Back in 2014, as I approached the middling years of my life, I realised that I was getting more and more unfit, putting on more weight every year.

I made a radical decision, which has had a massive impact on my life since. I would buy a bike! I needed an incentive to actually use it, so I bought an expensive one – £800. Little did I know about how much bikes would cost.

The first time I went out, I cycled a mile and had to lie down when I got home!

6 months later I was up to 20 miles and had set a target of cycling 30 miles non stop! The cycling bug has bitten – my expensive £800 bike had been upgraded to one costing double that – my first proper road bike.

It was at this point, that I was introduced to 4Challenge and Weston Park Cancer Hospital. 4Challenge was the charity, and Weston Park the benefactor. I was asked if I wanted to take part in a 400 mile, 4 day ride to raise money for Weston Park. There was no way I could do that ? Could I? Yes I could, and I did! Over that year, and a similar ride the following year I helped raise £30,000 for the Charity.

In 2018, I was having a casual conversation with a friend, who had decided to Ride Across Britain – Lands End to John O’Groats – and invited me to join him. Unfortunately, circumstances meant I couldn’t take part in 2018.

However, I signed up for the 2019 ride – which takes place starting the 7th Sept.

Lands End to John O’Groats by bicycle. That’s 980 miles, over 9 days – averaging 110 miles a day – every day. As far as cycling in Britain goes, it’s pretty much the toughest challenge an amateur cyclist can do

I wanted to use the opportunity to continue raising money for Weston Park – I can see what a great job they do in treating cancer, and understood that they rely on charitable donations to do so.

I’ve spent most of 2019 piling the miles in, training. This includes my normal 30-50 mile round-trip to commute, to long days in the Peak District, as well as visit to Mallorca to do the 105 mile route on the Mallorca 312 sportive – along with 16000 other riders!

In all, in preparation, I’ve cycled 3000 miles this year. I’ve also prepared in other ways – by getting my bike fitted to me through a visit to Phil Burt – the oracle when it comes to bike-fit who spent 12 years with British cycling and Team Sky preparing riders for the Olympics and the Tour de France.

I now sit here in August knowing that the bike is ready, and I’m as ready as I’m ever going to be for the ride.

I’m itching to jump on the plane to Newquay and get to the start line in Lands End. I hope that you will join me – I’ll try and post every day (phone signal permitting)

Please, if you can, take the time to sponsor me and make a donation to Weston Park Cancer Hospital – it is truly a great cause. Click the menu option at the top of the page to sponsor me.