Sponsor me & WIN a Skid Pan Driving course with

                    Shawn Taylor Racing    

                                      www.st-racing.com

Every £10 of sponsorship will get you one entry into my prize draw (i.e. £30 will get you 3 entries) Draw to take place on 21 June to allow collection of offline sponsorship also.

Now I said yes to this challenge without thinking it through. (what a surprise lol)

I then quickly realised that 1. I dont have a bike and 2. a 100 miles is a flipping long way. 

So I will just have to rise to the challenge. I have for years admired the cyclists in the tour de france, I now have the opportunity to 'race' in the tour de Norfolk. My training has started with spinning in the gym, and somehow I am sure, the perfect road bike will manifest its way to me soon.

My motivation is twofold, firstly as chair of the board of trustees for Red Balloon Norwich I often feel that I don't do enough physically for our wonderful charity and with the current refurbishment of our new learner centre on Earlham Road - Norwich, everything we can do to raise money is paramount. Secondly at age 46 I could use an incentive to get and stay fitter!

So if you can donate a few pounds, FANTASTIC, we really appreciate your help.

UPDATE 30th March 09: Lee Simpson of Edward Jones Investments has loaned me his bike woohoo. Thankfully I have put a few weeks training in at the gym. Nothing like proper road miles though. We also have three others who have joined Team Red Balloon, Simon Gray at Credo Asset Finance, Matt Coe & Kylie Maynard at APR Telecoms.  Anyone else wanna join us email me at dan@theguild.co.uk

UPDATE 4th April: Been out three times on Lee's bike this week for total of 55 miles (5 more than schedule), backside is sore lol, but getting easier. Am well pleased with the bike and my average speed (dont wanna take 10hrs to complete the 100). Looking forward to doing some sessions with the other team members. Mileage target this week is 60, which I have to do after work as away next weekend.

UPDATE 16th April: Managed to get 65 miles in last week with one of the rides to Holt & back. Matt Coe saw me on way back, he reckons I looked wasted and has never seen anyone go so slow lol, cheers Matt! Aiming for 60 this week and have booked in to do the Beccles 50 in about 3 weeks time which should be good prep. Enjoying the training, had trustee meeting tonight and realised we got to up the ante quite a bit with our fund raising as we are running a few thousand below what we need. Kinda spurs me on when my muscles ache!

UPDATE 26th April: Just back from lovely ride out to Roughton nr Cromer for 33 miles. total 70 this week. 75 next week an not many slots in the diary mmm. My main issue is bum soreness, so much admiration for dudes who do this regularly. Got Beccles 50 in 2 weeks quite confidant about that but the 100 is a mountain in comparison. Also looking forward to riding with Matt & Simon for first time and couple beers after ;-). Got my pack thru from the 100 organisors I am #81 ( I could win this lol). We had couple of setbacks with the house renovation this week which means we are a few thousand short as the problems were unexpected. Great that we got a few legends attached to Red Balloon to make this just a little hurdle we have to get over.

UPDATE 5th May: Achieved 75 miles last week with 55 of those on one ride. Its getting tougher & tougher. Maybe its because I am alone and have to rely on my own strength completely to do the miles, the hills and the headwinds. Not forgetting of course the sore rear end (will that ever change?). 80 Miles this week to do (50 of those on Sunday at Beccles) and less than 5 weeks to the big day :-) One of the many thoughts I have had whilst riding the hours away was how can I increase the willingness to sponsor me without hounding people and putting them on the spot. Answer, in addition to contributing to a worthy cause perhaps I can get a prize or two that they can go into a draw for. Watch this space.

UPDATE 12th May.  Rode the Beccles 50 cycle for life on Sunday with Matt, two 25 mile circuits, we hooked up with Chris Lewis from STR Racing his Dad & Mate for the first circuit. It was great riding in a group, the second circuit we went alone as we felt they would slow us down (only kidding lol). In truth we both suffered in the rear areas hehe and two days later I am just about walking properly again and still the thought of 100 miles in just 26 days time is flippin scarey. IT IS A LOOOOOONG WAY! Gonna need a mattress for a seat and loads of ice. I am now on the lookout for a decent prize for a draw for all who sponsor me. 85 miles to do this week with a tender little bottom ;-)

UPDATE 13th May: had great day, so many people are sympathetic to the Red Balloon cause, Shawn Taylor immediately agreed to sponsor the prize for sponsorship, what a legend. Then at Richard Kerrisons Business Club tonight Daniel Arpels pledged the gross receipts from his next contract to Red Balloon and it humbles me. Plus lots of interest in our Golf Day in June and Ball in Sept and in helping on our fund raising committee. Tonight I am stoked! it reminds me that in life we have those that make it happen, those who watch it happen and those that wonder what the hell happened! I am connected to a bunch of legends who definitely 'make it happen'.

