The Great British Bike Relay is a relay cycle with a group starting in Glasgow and a team starting in London converging on Manchester on September 10th (where I will also be playing football for GyroHSR London vs the rest of Gyro HSR) before sending the next leg on its way.

So about 250 miles in 2 days should be enough of a challenge for which I have to raise £1,250 – so expect plenty of events and so on over the next few months. More information will follow as I get it – anyone who wants to join my team – let me know!

It might have been a few months since I blogged, as I was rebuilding my site from the ground up, however I recently decided to maintain WordPress as my blogging platform – so I can add blogs without having to re-build the databases later… leaving about 5 months of blogging to do.

I’ll write and back date some blogs I have, including the 3 capitals bike ride and the triathlons, but some other summer news is below.

Promotion
Earlier this year I was promoted to the role of Senior Web Author, or Senior Front End Developer. About time too, say Dan and I, but now I have the title I will have to apply myself to the title more that previously – when we seemed to be doing the role without the title. I also need to start looking at my next role, and how I can progress further without becoming a management type person. I’m not ready for management roles yet!

Training
I’ve just got a training schedule and it is painful! I will stick to it as much as physically possible and see how much I can improve in triathlon next year, because there is a chance I could get well under 2:30 olympic distance, or maybe even represent GB in the amateur age group world champs. Not likely, but I’ll have to have a go.

Published
I recently wrote a blog entry for BluHalo about when should we stop supporting Internet Explorer 6.

Work wise, I’ve also started an email review system for Virgin Atlantic – which is going relatively well. I’m looking forward to completing the whole system and making it simple to update and making a system that can be used for other clients as well. I don’t think the Virgin system would work for all, due to the complexity of the dynamic content, but there is definitely something there we could sell. As much as I hate it, dynamic content does work.

Next year’s cycle challenge
I better get started on this soon, and get some fund-raising started if this is to come to fruition – but I hope next year to cycle from John O’Groats to Land’s End. Approximately 1,000 miles in 10 days I hope, but I’ll go as quick as I can! I’ll need cycle sponsorship, some support vehicle cost cover, some equipment sponsorship and fund-raising for an as yet undecided charity.

Movember
This was a mistake. I’ve joined our Movember team at work, where you grow a moustache to support male health issues, such as prostrate cancer.

I’ll blog about the danger of reply all that helped me raise most of my fund-raising later.

So other blogs are on the way, so keep an eye open!

Bugger was it hard.

Well, I say hard, up until Hythe (next to Folkestone) I was absolutely great and loving it! It was a hell of a lot more of a challenge than I thought it would be, and further, with 107 miles being the final distance. The main problems being the number of very steep hills, by the time I was riding along the coast with its hill after every town I was ready to give up! I was still easily making 20-30mph on the flat and even faster downhill, but I couldn’t face the hills. It really didn’t help that my new gears (badly adjusted by myself I must add) were slipping like mad!

But the final achievement and the struggling up hills wasn’t what the ride was about. It was training for my 3 capitals in 3 days cycle challenge for MAG (sponsors still welcome at www.challengebee.org) and it was just a test of my capabilities, but in the end it was far more enjoyable than I thought it would be. Cycling through tiny villages with truly quaint village shops and little coffeeshops where the same people must meet for cup of tea every Saturday morning was absolutely brilliant!

Earlier today I was thinking that the London marathon must be great to run, but as much as I like London, Deptford and Charlton are exactly my idea of scenic. Yes, The Mall but The beauty of the countryside (including the hills) was a refreshing change. The tree lined single track roads, the waving at fellow cyclists and the sun shining felt great. Mind you, When I got to Folkestone there was one fella I didn’t take kindly to, with him suggesting I “try harder”. Yeah mate, you too after about 80 miles.

But even though I did have to stop for a few more rests than I planned from Hythe onwards, I did manage to make it all the way to Deal. Although this is probably thanks to Chris Woollard (despite letting me down on actually completing the charity ride with me!) and Adrian H at Evans in Wandsworth for helping me (even if it cost a small fortune) ready to make the trip, and if I am honest make the trip easier. And I do have a new wheel for the June trip!

If I can do 107 miles through the hilly South East of England though, I think I can do flat Holland, although the way my legs felt back on the bike today, I better do a little bit more training, and when I get more time to myself, just ride for the hell of it.

Anyway, I suppose I better give you the unimpressive stats!

Cycling Time: 7:48:10
Trip distance: 107.3 miles
Average speed: 13.7 mph
Maximum speed: 34.5 mph