and thanks to everyone for their support!
So, until the next time; take great care and don't forget our fundraising page www.justgiving.com/joandpenni
Loadsa love, Jx
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
7 days to the off!
Now I know I said that I would update the page every day until I go and I haven’t – I am realising now that it is probably a bit on the impossible side too! I can’t do it every day – I haven’t the time to do everything else that I am supposed to do including last minute training but I did go last night. Honest!
The training guide I had said that the furthest distance I must have done by the time I go is 60 miles – and I have done that! (62 if I am being pedantic!) I also feel that with proper breaks and a bit of company I could have gone on further – surely that has to be a good thing? It also said that in the week before the ride I should take training quite easy, well, I certainly don’t need much encouragement on that point! I have been training for the best part of a year but probably not as hard as I could (or dare I say, should have!) Anyway, this week I have decided to go for resistance rather than distance in the gym. I went for a proper strength workout Tuesday and if I go on Thursday and Sunday I should be OK and I will certainly feel ready – but I don’t know if I will be!
I think I will have a slightly less strenuous work out tonight and do 5 minutes on the sun bed. That should see me right! I did an hour last night but as I say, I went for resistance to make things tougher for the time that I was there! I did 15 minutes on level 10 on the exercise bike, 15 minutes on the treadmill at 13% gradient and 5.5km an hour, 15 minutes on the cross trainer at level 10, 8 minutes on the stepper machine at level 7 and 7 minutes on the arm exercise bike going down a level after every minute and finishing on level 2. All in all, only an hour gone out of the evening and a workout that was better than doing nothing, burned 398 calories and actually managed to get rid of the headache I had gone in with!
So, a week today and I will be on my way – I am thinking to myself that if I can get through the Wednesday, I will have done the longest day and that I should be OK after that – but I am worried about getting to Dover in time – it is a long way and I am not the kind of person who thrives under pressure – I avoid it at all costs if I am honest! Still, we can but try!
So, until the next time; take great care and don't forget our fundraising page www.justgiving.com/joandpenni
Loadsa love, Jx
The training guide I had said that the furthest distance I must have done by the time I go is 60 miles – and I have done that! (62 if I am being pedantic!) I also feel that with proper breaks and a bit of company I could have gone on further – surely that has to be a good thing? It also said that in the week before the ride I should take training quite easy, well, I certainly don’t need much encouragement on that point! I have been training for the best part of a year but probably not as hard as I could (or dare I say, should have!) Anyway, this week I have decided to go for resistance rather than distance in the gym. I went for a proper strength workout Tuesday and if I go on Thursday and Sunday I should be OK and I will certainly feel ready – but I don’t know if I will be!
I think I will have a slightly less strenuous work out tonight and do 5 minutes on the sun bed. That should see me right! I did an hour last night but as I say, I went for resistance to make things tougher for the time that I was there! I did 15 minutes on level 10 on the exercise bike, 15 minutes on the treadmill at 13% gradient and 5.5km an hour, 15 minutes on the cross trainer at level 10, 8 minutes on the stepper machine at level 7 and 7 minutes on the arm exercise bike going down a level after every minute and finishing on level 2. All in all, only an hour gone out of the evening and a workout that was better than doing nothing, burned 398 calories and actually managed to get rid of the headache I had gone in with!
So, a week today and I will be on my way – I am thinking to myself that if I can get through the Wednesday, I will have done the longest day and that I should be OK after that – but I am worried about getting to Dover in time – it is a long way and I am not the kind of person who thrives under pressure – I avoid it at all costs if I am honest! Still, we can but try!
So, until the next time; take great care and don't forget our fundraising page www.justgiving.com/joandpenni
Loadsa love, Jx
Saturday, 20 June 2009
11 Days ‘Till the Off!
Well I was planning to update my blog every day until I go but I am very aware that I didn’t do it yesterday. There were a few reasons for this, I didn’t have anything to say really (I know, that hasn’t stopped me in the past!) but I didn’t go training, I only went on the sun bed and I don’t think that counts and, if I’m honest - I did forget! Well, Penni and Andrew came home for the weekend and so it was a bit too exciting to show Penni photos of the flowers I have chosen for my wedding and admire her beginning to show bump!
Today (Saturday) I have more than made up for not training yesterday – well, I think so! I was in the gym this morning by about 9.30 and there I stayed until about 1.30 – I am not exactly sure of the time but whichever way – I wasn’t there less than 4 or more than 5 hours and in that time, I did, among other things like the treadmill up hill and quite quickly for 10 minutes and the cross trainer for 10 minutes and the arm bike for 10 minutes 100km of cycling! 100km which I think makes it about 62 miles and all on a bowl of sugar puffs! If I had done another 45km I would have done 90 miles and I would have done the first day of the challenge! I don't mind admitting that I am feeling positive in my ability to do that as well! Especially after this morning in the gym!
The training schedule that I was sent a few months ago suggested that the longest training cycle I do should be 60 miles, having done that I am feeling more positive but I am still not sure! It seems to have come around so quickly – I know it has been the best part of a year that I have been planning this, but the last 3 months have really crept up on me and now I am off in 11 days and it is all a bit sudden! Ah well – I hope I am right in thinking that as Paris is south from London – it will be down hill all the way. I think I am probably very wrong on that one but there is always hope – isn’t there?
So, until the next time; take great care and don't forget our fundraising page www.justgiving.com/joandpenni
Loadsa love, Jx
Today (Saturday) I have more than made up for not training yesterday – well, I think so! I was in the gym this morning by about 9.30 and there I stayed until about 1.30 – I am not exactly sure of the time but whichever way – I wasn’t there less than 4 or more than 5 hours and in that time, I did, among other things like the treadmill up hill and quite quickly for 10 minutes and the cross trainer for 10 minutes and the arm bike for 10 minutes 100km of cycling! 100km which I think makes it about 62 miles and all on a bowl of sugar puffs! If I had done another 45km I would have done 90 miles and I would have done the first day of the challenge! I don't mind admitting that I am feeling positive in my ability to do that as well! Especially after this morning in the gym!
The training schedule that I was sent a few months ago suggested that the longest training cycle I do should be 60 miles, having done that I am feeling more positive but I am still not sure! It seems to have come around so quickly – I know it has been the best part of a year that I have been planning this, but the last 3 months have really crept up on me and now I am off in 11 days and it is all a bit sudden! Ah well – I hope I am right in thinking that as Paris is south from London – it will be down hill all the way. I think I am probably very wrong on that one but there is always hope – isn’t there?
So, until the next time; take great care and don't forget our fundraising page www.justgiving.com/joandpenni
Loadsa love, Jx
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