All the motivation you need

As mentioned in my last post, I attended my first Action for Charity meeting last weekend at St Thomas's Hospital in London.  It was humbling to hear from women who were not only challenging themselves to complete this cycle, but were also fighting cancer themselves.

We had presentations from all 3 charities that the Women v Cancer organisation supports -

http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk

http://www.jostrust.org.uk

http://www.ovarian.org.uk

which were very moving and inspiring.  You could've heard a pin drop in the room so I am sure that everyone there felt the same.

Anne Frampton from Women v Cancer presenting at the first Cycle Cuba meeting.  Since it began 3 years ago, Women v Cancer has raised over £2.3 million for women's cancer charities

Anne Frampton, the event organiser, did a great job of getting us all excited about the challenge we have all signed up for as well as reminding us of the great causes we are supporting in doing this.  She also introduced us to Theo Peeters from Dream Challenges who will be looking after us in Cuba.  They have pulled together an itinerary for us which looks amazing but a little daunting at the same time:

Day 1 - fly from London to Havanna

Day 2 - Jibacoa Beach to Matanzas - 5 hours cycling on a mixture of tarmac and compacted earth roads taking in coastal and inland scenery.  One 800m hill to negotiate - 43.5 miles

Day 3 - Matanzas to the Peninsula of Zapata - 5-6 hours cycling on tarmac roads through what was prime sugar can land - 52.8 miles

Day 4 - Cienfuegos to Trinindad - 6-7 hours cycling on undulating country roads - 59.7 miles (the toughest day!)

Day 5 - Trinidad to Sancti Spiritus - 6 hours cycling through a scenic valley with sugar mills and tobacco fields - 47.8 miles

Day 6 - Sancti Spiritus to Santa Clara - 6-7 hours cycling on undulating roads through villages and small towns, finishing at the Che Guevara Mausoleum, one of Cuba's most important revolutionary monuments - 51 miles

Day 7 - Santa Clara to Havana ...... on the bus!!

Total miles cycled - 254.8 (400km)

Getting back up to speed

New Year has been and gone and so has January!  I am not sure how that happened so quickly, but am now rooting around in my head to find the motivation to get going again with training and fundraising as we have taken a couple of months off over the Christmas period.

I have only one notable cycle under my belt so far this year which I am calling the Roast Dinner Challenge - a 32 mile round trip from Marple to my parent's house in Timperley in order to indulge in my mum's excellent roast beef dinner, yorkshires, roasts and all the trimmings followed by fruit crumble and custard.  Fine recovery from the first 16 miles and fuel for the second 16!

I am finding that I need to invent reasons such as this to get me out on the bike in the cold wet weather. It has been made a bit easier with the gradual improvement of my kit - my current look is 3/4 pants over cycling shorts paired with a long pair of football socks.  A fine silhouette!  I have also inherited a marvellous cycling jacket which is way above my skill (and cool) level, but soooooo warm.  Need better gloves and shoes as fingers and toes still objecting to the virtual frostbite they have been subjected to.

Despite my lack of outdoor cycles, I am feeling pretty good about the general fitness programme I have underway.  I have increased my spin classes to 3 a week, occasionally 4.  I have definitely noticed the difference when I get on my bike - I don't feel so saddle sore.  Also now feeling OK about wearing skinny jeans for the first time since turning 20!!

I have also introduced yoga into my life.  It wasn't quite what I expected (was thinking relaxing, gentle, calm) - it is strenuous, demanding and sometimes downright impossible; despite the patient encouragement from my excellent teacher - but I am loving it!  I am becoming a fan of cross training and gaining strength from another practice to help you with your goal.  Still waiting for inner peace, but will keep trying.

Talking of cross training - I have also signed up for the Sheffield Half Marathon as I want to keep up my running as well as the cycling, so needed a point of focus.  It is in May so that gives me plenty of time to adjust my training.

It is now time to start thinking about a proper training plan though.  I need to up my outdoor cycle mileage on a regular basis and start some hill training.  This was made apparent 2 weekends ago when I attended the first Cycle Cuba meeting down in London.  The Action for Charity Team shared the route with us and the fact that they have altered it to make it more challenging/hilly so we don't get bored or find it too easy!!!  Funny.

It is also now time to get together with Gillian and decide what our next fundraising event is going to be.  We have both just changed jobs, so needed to take a bit of time to settle in to our new roles.  We are now both working in the city centre, so I am sure there will be a few strategy meetings required over coffee and cake.  I will share as soon as possible - our ideas that is, not the cake.