The event is staged every year and starts at the Olympic Park and takes in a route through London and Surrey and ends with a ride up The Mall to the finish.
In September 2012 I challenged myself to ride 300 miles in 30 days and along with my sister and Mum, who did their own challenges, raised just over £1,600 for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
A year later I did a similar challenge with a couple of friends and rode 400 miles raising over £1,850 for Prostate Cancer UK.
The reason I did these challenges (apart from to raise money for some worthy causes) was in an attempt to get myself fit and take up cycling as a hobby.
Unfortunately both of these challenges whilst hard work but fun only lasted 30 days and such was the intensity that I inevitably stopped cycling regularly at the end!
So, getting back to the RideLondon event I've decided to enter myself for 2016! I'm currently extremely unfit (Jabba the Hutt could beat me in a slithering race) and apart from some sporadic goes on my Turbo Trainer I've hardly been on my bike at all in two years!
By opting to take on this challenge I will be forcing myself to train for the event as it would be impossible to just get on the bike and ride this distance without building up to it.
Last Monday I entered the ballot which, if successful, allows you to ride in the event with just a small entrance fee but unfortunate I won't find out until February next year. Having spoken to my friend who rode in it this year for The Well Child charity I've learnt that you can get a guaranteed place by applying to ride for one of loads of great charities as long as you pledge to raise a certain amount for them. Prostate Cancer UK is close to my heart as my Dad was diagnosed with it back in 2011 and after surgery was left with complications although he is cancer free. I applied to ride for Prostate Cancer UK last night and earlier today I had a call from them saying they had accepted my place... I'm in!!!
So now the fun begins... First step for me is to start eating right and doing some regular short sessions on the Turbo Trainer. My road bike needs a service and a couple of new tyres before I go out on it but to be honest at my current fitness level I'm too embarrassed to go out just yet anyway! No one can see you stuck on a turbo trainer in your lounge!
I'll use this blog and Facebook to track my training and progress an hopefully this time next year I'll be fitter, healthier and will have completed the RideLondon-Surrey 100 mile race!
Watch this space...
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