Meet the Riders

On the 8th September the Everest Challenge begins with 29,029 feet in elevation ridden over 10 days, the equivalent height of 66 times to the top of Salisbury Cathedral. With a week to go until the Everest Challenge the riders Anne-Marie, Matthew, Simon and Jason have been training hard but are the riders ready? And why are they doing it? Lets ask the riders.

Why are you doing it? 

Simon, Matthew, Anne Marie

Matthew - I'm really excited to be helping two excellent charities Trussell Trust and Toilet Twinning. Personally I want to stay fit but its too easy to put off doing things. Having a goal to focus on really helps me and this challenge has certainly been a focus.

 Anne Marie - I've been cajoled into joining this years challenge. This is the hardest thing I have ever trained for. I think the charities we have chosen are very special and do remarkable things

Simon - Obviously raising money for two well deserving charities is important and personally it will be an amazing experience. Have actually enjoyed the training and exploring the countryside around Salisbury.

Jason - The money? The fame? The Strava kudos? Because I lost a bet? Temporary insanity? Nope, it's none of the above, (although the the insanity is probably true and money is important!). I think I'm really doing it, as Edmund Hillary said, "because it's there"; because "not doing it" would sit with me for the rest of my days.

Jason, Matthew

Are you ready for the challenge?

M - I think so but time will tell but in training we are unable to replicate the effect of combined days and the constant climbing of Ventoux so we will see.

AM - I hope so, I have felt the last three weeks my fitness has improved but it has taken a very long time

S - Will soon find out! Have covered lots of miles (and hills) in training.

J -No. But I expect that everyone says this. I've climbed a lot of hills but it's the continuous 'up' for 21 kilometres that you just can't train for on the smaller hills. I suppose the road will decide this for me. I hope the road isn't holding any grudges for all the cursing that it's received during the training!

Are you looking forward to the challenge?

M - I am but I am also nervous. This is a really big challenge for me not being a natural climber

AM - No not really - quite terrified in fact.

S - Definitely. After cycling twice a week for 5 months will be nice to get started.

J - Actually, yes I am looking forward to it. I know it will be hard and painful, and I'm dreading the empty-leg feeling when you just don't have any more energy to dig in to, but I do love the team spirit that comes from striving together and this is worth the pain. Also it's for a good cause.

The Challenge

What's been the hardest bit about training?

M - I hate climbing hills that's what makes it a real challenge for me. I'm much more suited to flat long rides so searching out hills to climb often multiple times has been physically and mentally hard.

AM - Keeping going. It seems to have taken longer than before to get fit

S - Getting up early at the weekend.

J - Finding time to train without disturbing family life too seriously has been difficult. With GCSE's and A-Levels happening in our family this year, tensions have been running high and Daddy duty has had to supersede many of the training rides. Also, to add to the time constraints, we're moving house during the challenge weeks. Hey, we found a house that suited us perfectly and decided we didn't have enough stress in our lives!

What do you eat pre ride?

M - Muesli

AM - I haven't done anything special during training, but will carb load for the ride - Pasta

S -Banana and peanut butter on toast.

Pre ride food

J -They say it makes sense to 'carb-stuff'. Which means filling up on high carbohydrate good in the 24 hours before a big ride. However, I've never been a big believer in this approach. A balanced diet should be good enough. Someone once said to me "Eat fresh food, not too much of it and make sure most of it is vegetable". I think that this is great advice for everyone, including cyclists. So on the day, I'll probably have a couple of croissants and jam. Oh and of course strong coffee is always a necessary part of my morning intake. I basically run on high-octane coffee.

Excluding puncture kit What do you never leave home without?

M - Helmet is a must but I would also say water, dehydration will stop your ride brutally. Personally I always wear sunglasses ever since I got a fly in the eye going 35 mph down a hill.

AM - I forget everything, but Matthew, Simon and Jason usually have everything I need

S - Apart from cycling essentials, a phone to record the ride details and let the family know when to expect me back.

J -Water, water and more water. When you cycle your body gets through a ridiculous amount of H2O. It's the air moving over you combined with the high muscle effort. In short you sweat like crazy. All the lovely lycra clothing also allows the moisture to 'whick' away freely, adding to the dehydration effect. Hill climbing is particularly strenuous, so we'll need to take precautions to make sure we have enough water on-board. Unfortunately water weighs quite a lot, so choosing the right amount to load on your bike is a bit of a balancing act (pardon the pun).

