Hello People,

I thought Id open up with a well needed debut blog. So, where to start.......... (head scratching moment!)

Well how about with the last few days. After the last team meeting I felt disappointed that so far I was training on an old penny farthing bike with limited braking facilities and a relationship with Penny that wasn't particularly great, we did have a moment where I dropped her outside Norton stores because she was losing tyre pressure. She has served her initial purpose of getting me into cycling mode and I thank her for the times we spent together. But now as I enter Wiggins mode I set myself the challenge from Saturday of a 10 day limit to get a new bike and the safety gear to follow. (Kids, Always wear a helmet!)

I smashed that record! (by the way people I a big fan of challenges, numbers and beating records) with the help of Hairy Rich I'm all kitted out. Bike comes on Tuesday and she quite the sexy little thing too. Shes a Fuji (not a camera- Id like to see someone try and pedal a 10 mega pixel camera up a hill) who is named Penny-Jane. Choosing Penny-Jane was a difficult decision to make. I fell in love with a Ridley but she was a bit expensive, some bikes where like £8000! I sulked for ages and told everyone I wanted a Radley instead of a Ridley and people now think I like handbags with pretty dogs on them. Oh well!

Yesterday took myself and Rich to Sheffield to get equipment .I knew I would have to face my demons and try the Lycra shorts which seems a little kinky to me. I don't mind wearing short shorts and believe me I do! but Lycra makes me feel exposed. Rich put me at ease though. He decide to but a Lycra mask thing over his sunglasses and made himself look like a gay ninja or somewhat of a power ranger that was forgotten to be scripted in. That was it....... I went for it. I tried a full body suit first, oh it made my eyes sore and from a side view I did look a little like Brett the Hit man Hart (wrestler from WWF in the 90's) actually who am I kidding. I looked like a gay wrestler. That one was soon back on the shelf and i gingerly went for shorts ONLY! I'm still not comfortable with the idea but on this epic adventure comfort over looks is essential (now I sound like my grandad when he goes slipper shopping)

So that was the cycling shopping experience thankfully over and now its back to the serious stuff- training and most importantly fundraising. I'm still struggling with a knee injury at the moment which with Hairy Rich on my side, we are working on improving in the gym with strength work and keeping me on a lead! I take myself and my knee off to the hospital on the 15th to check out the damage.Ive covered 120 miles in the last 7 days which isn't too shabby really.

As for fundraising, Ive been a little slow but like on a bike, I soon catch up. Its time to really knock the smoke out of it. My mini mission at the moment is to push us over the £1000 mark, increase the awareness of Zoe's and the ride. Finally this is a big step but I'm going to try and get a mystery person involved in this for us, oh and tap up Sheffield Hallam Uni for some cash before the budget cuts!


Keep following the blog!

Scott

Dragging our heels on the blogging front

Thought it was about time someone got back on the blog to inform our followers what's been going on.... First things first, as you will have noticed and probably read from my announcement, Google have removed the AdSense link to the blog due to 'invalid clicks'. Apparently, raising money for a charity isn't deemed acceptable by Google, so instead I have sent them an email asking if instead they would like to make a contribution to our fundraising....I will start holding my breath....now! 'huuuuuuuuur'... (That's me taking one last breath...)

Secondly, Elaine and I, and not sure who else have been selling greetings cards, gift wrap etc. through Phoenix Trading, a company who sell greetings cards, stationary type stuff. The same kind of premise as Avon (not sure why I'm name dropping though, its not like we have an AdSense account or anything....). Elaine's friend got in touch with her about the catalogues and offered, 10% commission to Alfie's Team on all products we sell, which is incredibly generous.

Thirdly, I slacked off on the bike riding during a turbulent week of essay deadlines and dealing with some fairly serious housing issues, which I was presented with this week. I did managed to get out the other night though and made a fairly god effort at a 14 miler in just over an hour. I was fairly pleased with it, especially considering that I managed to do it fuelled on the rage I had over the housing situ.

We have changed our justgiving website now to accommodate the other members of the team. We are now @ www.justgiving.com/alfies-team so it doesn't look like me and Rich are claiming all the glory! In addition, I will be collecting some rather fetching Zoe's T shirts for our newest recruits, Daz and Emily along with some collection boxes when I visit Zoe's on Monday.

Lastly, we just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has donated so far. If you haven't had chance to checkthe justgiving page, then please do even if it is just to see how we are doing. We have managed to raise just short of £800 purely from donations alone and we are blown away by this generosity!

A 30 miler and a very nosey horse

Hi Guys

Hope all is well and that the first week of training hasn't killed everyone. Firstly Just to let everyone know I have today fired off a contact to www.myprotein.co.uk basically to see if they can help us with the supply of supplemets to aid us on our rather insane trip, though as it's a sunday I dont expect to get a reply today.

