Popadom, a binding contract!

Well its been a few days since i last posted so thought i would up date people. Things are ticking on nicely Alfies team decided to have a 'meeting' over popadoms and a few beers to discuss plans. Two more team members attended under the premise that if they walked through the 'Aagrah'door it was legally binding and they were in the team. So as Daz and Emily tucked into a some mango chutney there were now officially 6 riders. Daz and Emily are good friends of Rich and Sues and fit the bill nicely, Emily brings a sensible approach, loads of ideas and twiddles her hair alot and Daz is rather more excentric and lacks a bike! perfect.

This was also the first time the team had got together so ideas were flowing, the first big decision was flipping of the route, we are now going south to north. This would mean that we hit Liverpool and a planned party on the Friday evening, and pick up Lisa from Real radio North east on monday morning.



Notice our official mascot Big Ted

Im sure there is plenty more news, charity fund raising night planned for approx the 17th of July in Doncaster, more details to follow.

Competitive fundraising, bear costumes and radio presenters

First of all, thank you so much to everyone who has donated on just giving so far this week. We managed to hit our three donation target so why not get on there now and drop us a cheeky one? Lets get to the big 10% by Sunday! *Cheesy quavers* We're a tenner off being in the top 6 fundraisers, which would be incredible to say this is money raised from sponsors. As soon as we bring out the big guns with our team of fundraisers, you lads at the top may as well kiss your titles goodbye!

Secondly, I met up with Vicki Partridge (Appeals Director) and Richard Whateley (National Director) of Zoe's Place today. Both were really impressed with our efforts and have offered us the loan of a life sized bear costume to take with us on the ride! Enter Doubting Thomas.....

As you might remember, we got in touch with Real Radio North East a couple of weeks ago hoping they would get involved with publicising the event. *Shoe horn* Well they've gone one better than that! Lisa Shaw, one of the stations breakfast presenters is carry out ten challenges this year for Zoe's Place Middlesbrough, our Bike Ride being one of them! Lisa and her colleague will be joining around Middlesbrough and will be cycling to the hospice with us. In the typical fashion there is a twist....they will be doing it on a tandem! BOOM BABY. The kind of 'get as much money as possible by doing the most ridiculous thing imaginable' mentality we here at Alfie's Team thrive on. So welcome to the team!

Finally, I managed to get the email address of The Secret Millionaire, David Jamilly (potentially spelt that one wrong so apologies in advance any Secret Millionaire enthusiasts amongst the followers and readers of the blog!). *Branston pickle* I pinged him an email last week and to my surprise he pinged me one back on Monday. He has offered to endorse the bike ride and hopefully some of the events we are doing to fundraise. I will be getting in touch with him at the beginning of next week once to discuss some further plans we have. Massive thanks to David for replying so quickly - restores your faith in your fellow man!

Points for anyone who spotted my blatant attempt at getting random products in the ad sense adverts...

(DISCLAIMER: The comments that appears on this blog is have no malicious intent and are not intended to offend anyone) This is before some killjoy comes along and misconstrues of harmless style of banter as anything more than it actually is and attempts to sue us blind.

We're on Twitter...not that I know how to use it

Follow us at twitter.com/alfiesteam

I promise to learn how to use the bloody thing so apologies if its a bit dull at first. I'll get it up to the blog quality in no time!

From two idiots on push bikes to a team of 'professional athletes'...

Firstly, welcome to the blog, Rich and Elaine. Its great to have someone else's thoughts on here apart from mine and Rich's! Secondly, perhaps this is the best place to introduce the names we have come up with the differentiate between the two Richards. So how do people feel about Hairy Rich (Smith) and Shiny Rich (Fairhurst)?

So as I mentioned in my previous post this has been one hell of a week. Since Rich, Elaine and Scott have joined the team we've gone from two idiots on bikes to a professional team - just the kind of thing we need! Scott has been using his contacts from his university to get some advice regarding the marketing and PR of our fundraising and of the actual bike ride. He's had some really handy advice so hopefully Scott can fill you in when he starts blogging...

As the teams grown, we've decided it would be a good idea to get a bonding exercise organised and Sue has suggested we try Go Ape, fitting seen as though we're all absolutely mental. Hopefully we will get this organised for late May when Scott and I have both finished with our uni deadlines. We've also decided to divide the responsibilities up by allocating official titles and what not. Elaine has offered to be treasurer for the team, I've been allocated the role as Communications person, Scott is the official spreadsheet maker, Hairy Rich and Shiny Rich are our Chief blaggers as they are both good with the banter and Sue, as well as coming up with some solid ideas about fundraising is our support team and will be finding out about medical treatment etc. Sadly for Sue, she also has the task of maintaining Rich and making sure he doesn't eat anything with red food colouring in to prevent him from having an episode this morning where I thought she was going to throttle him...

I managed to get out on Joyce last night, just up to the crossings in my village and back in order to get used to the bike. I know this will get me a lot of stick so I'm just waiting for the comments to roll in. We've some how managed to get a group of 50 cyclists to join us around Durham so our team for the overall event is growing by the day which is great news for Zoe's Place and with raising the profile of the charity.

