London to Paris Cycling Challenge for Macmillan Cancer Support,8 -12th July 2009 COMPLETED!!!!!

The Story

DAY 1 (90 Miles)

It  rained,we battled with London commuters,the Michelin tyres disintegrated (thanks Steve for recommending racing tyres!),we caught the ferry,it rained even harder in Calais,we lost one of our team members who went to the wrong Holiday Inn(!)

DAY 2 (84 Miles)

There was a fire at the hotel (breakfast was a bit singed),we cycled to Arras via several villages and it went up and down and up and down............boy it was tough........but lunch was good!

 

DAY 3 (85 Miles)

No cooked breakfast so no fire!This was the toughest day for me but it started off very well and we cycled through beautiful countryside via The Somme and several WW1 war memorials which was incredibly moving.After another excellent lunch I basically hit "The Wall" and had to grind out 15 miles where I was devoid of energy but somehow made it to a water stop where I ate three energy bars and got back on track.Too tired to notice really grotty hotel in Compiegne!

DAY 4 (69 Miles)

Cycling to Paris was exhilerating via some beautiful countryside and another excellent lunch (what was that cheese and chutney thing?!).Within 10 miles of Paris we could make out the Eiffel Tower and upped the pace so much that we clocked an average of 20 miles an hour for the last 10 miles................the traffic all stopped at the Arc de Triomphe and all beeped their horns and an emotional finish was had by all under the Eiffel Tower........what a fantastic experience.

Good people,great Macmillan team and a fantastic effort by all concerned will hopefully raise £200k for this great charity.

 

My Original Story/Reasons Beforehand

Between the 8th and 12th July I will be joining around 80 people cycling from London to Paris as part of Macmillan Cancer Support`s London - Paris Cycling Challenge.We will be cycling for 4 consecutive days and covering just over 470km.

Why am I doing this?

As a family we have very recently  watched Macmillan nurses in action attending to my father-in-law,Jimmy Crawford who has now passed away.Their dedication and support to him and to our close family is kind,thoughtful and very supportive.This was also the case many years previous with my mother-in-law Sue Crawford in exactly the same circumstances. This is why it is so important to us that we try to help keep this excellent  and caring service going and to grow even stronger in the future.

What does the ride entail?

It promises to be an extremly testing physical challenge,cycling over undulating countryside and in all weathers. The event,and the months of preparation and training,will be tough but I am doing this in order to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support (reg charity no 261017)

I have pledged to raise a minimum of  £1500 to take part in the event. I hope to raise much more than this and hope that you will consider sponsoring me in my challenge, which I  am aware is a very minor one compared with the challenge that cancer patients face each day.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Macmillan Cancer Support 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.

So please sponsor me now, I really appreciate your support.

Regards,

Kevin