UPDATE 18th May: Latest ride was yesterday (Sunday) 50 miler out to Babingley which is on the queens estate West Norfolk. Took the Fakenham road then turned off to North Elmham. It was at terrific ride, I discovered my phone has an FM Radio, so stuck an ear piece in (a la Lance Armstrong) and it was a quick three hour spin through some gorgeous countryside. Loved it! For the first time I am confident of achieving the 100, which is useful considering it is less than 3 weeks away lol. Was at a networking event tonight talking to a friend and I mentioned that I kinda blogged my training on this site, I doubt that anyone is actually reading it in truth. Apart from those intent on sponsoring me. But it has been a huge help in keeping me motivated to continue to train. I would look pretty silly to pull out having told so many about it and published it effectively to the world. And although my world or audience is miniscule it may be that through these efforts and what we collectively do we will positively influence the life of a youngster who previously had no hope. That drives me... To the world you are one person, but to one person you may be their world!

UPDATE 25th May.... Ouch... ouch and more ouch !  Saturday morning I arranged to meet at Matts house nice and early for decent ride, our longest yet! Matt lives 1.89 miles from me. I spent Friday evening having a few glasses of wine and got about 5 hours kip, not the best prep. Arrived at Matts in not best shape, took one foot out of the pegs but not the other and.... you guessed lost balance and fell using my wrist to break the fall! Although very painful I carried on thinking that the pain would subside. After a couple miles I had to pull over to take pain killers, I couldnt use my right hand at all which is tough as the gears & brake are there. I felt really unsafe and thought about quitting. At one stage I had to get off the bike to negotiate a junction otherwise I would of caused a serious accident. At 20 miles the pain subsided enough for me to use the gears. We had a terrifice ride out to Fakenham, Holt, Sheringham, Cromer, Aylsham & Norwich, 74 miles in total in just under 5 hours. And to be fair to Matt he did brilliantly as he is doing his ride on a mountain bike which is tough into a headwind like we had from Cromer back to Norwich. It seems I have though sprained my wrist and it is well sore & swollen, I hope that with ice & rest it will repair quickly as I intend a 50ish mile ride this weekend then its the biggy the week after  . Matt & I are well chuffed with ourselves, it is quite an achievement itself to get 74 miles under our belts and makes us confident of doing the 100 in under the 7 hours Matt needs to get a billy bonus sponsorship off his Guvnor Andy Rackham at APR Telecoms. Heres hoping for quick recovery this week and no more mishaps

UPDATE 27th May... my physio chickage Evie is certain I have broken my scaphoid bone! An x-ray would mean a cast which would mean no 100 mile ride! Stuff that. With a combo of treatments & positive thinking I am determined to heal in days rather than weeks. Got £150 cheque from BNI Castle chapter this morning, well choked me up, specially as indivivdually they have sponsored me for about £60 too. So, thinking positive healing thoughts for next couple days and hope to get 50 mile ride in on Sunday

UPDATE 1st June... Healing is rather slow or I am impatient!! 7 days to the ride and my wrist still canes, I have ordered a wrist support that should give me freedom to work the gears & brake. Gonna have to take a few painkillers as well. I tried yesterday to get on the bike but it just wasnt happening (so frustrating). I will not let this beat me, my middle name is stubborn.  I am hoping to get a ride in say Thursday this week so fingers crossed (hahaha if only I could)!

10.45pm 6th June... I should be in bed as in about 8 an half hours we start! The weather forecast is WET & WINDY, my wrist is still well sore. I have bought a decent cycling top (long sleeves & warm) I have a decent wrist brace and a bucket of pain killers. It should be a doddle hahaha. In truth I am looking forward to it, meeting up with Matt and a few others and just getting it done. Anyway a HUGE thanks to all who have sponsored me & supported me, now its down to me to simply ride for a few miles & hours - No problem      I will let you know tomorrow night how it went.

DONE IT - YEEEESSSSS! That was no walk in the park! We had a decent ride out to the coast, good time, decent weather. Then wallop, the headwind hit us and the rain. That was tough. About 45 miles of pure slog and for Matt to do that on his heavy oldish mountain bike was a legend achievement. We got to 75 mile point at Horsey Mill, soaking wet and well relieved that the headwind has gone and the coastal hills had gone. We were in to uncharted territory for us as 74 miles was our previous furthest distance. Knowing we were heading back to Norwich on roads we knew helped, the rain continued and apart from obvious trenchfoot we were used to it, Matt was complaining about 'cold' hands the girl! The coast road had taken its toll and our average speed was a bit slower but as Matt said it felt 'surreal' that we were about to achieve what we had set out to achieve some 4 months previous. We then turned the corner into the Cathedral to a fantastic welcome from Matts family who held up a very 'professional' banner congratulating us. That alone made it worth it! Its been a a great experience for us and we intend continuing with our new found sport. Matt needs a racing bike, I do also as I reluctantly have to give mine back to Lee Simpson who loaned it to me for which I am deeply grateful. I understand that with Kylie, Matt & the funds I have raised we should make over £2000 for Red Balloon.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Red Balloon Learner Centre 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.

Warmest thanks - Dan x