I appear to have gone mad. I appear to have forgotten that I am completely unfit and humongous and have signed up for the palace to palace bike ride………….

Erm……. Aside from the definite need to add a big fat risk to my RAID log regarding my potential demise and have immediately started succession planning!

That being said, palace to palace is a cycle from Buckingham palace to Windsor castle in aid of the Prince’s trust. From the age of 11 to 16 I was a member of the Northumbria Army cadet force. As you work your way through the ranks you are eligible to complete the DofE programme which is founded and funded by the prince’s trust. The programme still runs today and is run at 3 levels which when completed lead to a bronze, silver or gold duke of Edinburgh’s award. You achieve your award by completing a programme of activities in sections, volunteering, physical skills (midnight combat if done in cadets!), expeditions and a residential – the awards helped me as a kid to remember that there is more to life than sitting on a sofa watching TV – a lesson I have only recently remembered learning (hence the humongous lump I am dragging around today!)

Thanks to the princes trust my teens were exhausting. In order to ‘give back’ I have signed up and will complete the cycle, I won’t lie – I am terrified (which I am told is good!?). My fitness training started last month running the colour vibe followed by pretty muddy this month – tomorrow is the prudential Freecycle and the start of the ‘on the bike’ training…. 

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