My sponsorship expectations of this epic 340-mile ride centre around people revelling in my discomfort.

I did this ride last year when I was cycling about 100 miles a week against whatever London's roads could throw at me. It broke me. In fact, it broke me in ways and in areas I've never been broken before.

Clearly this meant I had done the ride on the wrong bike and should buy a new one. What I needed was a CARBON bike! 

So, now I have a new bike from the correct area of the periodic table, this is going to be a breeze, right?

Ummm, maybe not. Cue list...

1. It has taken almost an entire year for my bum to heal from the last ride, during which time I have not ridden a single mile.

2. New bike might be light, but has none of the comfy bouncy bits.

3. At the end of June, I stuck an axe in my knee. Hard.

4. To compound my physical state, I'm a year fatter, older, and hairier (which causes drag).

So, for those wishing to sponsor what promises to be significantly more painful for me than last year, but this time on carbon, please dig deep!! 

GamesAid is an awesome charity that uses every penny raised to make a genuine difference to kids lives. Still need convincing? Take a look at this video of what they do.

Amazing.