What day are you looking forward to?

M - I think its the first day and getting started. Also hopefully we will have lots of friends and family cheering us on at the The Yew Tree Inn.

AM - Saturday 29th September 18.00 and we're all done

S - Climbing Mont Ventoux will be the highlight for me.

J - That's easy, the Ventoux day. It'll be such a rush to have finished. (Assuming I'm still alive of course!). The view from the top will be amazing. When you drive to the top of a mountain and look out, you get a nice view, but how much more does it mean to you when you know that you bought that view with your own effort, sweat and most-likely, tears.

Lots of hills in Wales

What day are you most apprehensive about?

M - The cumulative effect of multiple days cycling is an unknown but also I'm a little apprehensive about after the challenge. Descending off Mont Ventoux will be hair raising.

AM - The 7 day stint. I feel the rest we have more time and there is somehow less pressure.

S - The last day of the Salisbury cycling - have never cycled for 7 days consecutively.

J - I'm obviously apprehensive about the hills and I know that there'll be a great deal of pain, but most of all I hate the idea of letting the others down. I think/hope this apprehension will diminish as we go on though. Things will probably feel better as we get in to the swing of it and as the total feet counter starts to add up significant numbers.

Whats the first thing you will do when you summit Mont Ventoux?

M - I'm hoping someone will put something fizzy in my hand as I finish.

AM - Throw my bike off the top? Realistically I won't I'll "smile and wave," then vow never to be taken in again by that January sit down round the SMT table discussing the next challenge!

S - Sit down. Have a drink. Preferably both.

Summit and challenge end approches

J - When I get to the top of Mont Ventoux, I'll ask the ambulance driver to slow down, so I can catch a view. ;) Really I think I'll want to just stop and take a mental and emotional 'memory video'. Something to hold on to. This is something most people never get a chance to experience and I don't want to take it for granted. I know I'll want to give it the reverence it deserves. This is a team thing too, so I'll want to be with Anne-Marie, Simon and Matthew. I'm very pleased they're going to be there with me. 

What are your thoughts on Mont Ventoux?

M - Mont Ventoux is such an iconic climb and unlike anything Ive done before. As a keen watcher of the Tour de France I have seen the climb for years and to now be doing it seems a little unreal at the moment. It also has the advantage of being the final day so stopping at the top knowing the jobs done will be special.

AM - I started reading the book and decided I wouldn't do the cycle if I read it from cover to cover. I'm looking forward to reading it knowing the challenge is behind me. Thoughts are trepidation, I haven't completed a 20+k hill climb. My legs hurt after 10 minutes, how will I manage several hours?

S - Looking forward to the climb. Don’t know whether I will want to throw my bike off the summit into a ravine or go back down the mountain and do it all over again.

J - I'm getting fitter, but you Ventoux, you're not getting any higher. Mont Ventoux is known as the giant of Provence. It is sitting there waiting to do battle. Well, we're suiting up in our battle armour (okay, okay the armour is actually made of lycra, but go with me on this). We're riding steeds of steel (and some carbon fibre bits too) and we're coming to put our British rubber against your French tarmac and we won't leave until we've kicked some French mountain bottom.

How will you celebrate when its all over?

Cheers

M - My daughter is trying to persuade me to have a tattoo. Never say never.

AM - Nice meal, bottle of wine and chillax in the Provence. I know the cycling is renowned in the area but so is the wine ..... so :cycle...... wine...... cycle...... wine hmmmmm I know which is my preference!

S - A 2nd glass of wine on Friday nights.

J - A ceremonial burning of the bikes will be held. We'll build a floating funeral pyre and send them down the river Avon. They'll have done their magnum opus and will have earned their place in bicycle's version of Valhalla's vaulted halls.

What next?

M - Not sure yet but I hope it includes the words India and Tandem.

AM - Gardening, the Sax, and a pony and cart!

S - Back to doing Park Run on Saturday mornings. After cycling 30,000 feet, a 5k run will feel like a walk in the park. Possibly literally.

J - I like the idea of doing a Tough Mudder. I'm not sure Anne-Marie is so keen, but she did get stuck in to an obstacle course last week, so never say never!

 

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To see the great work done by The Trussell Trust and Toilet Twinning click on their names.