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Dear chums

At the beginning of the year – and as a non cyclist - I agreed to cycle from to John O’Groats at the end of May with 5 other optimistic fools.  This is our own event.  Just the six of us and we will all cylce the whole 1000 miles.  It looked like an adventure at the time.  Now, having had a bike since February and knowing what it feels like to cycle almost 200 miles in a weekend (once) it feels like the ridiculous act of a mad man!

So I am going to put my bottom - literally - on the line for a good cause.  A very thin hard line called a racing saddle sitting on a rigid bike frame with skinny wheels and tyres pumped up to 105 psi that feel like concrete.  It’s the most uncomfortable place I have ever sat.

Sat here, I’ll be cycling 1000 miles in 10 consecutive days.  This will involve turning the pedals around 300,000 times and climbing 55,000 feet of hills - Everest is 29,028 feet high. We’ll go over Bodmin Moor, the Lake District, Southern Uplands and . Leaving Land's End we’ll be in on day 2, Preston on day 4 and in on day 5. By  we'll still have 120 miles to go.

And having been dragged into 'proper' cycling by the other guys I now know 2 important things that were lost on me before.  That 'proper' (hilly) cycling is not for fun, but is 'suffering' as a hobby, and that NO road is flat!

However, a few years ago I lost my Dad to cancer.  It happened suddenly and from diagnosis to when he died was only 2 weeks.  I can't convey the indesrcibable sadness and unfairness that many of you will also have known, so I decided then that I wanted to do something significant to raise as much money as I could to help Cancer Research continue to fight a disease that affects so many of us.

Since I’ve been telling people about this ride I have been shocked by how many people of our age and younger – just in my own industry - are living with and fighting cancer right now.  Their stories have humbled me and made me realise that it's doubly important to do this for Cancer Research now.

Anything that you can spare to donate to this cause, no matter how much, would be really appreciated and will spur me on through the dark times ahead when not even the chamois cream can relieve the chaffing, and when I’d rather be throwing in the towel and sitting in the pub with you and a pint, rather than hauling my screaming body up another bloody great hill!

So please try to help and keep me going all the way.

You can follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/End2End-2010/317062353282?ref=ts

Thank you, Robbie

 

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