Next onto the real business, Elaine and I went out to day and did a 32 miler in just over 2 hrs, the speed seems to be coming along and as soon as our bike to work scheme opens in a weeks time we're also going to be getting road bikes so I'm sure the speeds will increase further. As it was a nice day we decided to hit the country lanes around Burghwallis and through to Askern, and then over through Sykehouse and back, I was rather a nice ride out to be honest and not too taxing as it was relativly flat, but that did mean more opportunities to get down in the saddle and pick up some real speed and feel like a real cyclist for once as opposed to a sunday rider.

This may come as a dissapointment to Rich and Daz but I only saw one bit of road kill today and that was a bird, so it seems we must have quicker hedgepigs in Donny, but then again out and about around Adwick and Skellow they have to be fast I guess else they would get eaten.

After about 12 miles in nature called and I had to stop in a gateway to a field to answer the call, the road up to then had been quiet but im sure the cars had just been hiding to take a look at me having a pee as from the moment I sidled up to the fence it got a whole lot bussier. Then I happened to notice that the horse in the field was watching me and I must say he looked rather jealous, and had a rather seductive look in his eye, sufficed to say I soon was back on my bike and allowing Elaine to lead so I could draft.

I'd like to say thank you to todays ride sponsor Bolands Fig Rolls. Without you I couldn't have done it, and if you fancy doing the same route as it is rather nice then have a look at the picture also attached.

Cheers

A little less Hairy Rich

The Long and Winding Road

As 'Shinny Rich' highlighted – thank you to Aldi for this weeks bargain basement cycling releases. To add to this I got slightly carried away in Decathlon this morning and instead of leaving with just the intended purchase of a high Calorie drinks mixer (to supplement our growing training plan) I picked up a cracking set of ‘bib style’ shorts which extend over the shoulders, kind of like braces if you were as clueless as me. Hopefully a photo never gets out with me in them, I look atrocious, but once you throw a cycling T on your cycling public is non the wiser. Thanks to Redmond for the advice on this being the NUMBER ONE clothing purchase for our challenge. This was delivered with the supplementary advice that they are like £100 expensive to get a decent one! With this in mind I jumped all over the Decathlon £60 reduced to £35 shorts. They had one Medium left on the rail, a clear sign that they are good right? It was also cold outside and they had long legs to keep me warm on the planned afternoon ride. Purchase made! Hopefully there not too cheap to function at our level of miles, only time and miles in the saddle will tell!

So, to today’s ride….

I've just come back from the attempted 50 mile ride (15 above the training schedule!) however “your cycling eyes are bigger than your cycling legs” here did just 20 miles, and that was at a push! Yes I may of opted for the fantastic option of joining JP, my cycling guru mate down the road, on the Trans Pennine Trail towards Woodhead…..however it was flawed as we increasingly became separated by my apparent lack of pace. To allow JP to break sweat (and to stop myself from panting between every word) I called it a day after just 5 miles and went back home to cycle randomly until the speedometer hit 20 and I could again show my face on here.

However I have solid excuses Blog readers..

- the Manchester 10km is a week tomorrow, so mixing training (like drinks) is obviously a deadly mix (what about Triathlon athletes – shusssssss!)

- I started my first ‘Hairy Richs Weights and Circuits routine’ on Thursday, and it hurt then and it hurts now. Having never done many of those exercises before I guess its like anything my immunity needs building up. As proof, Friday afternoon’s 10km felt slightly like I was running in lead boots. So as proven today I’m still not over that.

- Two little girls had left their bikes on my cycle trail while they played pat-a-cake near the river. I had to stop suddenly and start again, that was unexpected.

- I forgot I had energy packed Haribo in my bag and thus ran dangerously low on Kcals

I’m all out....Ok pathetic excuses I know, I’m crap is the simple fact. It’s Week 1 of 20 and boy do I know it!

Ok, that’s where I am. Just wanted to share the challenge with you, and let you know how tough this will be for me.

Please feel free to support us with kind words, free (high end) bib shorts, Haribo or even better a Zoe’s Place donation at www.justgiving.com/helenandrich. After an excellent start we’ve slowed down of late as I know lots are waiting for nearer the day itself on September 20^th. But we all like snow, so lets start that snowball effect today and sponsor us before Britain’s Got Talent comes on. Come on you non Donny mates, show us how tight we Yorkshire lot really are. Donny mates, come on now cockers, lets show the other side how we love to throw our money about.

Cheers,

Daz x

Hedgehogs, wine gums and raiding Aldi

Its only a short one today folks and folkessess, pushed myself on a decent training run the other day learnt a few more things

1) We kill a lot of animals on our roads (we as the British nation, not just Alfie's team) i was up to a hedgehog a mile at one point, surely not good for Britain's indigenous hedgey hog population! also more pheasants than you can shake a road bike at and i was sure i saw a dog at one point. It turned out to be a bag!

