As most of my friends know I was diagnosed with breast cancer last year . I’m fit and well now and it wouldn’t be a normal year for me if I hadn’t planned a slightly bonkers challenge . Ian and I are planning to do the following in late June . It’s called Les Cinglés du Ventoux.  So 20 th June 2023 we rode the Cingles de Ventoux which is also known as the crazy club. It was an EPIC challenge and incredibly tough . My legs are definitely feeling it today . It’s 136 km with 4600 m of climbing.

The temperatures of 30 c plus and the 100 Kmh gusts of wind at the top only added to the challenge. We made the first summit at 8 am and as we turned to go up to the sign I was almost blown off my bike . The wind was scarily strong . We had to walk the first bit of the decent to stay safe . We then whizzed down into Malaucene and had a well deserved breakfast . Then back up . It’s slightly soul destroying descending to know that you are going to cycle back up . This route I think is the toughest as has 4 km back to back of 11% and was boiling hot . It was very beautiful and we just tapped our way up. We reached the summit at 1:30 pm and the wind had dropped to just a gale but at least you could stand up. This was the bit of the ride when I felt my worst . I felt really shaky and then had really bad cramp. A mouthful of jelly babies some tailwind and a fat coke sorted that . Then back down the mountain to Sault . Didn’t realise there’s another hill to climb into the village . We refuelled with spaghetti bog and chips and a bit more fat coke. Then up again for final assault . Both of us were tired but the climb from Sault is a gentle 4% for about 19 km and then you have a tough final 6km which we had cycled before . The last 1.5 km is 9-11% and my legs were a tad tired . The elation on making it to the top that final time was immense and I was so relieved . We descended back to Bedouin very steadily as we were both shattered to a gourmet meal of chocolate milkshake and crisps .

Scariest moment -wind at top of Ventoux . I could hardly stand up .

Best moment -reaching top for 3 rd time .

Would I do it again -NO . But did love it and the challenge. It’s both mental and physical. What next??

I should have also said we did this for Maggies charity so not to late to donate

I’m raising money for Maggie’s who have been amazing throughout my treatment and supporting me after my diagnosis . Maggie’s is a charity providing free cancer support and information in centres across the UK and online. They have Support Specialists, Psychologists and Benefits Advisors to help, if you or someone you care about has cancer.