Post Number 11: What's keeping me riding in the rain...

It's fair to say that the weather is pretty rubbish right now if you're a cyclist. It's also fair to say that I haven't been out on my bike nearly as much as I'd have liked! Not through lack of trying though - things (ie, work) just keep getting in the way! When I have had free time, I've been out riding despite the weather. Come rain or shine, I've been getting in the time I have available suffering in the saddle.

There's a big reason I'm prepared to suffer this year... (read on).

I'm going to be raising funds for a fantastic charity by riding across the Pyrenees close to the Spanish / French border. The route is called the 'Raid Pyrenean'. The tour company website (Marmot Tours) describes the Raid as "720km cycling challenge from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, France, in 100hrs with 11,000m of ascent!"

I think that pretty much says it all! It's going to be tough to get through... I've been riding bikes for years, but even so, riding over just one of the big Pyrenean climbs is hard work - let alone a few of them day after day!




To find out exactly what Cyclists Fighting Cancer are about, then 'like' their page on Facebook and scroll through some of the truly inspiring stories on there:

https://www.facebook.com/cyclistsfightingcancer

Have a hanky to hand - and also have your credit card to hand so that in your weakened emotional state you donate as much as you can afford to my ride Just Giving fundraising site:

https://www.justgiving.com/account/your-pages/paulbaileyraid14

Every penny you donate will go to the charity (I'm paying all of the costs of the trip).

Thanks everyone, and I'll try a bit harder to update my blog with useful training content over the coming weeks!


Paul