We're about £60 off being in the 6 highest fundraisers on justgiving for Zoe's Liverpool so after you've read tonight's posts then why not pop across to this link and drop a donation on? Ideally we'd like to wipe the floor with Kelly Pilling who is their current top fundraiser at the moment with who raised just over a grand running the Blackpool Marathon. Good effort, Kel but you're playing with the big boys now and your days at the top are numbered...not that this is a competition or anything.... *COUGH COUGH* SPONSOR US www.justgiving.com/helenandrich *COUGH*

Rich and I decided today to drop as many random products and companies into our posts from now on so we can try and get adverts in the ad sense links at the bottom. Not sure if you noticed but in the last one Rich put on he mentioned kit kats and Halfords. So, my not so subtle effort for today is......Coca Cola, Lucazade, mr kipling french fancies, scholl athletes foot powder and a life sized cut out of Brian Blessed. Its just a bit of harmless fun on our behalf but everytime you click on one of the adverts we earn money for it! This money will then be donated back onto justgiving so you may as well give them a click each time you read the blog.

And finally, I just wanted to welcome the new followers to the blog. Thanks very much to Bec and Dave for joining. This was off the back of some shameless advertising I did at a university workshop I recently organised.

Have a good week and for all members of Alfie's Team lets try to make the target this week to get the training in and get 3 online donations by next Sunday. Do you think we can manage it???

Items to be added to shopping list - SUNCREAM!

Well , they reeled me and I agreed to jump on board with this little venture. And being the type of person that thinks "if you're gonna do something, do it properly!" I decided that training would start this weekend.

I turned down the offer of a train ride to York for a shopping trip, with lunch thrown in, in favour of a nice little bike ride in the glorious sunshine. 63 miles later... I have knees that don't move anymore, a tail bone that really doesn't know what the hell happened, and a rather severe case of sunburn!!!

Despite all that I did actually really enjoy being out there on the bike, but definitely need to plan ahead a bit more with things like suncream.

Having a rest day today, but once I get Sheffield Half Marathon out of the way next Sunday, I will be cranking up the training and increasing the number of times I go out on the bike. My biggest fear about this venture at the moment is that I will end up with the thighs of a Russian Shotputter!

Will keep you posted on Progress.

Bonjour from the Le Monde II

Hi guys

Thought it was about time I introduced myself. I'm Rich Smith the apparent fitness fanatic. It is true that I am a fitness instructor and a personal trainer but I'm no way, never a fitness fanatic. I am however a complete loon for agreeing to do this I think.

Having recently joined the local Tri club I thought it would be a good idea the use the advanced spin cycle sessions to help get me up to speed. But tonight's session was a complete killer starting with a 20min seated hill climb session (basically ramp up the resistance to the max and keep pedaling until your quads scream and explode). Followed by a 25min interval sprint session where whats left of your quads and indeed the rest of your legs are supposed to go as fast as they can for short sustained periods (which feel like an eternity).

Still though Elaine Scott and myself all managed the full session, though one of us wimped out on the last sprint (mentioning no names). And as we waved goodbye to Scott after the session he reliably informed us that he was "going into the gym now to do 10k on the rower" All I can say to this is that the lads got heart...........And is borderline psychotic.

Funnily enough Helen managed to get conveniently stuck in Wakefield (clever girl, wish I had too). Still I'm sure we'll all be fine when we get to the mountains in Scotland followed by the Pennines (i think it might just kill me lol)

Hope you are all well.

Rich Smith

Glitter and a lorry, what a strange party

Well well as Helen has mentioned what a busy week. From visits to Zoe's, consumer test with mixed results new team member radio interest and more.

First of all Sue and Rich went over to Zoe's to visit Alfie, who now has a team named after him. It was the first time we had been upstairs to see him whilst he had been there. The staff were sound and made us welcome. Slightly crackers may also be a good way of describing them as one was covered in glue playing with the kids, she stopped shy of rolling herself in glitter and calling her self a Christmas card.

They are revamping the hospice, so its even more important that people dig deep and chuck the team some pennies, it all counts.

I have also bagged another long run this time 37 miles in 2 hours 15 which i thought was good. I also carried out my first consumer test of a Topeak saddle bag. The results are as follows, if you require a saddle bag that will fit a tool kit, mobile phone a waterproof and a Doncaster Rovers season ticket in then buy this. However it WILL fall off and it WILL get run over by a lorry!!!!!!

If you want a mobile phone that can still work after falling off a bike, being run over by a lorry before coming to rest in the bottom of a ditch then NOKIA is the brand for you! every cloud!

Welcome to the new team members Elaine, Rich and Scott who are bringing a mountain of new ideas, a wealth of fund raising experience and not to mention an air of organisation and professionalism, just what we needed as we were thinking of winging the whole event.

Final piece of news is that a presenter from a well know north east radio station will be joining us for a leg of the event. More details will follow we are sure that this will help raise the profile of the ride and Zoe's place. Keep clicking on the adverts we get cash

Helen's finally off stabilizers...

