Less than a week left...

It's been a hectic past few weeks. With Maggies Bike and Hike less than a week away we have now had to  accept that we really cannot train any more and have to tackle the 30 mile cycle and 10 mile walk in our current condition.
I do have to admit though that I'm over a stone lighter than this time last year and feel a lot better. We're confident that we'll finish but in what time? I know its not a race, but I am competitive so I'd like to do better than last year. That time there was a stiff breeze from the north east which did slow us down.
Just like the stiff wind on Friday when we did our last planned big cycle - a lap of Bute. What was a lovely morning while I loaded up the bikes turned into a chilly misty day with a stiff, 10mph northerly breeze by the time we got to the ferry. We headed across anyway assured that as we were doing a lap we would be hindered and helped. Sadly the hindering seemed much more effective than the helping. We had some great down hill stretches with the wind behind, but some nasty climbs with a headwind. Luckily, the last mile and a half was on the flat with the wind behind, coming right off the water. Wonderful feeling to be blasting towards the end at high speed.

at the top of one of the hills with a strong headwind

So far this month we have cycled just under 100 miles and walked over 30 miles. This works out at just over3 Maggies events. The time for all this was under 21 hours for a total of 10 'workouts'. From a pure mathematics point of view, we should complete the Bike and Hike in about 6h50m. That would be a cool time since last year I took 8h20 in total - 4h40 for the bike ride and 3h40 for the walk, plus a 1 hour lunch break at the transition between bike and hike.

It not too late to sponsor me - http://www.justgiving.com/tuvnel-2011 and thanks to those that already have.

Sponsorship Request

I’m looking for some support.

I’m part of the NEL team participating in the Maggie’s Monster Bike and Hike. This is a 30 mile cross country cycle from Fort William to Fort Augustus in the Scottish Highlands followed by a “10 mile” hike ( the event says 8 miles, but the route when plotted is closer to 10 because they keep us off the road and have a nasty switchback) to the Bronze finish at Invermoriston. That’s the plan. I do have the option of continuing for another 12 miles or even a whopping 33 more miles for the Silver and Gold finishing points as some of the rest of the team are doing.

This is all happening on the weekend of 30 April and is in aid of the Maggies Cancer Caring Centres which do a wonderful job supporting cancer sufferers and their families.

Here comes the point -  I am looking for sponsorship. We each have to raise at least £400. As I cannot physically accost you guys for sponsorship, as I’m doing to anyone who comes near me, I am asking that you go to our Just Giving website (http://www.justgiving.com/tuvnel-2011) and make a donation.

As we are competitive, I ask that you mention me in the comment that you leave – I get credited with your donation.

If you are a UK taxpayer please tick the Gift Aid box as Maggies can recover the tax you have already paid and add it to your donation.

Please donate on the website. Via paypal or credit card. Any amount – it all helps.