Training

Well it is now about 4 weeks until the ride so I have had a bash at one day of climbs and welsh hills for 70 miles. Beautiful country. Drop dead gorgeous.  

Felt good too. Must remember to eat loads before and keep topping up with good energy food every couple of hours. 

The roads are not too busy and people are very good ( sometimes ). I know us cyclists can be irritating but bear with us please ;)

We are now 6 weeks from the start of our ride across the UK from west to east. Not much happening this end except for pounding the streets and B roads of North Shropshire and East Wales for training hours and building up for the ride. We have also entered the Shropshire Highlands Challenge from Ludlow on the 16th June as a tester, it is a gruelling 65 miles and 6500 ft climb ride organised and well run. Should be good training, although 80 miles a day for 5 days seems a bit more of a challenge right now. If anyone is reading this please let us know what you would like to know about, pics, videos, maps of the course, training, etc, etc. You can post a comment on here or e mail me at rwowen@btinternet.com

So far so good.....

Lots of cycle rides around Ellesmere, Oswestry and beyond. I really wish I was more of an expert on this blogging malarky as I use an app on my phone called Strava and this carries all the info on rides I have done with Clayton. I could then show you lovely people what busy enthusiastic bikers we are. I will try and get these up for you with maps and stats and the like. We have also invested in Garmin GPS with heart monitors to help us train. I bought mine after Clayt to be honest. It seemed like a good idea at the time and I have to say it is fantastic. It beeps when you are about to have a heart attack so it is money well spent I think ;) We are off tomorrow on a 50-55 ride to Lake Vyrnwy in Mid Wales which is beautiful and a fairly steep climb too which I cannot understand why but I am really looking forward to it. The date for the west to east ride is fast approaching now, about 12 weeks !!!! O M G !!!! Here goes, copy and paste Strava....

First update

Well, I didn't think I would be doing this again for a while but I must have gotten the bug for this blogging ...but this time it is a bit different.  Me and a mate Clayton plan to ride our bikes across the UK from the Westiest bit of Wales we can find to the Eastiest bit of England in Lowestoft.  About 400 miles.  We want to do it in about 4-5 days.  No agenda.  We will be taking our essentials on our backs, bikebags, whatever ?

So far we had one trial run out in the snow, rain and wind and did a decent 34 miles.  Not a bad start.  Six months from now we should be heading down to St.Davids in Pembrokeshire with our bikes to set off, 70-100 miles a day.

In the meantime I will update this blog with training, stories, etc, etc as a diary of what happens til we go and all along the way.

Snow has stopped any rides out this week so a bit of indoor cycling sessions on rollers.  Note the sweat catching towel underneath.  Essential ;)  I actually fell off and shot forward 6 foot after this video.   Shame that, I could of got £250 off YBF   haha

West To East For Kenyan Schools Project

We plan to do a charity fundraising event for a local registered charity run by a very special man and woman team Bill & Lynn Morris who have over the last 8 years raised tens of thousands of pounds for Kenyan school children and orphans. Their charity is Kenyan Schools Project (A Registered Charity in England & Wales Ref: 1117886)

http://www.kenyanschoolsproject.co.uk/

Their charity has helped build, equip and stock numerous schools & orphanages in Kenya. You can also sponsor a desk where you have your name painted onto it as a thank you.  Each 2 person desk costs just £20 to make which is hand made by a local Kenyan carpenter. So not only is this virtually administratively cost neutral but it also provides much needed local business which in turn helps build the local Kenyan economy.  Virtually all money raised goes to the people who need it. If you get chance please visit their website http://www.kenyanschoolsproject.co.uk/ where you will find news of some of their heart warming stories from visits they have made there over the years. As they say in their logo....  Let them touch your hearts.

The plan is to cycle from the Westiest bit of Wales to the Eastiest bit of England !!

So approximately 400 miles coast to coast starting at the St.Justinian's Lifeboat Station in Porthstinian Bay, near St. Davids, Pembrokeshire to Ness Point on the seafront at Lowestoft.

You can donate by clicking this link here....

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=RichardOwen

Thank you Very Much

Wish us luck,  please check back for updates on the training and other news.