Hi

Thank you so much for visiting my fundraising page and supporting me.

I am off to Cuba in November to cycle 250 miles starting in the Bay of Pigs and ending in Cienfuegos and I have been informed that the terrain is certainly undulating!

I have chosen to do this challenge partly out of a mad moment but also because I have a few friends who have had IVF and now have beautiful babies as a result.  I also believe that any research into this area as well as supporting women scientists and clinicians to develop this area is worthwhile.

My training has started and apart from aches and pains in places I was not aware of  I am enjoying being on my bike after 12 years of enjoying the comfort of a car far too much!

April - I experienced my first puncture yesterday which was really annoying as I did not have the pub in sight!

04.05.08 - Today I have cycled with my fantastic assistant, Sophie, on the Manifold trail, we discovered that our waterproofs were not necessarily waterproof by the end of the cycle, but we did beat my last time by 20 mins - there is hope for me!!  We then had refreshments at Liddy, Peter and Anna's (lovely homemade cakes - greatly appreciated!!)

28.05.08 - Yesterday I cycled to Uttoxeter from home in the driving rain and winds that were against me most of the way, I arrived in Uttoxeter, looking very much the image of a drowned rat, but did manage some very steep hills without having to walk them (I am so pleased with myself!).  The last big cycle I did I ended up looking very similar - is this something to be concerned about?

I am now looking forward to my next big cycle on Sunday - 30 miles - yikes!  in the meantime I am swimming and gyming!!

1st June - 36 miles, how's that?!?!  Feeling a bit achey but loving it, especially all the wonderful hills, cycled to Stafford and decided cycling straight back home would not be sufficient so went a very scenic, hilly way home.  Managed to do the swimming and a couple of 8mile cycles during the week, more of the same this week... and maybe a bit of gym!

19th June - Just to keep you updated... I have not been skiving, I've been SPINNING!!  I never thought I would but I have done it three times in less than a week, fourth session tomorrow, I am sufferng for it, but hopefully it will make those hills a little more appealing - who knows!!  My legs don't feel like it but I shall ignore them. 

I think my body is having the biggest shock of its life with all this exercise - probably everyone that has read this page as well is having a bit of shock with me doing all this exercise too!

Off to Ashbourne to do the Tissington Trail to Buxton with Sophie this weekend - more hills!

22nd June - After getting a bit lost finding the start point, Sophie and I started the Tissington Trail in high winds to get about 3 miles into our journey and I get another puncture - arghhhhhhh!  Sophie was pleased to be learning how to fix a puncture on the hoof, luckily Richard had provided me with a spare inner tube, then another three miles on Sophie informs me my back tyre is looking very flat too, we think it may be a slow puncture - arghhhhh! As time was moving away from us fast we ended up cycling 16miles on a beautiful track which we plan to visit again and actually get to Buxton.  It is amazing how much closer you get to wildlife whilst on a bike compared to walking, we saw rabbits, swallows and a red bird which I am still trying to work out what it was!  I think probably a bullfinch!

The garden party is looming and I am having sleepless nights worrying about how many cakes to make, have I got enough of everything?!?!?

7th July 2008 - Wow!! The Garden party was a success even though the weather tried its hardest to put people off!!  With so much hard work put in by so many of my friends and family, thank you so much.  Mum made a special trip back from Spain to keep me in order and bake some lovely cakes for the event, John and Freda pulled all the stops out to help the day run smoothly, my dear husband, however begrudging, held a fantastic book stall, Sophie and Annabel made up a fantastic jewellery stall and with the help of Louise made beautiful pot pourri bags and ran the stalls fantastically.  Karen 1, Karen 2 and Sue made wonderful homemade lemonade and cream teas.  Thank you to everyone else who donated so many lovely items for the cake stall, tombola, book stall and jewellery the provision of gazebos and for all the people who made such a huge effort to come along.  I am very humbled by the whole event and the generosity of everyone. (This is beginning to sound like an Oscars speech!!) anyway as a result we raised £365, which I think is absolutely amazing.  Thank you again for all your hard work.

No time to rest - still need to get on with the fundraising and obviously the cycle training.  So if anyone would like to sell some raffle tickets for me please let me know, the draw is being held on Saturday 30th August.  Annie is helping me with a carboot sale on Sunday.

