I've listened enviously to colleagues talk about this challenge over the years but always felt it completely outside the realms of possibility for me. Never a strong (or indeed even competent) cyclist, I barely rode a bike from starting secondary school until Richard stuck me on the back of his creaking tandem in my early thirties. Summer 2015 saw me tentatively purchase my Dutch style Bobbin Brownie and over the next few years I put it through its paces, testing those 7 gears to their very limits. Last summer, I made the leap to a Trek hybrid and we've had lots of adventures already. The training for this will certainly test me: my son has graduated from baby seat to tag-along which means I'll now need to do a lot more training independently. I start with a longest ever ride of 32 miles under my belt. I'm looking forward to taking part in the Belles of Belvoir 50 mile women-only sportive in June with one of my oldest and best friends Liz, who knew me back when PE was generally to be avoided and no-one would have let me loose on the roads (driving or riding, to be fair!).

Anyone who has a child diagnosed with Ataxia Telangiectasia (A-T) realises immediately and agonisingly that their lives will be changed forever and that the future holds a number of very difficult challenges for their child both physically and emotionally. Founded in January 2012 by parents of a child diagnosed with A-T, Action for A-T understand what that feeling is like and is committed to making a difference to those affected by funding high quality medical research.In the UK, research funding for A-T is extremely limited so Action for A-T was established to increase investment in A-T research and raise awareness of the condition. 

We'll be riding from BCA Blackbushe to Southampton, around the Isle of Wight and through the New forest over three days 8th-10th September.

Find me on Strava to see my cycling progress alongside ever-slowing parkruns and geriatric breast-stroke in the pool.