2) The best thing about Maltby is the road on the way out! thats not just a joke as well! slightly down hill and meanders through the countryside and most importantly its going away from Maltby.

3) I have developed a motto that certainly kept me going 'Failure is not an option' it does have the capacity to have things added to it, such as 'but it will hurt a lot'

All in all a good ride 72.9 miles my longest yet, i still need to master eating more i don't think i can get 1051mile on 2 kellogg's elevenses bars and half a bag of Co-op wine gums.

The supermarket chain ALDI have been hit hard my Alfies team as people flocked into stock up on everything from gloves to bike pumps for threepence ha'penny!

The training plan 'hairy Rich' has put together looks ruthless and as such i am starting it next week, the ride i did this week has thrown up an injury on my knee that is the result of years and years of kicking people. This is something i am looking into and if i am honest blatantly ignoring, it will be fine!

What's all the fuss about???

I'll tell you what its all about. That bloody training plan I have devised, yes Dazzler you were right to look worried.

After having done 30 miles on the bike yesterday as scheduled I thought I had better do the strength and circuits session tonight, my god my ass and legs are in bits. I have successfully managed to obliterate them in a single 1 hour gym session.

I trust everyone who has tried it felt the same? if not then you obviously didn't work hard enough, and of course if you haven't tried it yet then im only joking it was easy ;-). On a more serious note regarding the training, if we stick at it as prescribed it will work guys so keep at it.

I'm off to crawl up the stairs to bed now, with a faint glimmer of hope that I'll be able to walk in the morning, Think copious amounts of Lucozade and Deep Heat are required, And possibly some kind of protein recovery shake from Myprotein.co.uk.

Night all.

What a difference a week makes

Firstly hello one and all. I’m the latest nutter to thrown my hat whole heartily into this epic but great adventure to raise money in support of the fabulous work done at Zoe’s.

Having known Rich since he had hair and was known as Fairy, yes that long, I knew as soon as the words bike ride, Lands End, John O’Groats and Zoes Place was mentioned I was severely tempted. And so I’ve eventually made the jump several weeks later and here we are!

Firstly I’m sans a Road Bike until at least late July (when my cycle to work scheme opens) so Rich as agreed to lend me his shinny, fast, lighter then a pack of cards road bike on alternate months.

Get off the floor rich, only joking. So not ideal, as I’d prefer to get as many miles on the “real bike” as soon as poss prior to the big day in Lands End on September 20^th…especially as I’ve never ridden a road bike and after trying Rich’s bike up and down the street it was a fun but they definetly ride and feel different to your standard mountain bike. However the good news is a few weeks before Rich uttered the mad words of bike rides I purchased a discounted mountain bike off a friend’s recommendation (cheers Sonic). So I’ll be training on that till the new road bike arrives! And i’m learning lots already! Apparently I get some slicks on that and I should see some extra mph on the road! Also if we stick close to each other the savings we make in wind resistance means the last person just needs to put his/her feet up and have a brew while we collectively suck them along.

So, having committed last Sunday to the big event I started with a wee 14 miler on Wednesday and on the very slight hill back I thought I saw a dead dog on the path. However as I started to slow I realised I was delusional from the ride as it was quite clearly a black bin bag. That didn’t stop me though and yesterday (Sunday) I almost drove Emily mad by inviting her on a leisurely (read severely underestimated) bike ride (read severe hill training camp) over 35 miles fromBritain’s highest town in Buxton (which is no longer news to me!). Still it was great to hit my first wall and if a £1 swear jar existed on that last 10 miles (which was flat) I would of easily of made a large dent in the £5,000 target!

In saying all of that, its still fun and the charity side is a great thing to aim for! As the great Sir John Ryan said “onwards and upwards” and when has Sir John ever been wrong? Never!

Biker Till I Die (literally it could be!)

Daz

PS – attached is my attempted "shock face"on opening Hairy Rich’s newly polished group training schedule ;D

Cycling comradeship, doubting Nana and a ham sandwich

So today was the first day I've been out on a proper bike ride and I loved it! Setting off about half 7 this morning was a chore, I cycled around my village before heading back home to fashion some Fagin style gloves as the wind was ruining my hands. Setting back off I rode past a fellow cyclist going in the opposite direction...a wink and a cheery 'Good Moooaning' and we were both on our way. He was sporting a similar jacket to mine, both red X-Cellerate wind proof jackets, his had clearly aged though due to experience and as I cycled perkily into the distance I could tell he was looking at me with envy thinking 'Its not enough she's got a totally sick set of wheels but the jacket to go with it, jeez when am I going to catch a break?'