As for the cycling I am off to Spinning tomorrow morning - the thought of it makes me cringe but I am sure I will feel great after the slog!  And with a few smaller cycles, Sophie and I will be off on a jaunt on Saturday, lets hope the weather gives us a bit of grace - not that that will deter us.!

10th July - Well I have, as my training diary requests of me, cycled to work!  12.8miles in 1hr 20mins, I am feeling quite content with myself!!  And I am also keeping up with my regime this week as I did go Spinning on Tuesday and went swimming yesterday, and at this precise moment in time, I think I may cycle home! Happy Days! 

- I did cycle home and felt very very tired at the end of the day!

13th July - Annie and I had a lovely morning at a Car boot sale, the weather was glorious which made a 5am start almost acceptable!  We made £100 for our efforts, thank you Annie, and thank you Lousie for getting Annie up and coming along to help.

Today I featured in the Stone Gazette with the cheesy photograph shown on here - wonderful!

17th  July - I am very excited today, I have had my photo taken for the Staffordshire Newsletter which I should be in next week....

18th July - there was an article in the Sentinel (Stoke's local newspaper on me (page 6!!))

20th July - After last week's success at the car boot sale Richard and I went along to do one, the day started off with the sun shining again but alas this was short lived with the heavens opening on us.  The shoppers did the sensible thing and stayed in bed so our 5 am efforts were rewarded with a mere £14 profit.

24th July - Not to be disheartened I have continued cycling,spinning and swimming, I although I have not done much gyming recently.  Each time I go out on my bike I get a puncture - not to change the rules, I had one on the way to work this morning and I was only three miles from work - arghhh!  And before this I had fallen off my bike along the tow path - not a good day!  I arrived at work looking quite oily and flustered!!

25th July - I am in the Stone version of the Staffordshire Newsletter with a picture of me and my trusty stead!  I have decided to go for puncture resistent tyres hopefully that will make my trips to work a bit more reliable!  I am sure you will all sigh with relief I now have a hat that fits me!

11th August - I have returned from a week in Cornwall which was intended as big training for the Coast to Coast on Bank holiday weekend, but as I am still getting used to all the new bits and pieces on my bike, such as pedals which my shoes attach to, I keep falling off and hurting myself!  So last Monday all excited and raring to go I cycled about 3 miles and fell grazing my knee and leg, again with good intention I was going to cycle the Camel trail on Tuesday but the rain was really really heavy so I gave it a miss.  Wednesday I did cycle the Camel Trail but this time Sophie and I had a collision and Sophie ended up with the grazes and I ended up with a broken rear gear mechanism, so with one gear cycled back to Padstow, which was no fun!  So I laid my bike to rest for the rest of the week and concentrated on swimming in the sea and pool oh and doing comical yoga with Annalise.

So my bike is now going to be repaired today and I am hoping it will be back tomorrow ready for me to do some intensive hills before the 23rd August!

My fundraising is proving very difficult at the moment, I have three weeks to raise the rest of my funds and with a cheese and wine party for the raffle draw I am hoping I will make it.  If any body would like raffle tickets for the following fabulous prizes please call me on 07877 619578.  Thank you.

A weeks Accomodation in Sucina, Spain, A weekends Accomodation in Harlyn Bay Cornwall,An original print by Lucy Orchard,Aswell as a 6x4 cream rug, £10 gift Voucher, and a Dog Gift pack

18th August - Another week on, two weeks left - yikes!  Last week was extremeley tough with the training and fundraising.  My spinning class left me so worn out and with so much doubt in myself as to what and why I was doing this, I felt thoroughly miserable, but after talking to a few friends they picked me up and encouraged me that I would be fine and that I was fit enough etc.  So I have sold more raffle tickets, had a few unexpected donations and cycled to and from work on Thursday (gaining yet another puncture) and to Uttoxeter, yesterday, in 30 mins less time than the first experience, it was hard work and I did have to keep singing my spinning class songs in my head to get me up the hardest hills - but I did it! And I didn't ache as much as I thought I would, I am learning the benefits of stretching prior to and after the stints I am doing.

I am still quite fearful of my escapade from Whitehaven to Sunderland this coming weekend - I can't believe it is here already.  Mark tells me to be excited (which I suppose I am - in one way! I do have the butterfly excitement going on in my stomach!) We have sussed the logistics and will be starting our adventure on Friday night where Richard swaps me and my bike for a tent and Mark's belongings.

