Update 27/12/2009
I am getting close to my target - it would be a real shame if they didn't let me go and I had to hand all the money back. Just think about about all those Indian children who will miss out. Especially at Christmas :-(

Please help :-)
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Thanks for visiting my Cycle India page. 

I have signed up for Cycle India.  I am going to be joining a team of people in January who will all be aiming to cycle 190 miles in India !

I do hope you can sponsor me - it is for Indian orphans and their education.   You can read all about HEAL - the charity involved on their web site - http://www.heal.co.uk/

You can find updates on my training below.

Thanks,

Jon


23rd December 2009

Well, updates to this page didn't happen very much - sorry about that.  But, that does not mean i wasn't out training in the cold and rain !  Over time i gradually managed to get the miles up and got a little bit faster.  Training culminated in 42 miles last Wednesday on a cold and drizzly day.  I would haveto admit that at the end i was pretty exhausted - how much of that was down to being soaked and freezing and how muchh to the distance i am not sure. 

Considering i was struggling to do just ten miles six months ago i am quite pleased with that.

I would say there is now a small chance i might make the full 160 miles in the first few days of next year.  So long as there are not too many hills that is.
     
If you read this after January 2010, its not to late to sponsor me anyway - HEAL does some great work looking after orphans in India. 

Thanks for your support.

PS - the diet has not gone quite so well in the last few weeks.  After losng 20 pounds i became a bit complacent and progress stopped.  Lets hope that doesn't stop me getting up a few (small) hills.


May 6th 2009

I have just signed up for Cycle India.  I am going to be joining a team of people in January who will all be aiming to cycle 190 miles in India !   Wow - this was something i did not expect to be doing and given my current state of fitness might be unwise.

However, daunted, I now have a bike and have started training.

The trip is being organised in aid of heal - a charity that helps children in India and you can read all about it on their web site at www.heal.co.uk.

Please sponsor me now - so the whole thing won't have been in vain !

I may update this page with news of my increasing stamina, loss of weight, and funds raised ( if that kind of thing actually happens ! )  as we get closer to the event.

September 8th 2009 - Update

Wow - where did for months go !   I signed up for Cycle India four months ago.  There has been some good news on the training front. I have managed to ride 40 miles over a weekend on a couple of occasions so the training is beginning to work.  However, it is becoming obvious that any more than that is going to need two things:

    1 - Some real and regular training.  I need to be able to do 40 miles in one day and comfortably and right now that seems some way off !
 
    2 - A proper diet that actually involves losing weight.

As of two weeks ago I weighed, weight for it, 270lbs (I won't convert that into stones, it is too scary).  Now, I weigh 260lbs - which shows what can happen if you stop eating large quantities of various things.

With about 16 weeks to go I need to lose at least 3 lbs a week to get to a sensible weight for cycling all of that way.

Wish me luck, come back soon for updates on progress and, please don't forget to sponsor me :-)


PS - some technical stuff from Just Giving...

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Health & Education for All (Heal) gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.