I managed to cover 11 miles this morning. Not quite the 30+ miles the others have managed but for my first time out on the road I was chuffed to mint balls. I managed to tackle the three big hills - Kenty's, Toll Bar and of course the one near Adwick train station. Coming from Toll Bar, I was cycling up the hill like a trooper whilst having flash backs to my driving lessons and almost burning my instructor's clutch out in an attempt to get up Carr Hill in Balby. As I was pushing it up I just kept thinking 'Stay Green, Stay Green, for the love of all things purple stay green'. No such luck and I had to do a hill start with an immediate left turn... In true Alfie's Team fashion though I trooped on through...

By the time I got to Jossey hill I was flying, but also needed the toilet so thought I know...I'll make my annual trip to see Nan. Called off in Scawthorpe to be greeted my Nan who was chowing down on her Muesli. I half expected a superstar welcome, A. For being up and at it so early. B. For cycling like a trojan and C. Because I've always considered myself the favourite grandchild. Reality hit in when as soon as I sat down Nan starting chirping up about how many miles Rich had been putting in, and oh Rich is doing well, followed by a 'Do you think you'll manage it? Its a long way you' to which I replied 'Nana, please. Anything Rich can do I can do harder, faster, better and with a great deal more style'. I cracked on and left her to it and made it home in time for the last bit of Jez Kyle, which I watched over a ham sandwich Morrisons of course. Booyar!

Cracking little ride and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Couple of things I noticed though were firstly gloves, its deceptively cold when you're riding so I need to get myself a pair of biking gloves and some uber padded Lycra trousers. The gel seat cover does the job but I definitely need some extra padding....think Lada Gaga's shoulders circa December 2009 and you're about close....

A bike ride leads to a job

Well not quite as misleading as the title of the blog suggests, I still had to put a lot of graft in and wow the interviewers with my skills, but last week I was offered a job working as a fund-raiser for the new Zoe's Place hospice opening in Coventry! Who'd have thought when we started this it would lead to a job and a whole change of a life eh?! After talking tirelessly about the bike ride, I think the interviewers liked the insanity flavoured milkshake I was bringing to the yard! I signed up for a house this week and will be moving down at the end of May to start the job in June.

Right personal glories aside its time to fill you in on this weeks activities. After roping in Dazlar and Emily last week for the bike ride and support team, we've allocated jobs for the next couple of weeks. We're going to be getting in touch with supermarkets such as Morrisons, Asda and Tesco to see if we can get an food parcels; Emily has been kind enough to map the topography of the bike ride which has opened our eyes to the enormity of this challenge; Elaine is tapping up Lucazade to see if they can offer any freebies or vouchers for all the energy drinks we will plough through; Hairy Rich has put together the sickest training plan I've ever set my eyes on and the less sensible amongst us have set about getting in touch with the likes of John Parr, Tony Christy, Brian Blessed, Jeremy Clarkson, Ian Beale (obviously Adam Woodyatt - bit of a team in joke there), Katie Price, Russell Howard and of course Ant and Dec for fundraising and to try and get them involved in the bike ride.

Not sure how much more there is to fill you in on for the time being but be sure to keep coming back and checking what we're getting up to. Thanks again to everyone who has donated this week, we've managed to reach 10% Now...lets see if we can make it to 15% by next week?!?

CLICK THE LINKS BELOW

Hills? There's gonna be hills???

Well, we knew there would be a few little hillocks along the way but seeing them on a topography map kinda brings it home a bit doesn't it!

It was great to meet the rest of the team the other day, and we thought nobody else would be stupid enough to do something like this.

Having decided that I am adding several other events to my summer of fundraising I have gone ahead and attempted to draw up a proper, grown up, training plan. I even went to TWO spin classes this week! Having done Sheffield Half Marathon last Sunday, I am now doing Askern 10k run in a couple of weeks, Hatfield Triathlon at end of July and Great Yorkshire Run 10k in September.

Got a Tri Club ride this afternoon, back out on the bike at some stage tomorrow, then me and Rich are heading out Bank Hol Monday for the day - going to head over to the peaks I think and see if we can find a slope or two to ride up and down. I have stocked up on Jacobs Fig Rolls and Rowntrees Fruit Pastilles to keep us going, and Melton Mowbray Pork Pies, Asda Bread Rolls, Tesco Ham, Philadelphia Cheese and Morrison Pasta Salad for lunch. So with a good breakfast of Kelloggs Weetabix inside us we should be good to go!

Still waiting to hear from LUCOZADE about sponsorship but does look like we're going to get a bit of a feature in DMBC's staff magazine.

Now if we don't get a few links from that lot something's wrong! Hope you're all clicking on the links that come up!