Cycling the Wight

Just in case you’ve missed the gushing Facebook updates of my mother, the news is that I completed the first of my two bike rides in aid of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research on Sunday (www.justgiving.com/andrew-webster5).

But it wasn’t easy going. I had to battle endless hills, driving rain and a very dodgy cycling outfit to complete the course. However I was spurred on by the fact that I had almost met my fundraising target by the time I set off thanks to some very generous friends.

I set off from East Cowes at 9:45 and headed west towards Ryde through country roads and small villages. The first ten miles passed without incident apart from a wrong turn and a dead end.

However as I headed south, I started to hit some big hills. You could forgive me for thinking there was a typo on the sign below…

The second checkpoint, just short of halfway, was at top of the biggest hill on the route and with my legs shaking and feeling emotionally broken I was pleased to see my family sitting in the car at the top waiting for me. Despite my begging, they refused to take me home, but did offer me a seat in the back to eat my sandwich and some locally made fudge.

Setting off again, the rain began to fall and the wind blew in from the sea. It was pretty miserable for about an hour. As I cycled towards Freshwater though the weather improved slightly and the views out over the sea and white cliffs was pretty spectacular.

However the white cliffs I was admiring, soon became the hills I was climbing and I entered a world of pain once more. This time my strategy was to get in the slip stream of a pro cyclist and just follow their pace up the hill. I continued to do this with each person that overtook me. I was rewarded soon after reaching the summit with a piece of chocolate cake and a cup of tea at the Yarmouth checkpoint.

The last 15 miles from Yarmouth to East Cowes flattened out a bit and I roared towards the finish line with a couple of last minute hills for good measure. Back in East Cowes my family were there to welcome me and I was presented with my medal…can’t you just feel the pride on my face?

I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has sponsored me so far. It’s been touching how quickly I have been able to hit my target and every penny has been gratefully received. I'm now preparing for a mammoth 115 mile ride round London. If you’re still planning to donate, the website is www.justgiving.com/andrew-webster5