Training begins again!

Well after a few months of pretty sporadic bike riding, we have resumed training again and the last two Sundays have seen us out and about the local roads.

Sunday 10th October - Our 8 am starts do not phase us hardcore early birds these days!!! I chose the route today. From Pollicott we headed down to Wescott and along the A41 turning off for Quainton, through the village going past the very picturesque village shop towards Denham, where we turned up onto a bridleway which goes in several directions, to be used later in training. Today we followed the concrete path through to Ladymede Racing Stables where we headed left up and over a short hill and coming down through a dairy farmyard onto Carters lane, this joined up with the Quainton to Whitchurch road and then along to cross the A41 again and up the steep hil to Upper Winchendon and then back to Pollicott. We were pleasantly surprised that our fitness levels had not dropped too much over the summer and Sian reliably informed us that the route measured 15.5 miles.

Sunday 17th October saw another 8am start. Once again we headed down to Westcott, where we picked up our NEW 4th Belle - Amber!! Small chit chat and on we got, starting out on the same route as the previous Sunday. By the time we got to Quainton it was very apparent that Sian was missing from the front of the group and seemed to be struggling somewhat at the back, pulling up in the layby across from the village shop it was revealed why, Sian had a flat front tyre. This was a first for the Belles - Sian quickly got to work removing the wheel and tyre, we thought it was a wonky valve rather than a puncture so she re-set the tyre and inner tube and put the wheel back on.

During this time we all got various comments from locals popping in and out of the shop getting their Sunday papers!! Cold it most certainly was and once we got going again we all felt really stiff and lethargic. We had not been going long again - we got to the racing yard about 5 minutes away and Sian's tyre was once more flat, this time I insisted we use the spare inner tube I had been storing in my bum back all this time!! Sian quickly removed the tyre and pulled out the old inner tube and put the new one in, meanwhile Amber and Alex continued on the ride so they didn't get cold again.

Sian and I were soon on our way again and caught up with the other 2 in the farmyard, which due to recent rain resembled liquid slurry, this soon became slurry all over ourselves as we picked up speed again!!!

After the mahoosive Waddesdon Stud hill Amber suggested turning down the estate path by the gatehouse, which took us off-road back to Westcott, her ulterior motive was missing out another hill, but Alex, Sian and myself still had to do the hill up from Westcott, very cunning Amber - we're going to have to watch her!!

Back home we were greeted by bacon sarnies and fresh coffee which, needless to say, didn't hang around for long!!! A somewhat eventful ride but another chapter in the book!!!

Just Before We Start

So, the South Downs Way is the chosen route for the Pollicott Belles 2011 escapade – a fitting backdrop for a very fitting cause. Before the Belles get into our usual banter about the mayhem, pain, and hilarity that is fast becoming the trademark of our activities, I think a brief word about why we chose Helen & Douglas House as the charity we wanted to support this year.

A few months ago I had the good fortune to meet Peter, a grandfather of two young boys who died at the heartbreakingly young ages of four and ten years old. Both suffered from brain tumours and were cared for at Helen & Douglas House. Peter told me his story over morning coffee and when I arrived back home I jumped on the good old Google to find out a little bit more about what these guys do.

By the time us Belles had got together to discuss our next fundraising effort I was convinced I wanted us to do something, however small, to help. This is an incredible charity, the work they do is nothing less than special – and usually in the most distressing of circumstances.

I wasn’t sure how Sian and Vicky might react to the suggestion that we look at doing something outside of Macmillan, this is a charity close to all of our hearts and through our adventure earlier this year we came to know many people who do the most amazing work. As it happened I needn’t have worried – it turned out we had a secret Helen & Douglas House supporter in our midst in Sian. It didn’t take very long at all to unanimously decide this is the charity we wanted to support for our next challenge.

Peter supports Helen & Douglas House by raising as much money as he can selling plants outside of his house. He was more than pleased when I told him that the three crazy chicks from Pollicott (aka The Pollicott Belles) would also be doing their bit in 2011 to help a very worthy cause.

This ride is for the memory of Peters grandchildren, Michael and Ryan, and with the help of all of our supporters The Belles hope we can do something special for a charity that is worthy of all of the help we can give.


Alex xx

And We're Off

I have just registered Andy, Joe and I for Santa's on the Run - Oxford - 2010 and sponsored myself £50 so that gets the Pollicott Belles fund off to a good start. If you fancy sponsoring us please click on the justgiving link here or hand dosh over to any belle!

This is me last year - I'll get a new outfit this year if I hit £100 sponsorship before then!!