![]() I can see why the route is so popular for cycling in London, right in the heart of the city it is almost traffic free and one of the few places that you have chance to get in to a rhythm and ride in an organised group.Īfter the ride it was off to a café for a full debrief, where riders of the day were awarded a small prize. I’m not sure how many laps we managed, but each lap got faster and faster. The ride leaders were constantly giving instructions making sure everything was controlled and safe. I’m glad to have put in so much training for my Tour ride, it was fast, very fast, but at the same time safe and structured due to the skills session and briefing earlier. ![]() In my pink Santini Kit I must have looked out of place as they rode in black kit with yellow, green and red strips around Regents Parks ‘Outer Circle’. After the skills test we were split in to groups for the ride with Andy and I allowed to ride with the fast group. As we waited our turn for the next activity it was a chance to speak to the other riders who came from all over London and different walks of life. We were asked to introduce ourselves and when I told them what I was doing there was a big cheer and a round of applause.Įvery cyclists needs to practice their skills so the morning started with some corning, bottle changing and technical skills training, which not only builds knowledge and confidence but bonds the team together. From the second Andy and I arrived we were welcomed by everyone and immediately felt like we were part of their family. On Friday Andy and I rode out to Epping Forest from Central London, averaging just 13 mph through the traffic, so on Saturday it was a bonus to ride with the ‘Black Cyclist Network’ on their route around Regents Park (not traffic free but certainly a lot quieter). Natalie was an inspiration for us all to redouble our efforts, we cannot turn back the clock, but we can certainly make a difference to the future.įor those of you who ride in London regularly I have nothing but admiration. Until the cure is found, no matter what we do it will not be enough for some, but if we can speed up the process with the TAPs Nurses and TAPs program there are families that will not be torn apart by this terrible disease, by raising £1,000,000 we have the chance to not only save lives but spare families from the heartbreak of losing someone they love. The room listened in absolute silence to a story that made me realise why I am doing this. He was diagnosed with leukaemia in September 2017, despite undergoing a stem cell transplant, rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, he sadly died last year. A good strong rider, he’ll have no problem completing his own challenge along with all the other Cure Leukaemia London Paris Team.Īlong with some of the other riders I was asked to go on stage and answer some questions, and later Geoff Thomas introduced Natalie Hill, who gave a very emotional, but motivational speech about her Husband, Geoff Hill, who spent 30 years in journalism and was the ITV News editor. On Wednesday I rode out with Dave Smallwood, Dave had sponsored me, donating to Cure Leukaemia, and is also riding the Cure Leukaemia London to Paris ride in June so it was a pleasure to ride with him. ![]() My rides continue, as does my swimming which helps with recovery. ![]() The ‘Black Cyclist Network’ were certainly welcoming and I will go back to see them again as soon as I get chance (more on them later in this weeks Blog). That trip also gave me the chance to ride with a group of riders I’ve known about for a long time but never had the opportunity to ride with, so I was grateful that when I contacted them they were happy for me to come along. This week could not have been busier, along with all the training, I had to fit in a trip to London for a Cure Leukaemia event on Thursday. In 30 days from now I will leave Bromsgrove and head to Copenhagen to join up with the rest of the Tour 21 Team to start our Tour de France Challenge. ![]()
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