So before then I have a spinning class, swimming, cycling to and from work and more fundraising to do - not much!!

20th August - I did my spinning class yesterday with a lot of vigour and my thigh is now really playing up so I have to be sensible, so aside from massaging my leg I am easing up on the exercise for the rest of the week prior to the C2C.  This morning I went and swam 40 lengths and my leg is feeling a bit more confident.  I have decided cycling to work tomorrow is probably not the best thing to do so I shall go for another low impact swim. 

Very kindly Richard's work colleague, Gina, is enticing people to buy raffle tickets at work today with her beautifully homemade cakes, which on recent update sounds to be going down very well indeed - thank you Gina.

I have also ordered the wine and glasses for the Wine and Cheese/Raffle Draw Party next Saturday, now to source some cheese!

The emotional rollercoaster of this challenge is currently putting me on a very huge high, long may it last!!!  I am also trying to stock up on carbs ready for the weekend but am struggling to eat (very very unlike me!)

Tuesday 26th August

I have done it! I have cycled the Coast to Coast with Mark, I ache, feel shattered, sore, bruised, grazed but chuffed!

The adventure started on Friday with Mark collecting me and my bike to travel to Manchester, Saturday morning we travelled from Manchester to Carlisle where we planned to get the train to Workington, but there was nowhere we could leave the car so we travelled to the next station, Dalton, had a fantastic breakfast in the village and waited for the train, sadly there were already four bikes on the train so we had to tear along the roads to park up in Workington and start our cycle at 2.30pm (later than hoped but no time to waste!).  And cycle we did!  Down a very steep rough descent past Bassenthwaite  Lake, very picturesque, through Keswick where the heavens decided to open but we continued and as the light began to fade and I had my first panic attack through exhaustion, (couldn't breathe whilst going up a hill, tears streaming down face - not good), eventually got to the pub at Penruddock and had a pint and food whilst waiting for Rich to arrive with the tent.  The tent arrived which we put up in the glow of the reverse lights of the car and settled into the tent (I was asleep as soon as my body hit the ground until the heavy rain and wind woke us all.

Day 2, Mark and I left the campsite and travelled the next 10miles in the hunt for breakfast meeting Rich in Penrith.  Refuelled we set off on the climb out of Penrith for me to have my first fall on to my left side in the middle of a road almost being runover by some fool driving far too fast in a 30mph zone - ow, grazed knee and elbow.  Nevermind on we went, we had a lot of steep hills to get up and I was dreading it, the worry that I would not make it and in turn let Mark down and frustrate him!  The goal was to get to the second highest peak of the trip at Hartside (580m) - what a goal that was, it was so very hard and so very steep, my legs hurt so much I had to walk a couple of miles as the ground was so rough.  My last 1/4mile I was being watched by Mark, Richard and Paddy as I battled with my legs as all I wanted to do was sit down and not move.  We had lunch at the biker cafe and then started our descent (relief) into the valley and then up again! rough ground (I walked it again)  Richard brought along some refreshments for us and I had my second fall on to my right side - very badly grazed knee (one of those ones where it just doesn't stop bleeding) I decide I am best off walking up this bit as I am hurting so much.  Rich passes us by again and then heads off on the search for plasters!  Richard returns with plaster and I have my next upset of can I really do this.  Richard assures me that I can and that there is a lovely descent once I get to the top into Nenthead. 6 miles of not pedalling oh how lovely!  Next the incline to the highest point of the C2C Black Hill, which I do walk.  Fantastic views at the top freewheeling down into Allenheads where I walk up to the top to freewheel again  Rookhope where we stay for the night in a tent and have a very amusing evening in the local pub and breakfast and I get devoured by midges.

Day 3 - Almost there!

I head off to get up the steep hills before Mark leaves, and continue on my merry way, not realising for three miles that I have gone wrong - oh dear (that is the PC way to put it) I return (so 6 miles extra - well done Naomi!) Panic attack number three - how stupid am I!  Back on the right road (very very steep hill) up to Parkhead where the wind is whipping around so strongly for a good two miles (I do cycle this part)  Mark is now waiting for me at Parkhead Cafe which is an old Station converted for people mad enough to do this challenge!  Oh and the toilets are lovely (my Gran would have approved!) Downhill all the way from hear no more steep climbs just gentle undulations all the way to Sunderland along the Waskerley Way and just before Consett a viadut took us over a tree top valley which was just awesome.  Into Sunderland we are met by Richard, Paddy, Graham, Anne and Molly! WE HAVE DONE IT! 