I forgot to mention in my earlier post but I have finally got my very own bike! She's not much to look at and granted she needs a bit of work, but I think you'll agree Joyce is an absolute pearler...

Fitness plans, rich teas and camper vans

A lot has happened since the last time we blogged, almost too much for me to be bothered to write in fact! But fear not, I'll battle through...

After a week of deliberating we've recruited three more mentalists on the bike ride. Rich Smith, Elaine Minty and Scott Clark will be joining us on the bike ride and in raising money for Zoe's Place. Hopefully they will be members of the blog shortly so they can fill you in on how we suckered them into get involved!

Rich is a fitness/gym/health freak so he's brining some really valuable contributions to the team with nutritional and fitness plans and suggestions. Elaine, Rich's fiancée, is bringing a great level of determination and level headedness to the team - something we need in bucket loads! Elaine is a marathon and half marathon runner and has recently joined a triathlon club. Scott is another marathon runner and all round mentalist! Scott is bringing brains to the team with his insanely detailed spreadsheets and training charts.

We met for the first time tonight as a team, minus Sue and Rich as they were teaching one of there many taekwondo classes. When we first started to talk about the idea there were some '50/50s', 'might do half of it' and some 'whoops Mrs Miggins you're sitting on my artichokes' bantered around. After a cup of coffee and some of Rich and Elaine's french fancies and chocolate cookies I managed to reel them in and the rest as they say is history! They didn't need much persuading though given that Elaine had already put in for her annual leave!

Due to the influx in team members, we've changed our name to 'Alfie's Team'. We thought it would be a good way to remind people about why we are attempting this challenge.

There is plenty more to update you on but I think this is enough for tonight. Keep checking the blog though and thank you to everyone who has sponsored us so far. We're now at 6% of our target!

If you wish to sponsor us then just visit www.justgiving.com/helenandrich Although, the team has grown we have used this site on our merchandise so if you are supporting either Rich, Elaine or Scott don't be put off by the name!

Slip streamed someone, bobbed out and powered past him. Boom I'm a road cyclist

Another little ride this time I went up to Emley Moor mast (that huge pointy thing you can see for miles). On the way I encountered some 'Fellow cyclists' and as the blog title suggest i did one of them. It was no blur of lycra though folks, he was no Chris Boardman he was riding a BMX, they all count. I had to resist going Neeeeeeaaaaaoooommm as i went past him. Sue met me at the top of the moor with a brew and i biked back down hill at what felt like 400 miles an hour.

Went spinning tonight it was pretty poor ran by a lad with bumfluff, and a "I love Carling" tshirt on, i think he may have been on work experience, I am now on Ebay bidding on a spinning bike so i can sit at home and train (whilst watching tv). For a split second Sue was nearly bumped from support team to 3rd cyclist, this was until she went purple and nearly fell off a static bike!!!

On a serious note we are chuffed with the amount of support people are giving us. Brilliant

Zoe's Place Middlesbrough; The Secret Millionaire

Not sure if you will have had chance to see it, but Zoe's Place Baby Hospice in Middlesbrough appeared on the Secret Millionaire last week. Please check out the link below to get an insight into why we are taking on this challenge. The children and families seen in this video are our inspiration for what we are doing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUz2ro06Ze0&has_verified=1

More rain, Soggy trousers and miles under the belt

Well well Helens got a bike what a turn up for the plus fours!

I too have broadened my cycling attire, including the worlds tightest tshirt. I have also been looking into diets, it looks like combination of oats and lucozade sport should do it!

Went out on the first little (bigish) ride to see what it was all about from Waki to Donny and back a shade under fotty miles, so thinking that the fotty mile mark was a good barrier to break i decided to go round and round the round about near our house just to push it over the mark. Not too bad and did it in 3 hours. It hammered it down for a change and i discover the trousers i bought that were well advertised as "water proof" struggled to live up to their name.

The support team are in training as well Tony is shaking his "doubting Thomas" tag and did well making the brews and pointing out shiny things on the bike. Sue on returning to Waki was much more polished holding a towel and offering supportive words such as dont get the kitchen floor dirty i've just cleaned it.

Oh, what's that, Helen's now got a bike?! SWISH

Thanks to the generosity of a good friend of mine and rival charity - you might have heard of them, Help for Heroes or something along those lines, I've heard they're quite big - I have managed to secure myself a top of the line road bike for our trek. My good friend Louisa has kindly offered me her bike and of course I bit her little southern arm off!

In addition, I have managed to get in touch with a couple of companies and organisations regarding sponsorship and so far the response has been quite positive. Like Rich says, I don't want to go name dropping just yet in case the sponsorship doesn't pay off, in which case we may be forced to go on some obviously legal slandering of said companies. Hopefully by the weekend I should be able to start name dropping!

As Rich says we've now hit the big 1% of our fundraising target so please visit www.justgiving.com/helenandrich to show your appreciation for our outright insanity!