I need some bike thermals, or “base layers” as they are apparently known! @Bidwells #GTBikeRide - 4 more sleeps

Some of you may think that I am bonkers, others stupid; me, I am not quite sure what I am – I’m still trying to work that one out, but what I do know is that I need some bike thermals, or “base layers” as they are apparently known!

Last year Bidwells organised The Golden Triangle Bike Ride for charity. It was announced earlier this year that there would be a 2017 Golden Triangle Bike Ride (#GTBikeRide) starting in Oxford and ending in Cambridge, going via Milton Keynes. There are two options; the full 100 miles, or the “demi” 50 miles from Milton Keynes to Cambridge.

Now the Bidwells St Albans team are not known for being a super sporty office, although we do have one or two athletic colleagues. What we are, however, is super supportive of one another and 95% of the time we are all up for a challenge, especially when it is for a good cause.

The 2017 #GTBikeRide is raising money for The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). CALM is an award-winning charity dedicated to preventing male suicide, the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45 in the UK.

They aim to prevent suicide by providing help to those who need it; by working with others to improve understanding of suicide and what services and policies work best; by fostering cultural change so that men can talk about issues and get help when things start to go wrong. CALM challenges cultural barriers that prevent men seeking help in a crisis, such as assumptions around men being the ‘strong and silent’ type.

Our two energetic colleagues signed up for the 100 mile ride almost as soon as the registration opened. The remainder of the Bidwells St Albans team were encouraged but also incredibly anxious to embrace the challenge – and for us it is a challenge! This said, after some thought, deliberation and fuelled by fear five more of us made a pact to sign up for the “demi” 2017 #GTBikeRide on the basis that “if you do it, I’ll do it” and the great charity we would be supporting.

Well, its fine signing up to things like this but then there are the practicalities; for me there have been quite a lot to overcome! For starters most people wonder what colour of high heels I am going to wear to a meeting; stilettos are not conducive to cycling. Secondly I hadn’t been on a bike for about 20 years, and my brother kindly reminded me that one of his most poignant memories was one of me having serious road rash and a very scratched, tattered bike after taking a hairpin bend too fast aged about 15.

So step one – buy a bike, on the grounds that I would look very funny doing the Ministry of Funny Walks mimicking pedalling a bike from Milton Keynes to Cambridge but also would take considerably longer than if wheels were involved… Buying a bike is not so simple, in my day it was “do you want a racer or a mountain bike?” having decided that, “what colour would you like?”, this is quite simply not the case these days.

Totally confused I enrolled the help of my Bidwells colleagues to shed some light on the matter and was delighted when one informed me that his mate’s wife was selling her old bike. I jumped at the chance even though I live in Hertfordshire and the bike was in Newmarket – I was willing to accept any help to overcome the challenge which was facing me. Turns out Brian’s chums were Ted & Petra Hayton who own Continental Drifting (https://www.continentaldrifting.co.uk/) specialising in European bike holidays – so they know a lot about bikes and take very good care of them! I purchased the bike there and then (having sat on it but too frightened to ride it), popped it in the car and drove back home with an order to buy a helmet and a strong recommendation to buy padded cycling shorts! So, it was 10 July and I had a bike, loads of time until the 21 September to train…

My first ride was on the 16 July in the afternoon after I had got off a plane from Spain and I thought that I should really give this cycling a go… I headed along Berkhamsted High Street as it follows the canal so therefore it would be quite flat. It was, but then I came to a roundabout, knowing I could not cope with that, 4 miles into my first ride after 20 years, I turned left… It turns out that where I live, in the heart of the Chilterns, is quite hilly… After a 1.3 mile 3.2% gradient and having climbed 232ft I was a little rouge and out of puff, the only thing I could think about was getting to my parents for a sit down and a cup of tea, so I headed there for a pit stop. The intention being to have a breather and then head home, it was not to be. My father was so excited at seeing me on a bike that he got his out of the garage, where it has laid dormant for 6 months, and insisted on riding with me, but avoiding steep hills so taking me 5 miles out of my way home! (Not sure I needed that on my first ride). I was undoubtedly very rusty, a bit wobbly and bemused by the 27 gears (multiple front and back wheels!) and was soooo pleased when I and the bike got home in one piece.

The next ride was a “training ride” with Ted in Newmarket. In normal circumstances this would mean clock up the miles in preparation for the sponsored ride; in my case, it was learning how to ride a bike – seating position, foot on pedal position and gears. Ted was a great teacher and had the patience of a saint – even when I ended up in a hedge because I panicked, stopped breathing and so didn’t turn on a corner… (I reminisce over my brother’s memory when I was 15). Well, having survived a second time I went away from my training having learned how to clean the bike and with a new shopping list – a Joe Blow, inner tubes & tyre levers… (This was a steep learning curve!)

The third time I went out was with a chum who came out from Ealing on a Saturday morning (don’t worry I’m not going to talk you through all of my rides). It was a lovely steady and relatively short ride as Zoe too is a novice. We set off in bright sunshine but half way around the heavens opened – and they really did – we raced back into Berko but unfortunately 3 miles from the centre of town my ride got very bumpy; yes, I had successful punctured my rear tyre. The only problem being that I had not brought the inner tubes as I had concluded that even if I did get a puncture I would not know what to do with them! The puncture may have been a blessing in disguise as the walk back to the bike shop (https://lovelocycleworks.co.uk/) was a good warm down. The lovely team at Lovelo taught me how to change an inner tube (more learning!).

So today I have been out for my thirteenth and final ride before the “big one” on Thursday. I bounced out of bed this morning knowing I had to go out despite the grey, dismal skies. Today my chain came off and so I successfully returned home covered (and I mean covered in black bike oil) and wet through. Two more things I have learned, pack some latex gloves for those bike chain moments and buy some thermals – the thermals are on order and will hopefully arrive before Thursday!

I’m really excited to be doing the #GTBikeRide with my team, wider Bidwells colleagues and clients. But….. I am very nervous about cycling in a large group; I may not have to worry about this in reality as my average speed is c12.5mph and it appears that the Bidwells Cycle Club (BBC) average is more like 15mph so I won’t be riding in that group!

Ultimately though this challenge and learning curve is all in aid of a phenomenal cause raising money for CALM, and as long as I complete the distance and get back to Cambridge before the coach leaves to take us home I will be delighted!

Good luck to my team and all of my colleagues who are taking part and hopefully see you at the other end. May the countdown begin, four more sleeps…..

To help us along the way and sponsor us donating to CALM please use the link below;

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserPage.action?userUrl=BidwellsGoldenTriangleBikeRide&faId=863031&isTeam=true