Thank you to Mark, who kept me going throughout the trip, Richard for his pep talks and support along the way and to Graham and Anne for being there at the end.

I am now tending my wounds and bites and hobbling a bit but will hopefully recover by the weekend for the raffle draw...

29th August - Jackie held an Indian Head Massage party to help me bring in the funds.  What a fun night!  Whilst I was giving Indian Head Massages, James and Jack did a stirling job of selling raffle tickets for the draw for tomorrow night and selling raffle tickets for moisturisers and wine along with a splendid display of charades!  Thank you.

30th August - Richard and Freda ran around the county collecting wine and cheese for the evening whilst I worked.  In true "Naomi" style I over ordered on everything but at least we did not run out of anything!  Margaret provided a few extra nibbles which were lovely. The wine was lovely and the cheese very tasty. The evening was fantastic and I really do appreciate everyone that turned up for the evening to support me. 

The winners of the raffle were as follows:                                                                            Dog Gift Pack - Alison Carnall, Gift Voucher - Rebecca Tully, Rug - Deb Davies, Lucy Orchard Print - Sue Mulroy, Weekend at Harlyn Bay -Joyce Watson, Week in Spain - Kirsty of the Salisbury.

 I did another "Oscar" style speech which also applies to everyone reading this page.  Thank you so very much for all your help and support in getting me to the £3,000 target which was a mammouth target and there is no way I could have ever got there without your support,  the prizes that were donated for the raffle draw have been really appreciated by the people that won and were very enticing to everyone that bought a raffle ticket!!  I did not realise how many friends I actually have and I am so grateful to every one of you.  Thank you.

Here I come Cuba!!!!!  We've done it we've raised £3,000 for Women for Women - YIPEEEEEEE!                                                                                                                                  As you can probably guess I am on quite a high at the moment!!

2nd September: Now I have no excuse not to do my training, so I am doing well so far I have been to the gym this week and spinning this morning.  The next big training is 13th/14th Cotswold cycle where I shall actually meet my email buddy Sue!

13th/14th September: Ooo the nerves of meeting up with some of the other women for an 80 mile cycle around the Cotswolds over two days.  I collected Sue from the B&B in Evesham (she had had a Fawlty Towers night - with a party going on in the house and someone trying to get into her room at 5am - eek!) She had text me to say she was enjoying a lovely cooked breakfast in the meantime I was suffering a MacDonalds tasteless attempt at a Bacon Roll! (had to get some "food" into me!).  So off we trundled, after graciously putting Sue's bike into the car, to Vicarage Farm, Lower Quinton.  We were met by Ed, the bike technician, who checked everything was ok on our bikes (we all decided that we could do with taking Ed home with us!)  The TV cameras were there ready to film the two ladies who have won "Challenge of a Lifetime" on This Morning with Fern & Phil.  We set out in the group, cycling alot slower than we ever imagined.  All our fears of being to unfit were being put aside, the day was lovely, blue skies, the scenary, previously unappreciated by myself as a teenager being shown the area, meeting all the ladies and just being.  We ended the day by meeting up in a chinese restaurant in  Stratford - I was very high on Jelly Babies and the fact that I was at the front of the group most of the day with four others and was purely in disbelief!  The second day was just as good cycling past Snowshill Lavender Farm, how beautiful!  It was great to meet so many lovely people and start new friendships.  Although tired at the end of the weekend there was a natural high, a new confidence that i can do Cuba and will be amongst like minded people all wanting to achieve a life time achievement that none of us thought would be possible 14 months ago.

29th September - I have had a bit of a rest from cycling have been to spinning but now really want to get back on my bike and get on with it and hit those hills, otherwise I won't be at the front of the pack again!  Now to start thinking about what else I need for Cuba!

Thank you again to everyone that is supporting me all the way along. xx

Please dig deep and sponsor me online.

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Women for Women will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

So please sponsor me now!

Thank you for all your support.

Naomi xx