Two Tommy's Year Cycling Challenge

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Jun 2018
11:07pm, 3 Jun 2018
6,291 posts
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kwala
An amazing tally, especially given your struggles at the start of the week. Well done for listening when you gave yourself a good talking to!!
Jun 2018
11:48pm, 3 Jun 2018
15,665 posts
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Columba
Go, tiamo!

Chase the sun... Don't think anyone's really got much hope of catching it.
Jun 2018
7:13am, 4 Jun 2018
23,409 posts
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LindsD
Good work :)
Jun 2018
9:38am, 4 Jun 2018
33,709 posts
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alpenrose
You probably needed to catch yourself up last week after that stonking start. Good work the rest of the week. :) Onwards and upwards!
Jun 2018
10:45am, 4 Jun 2018
1,724 posts
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ThorntonRunner
Well done on getting back on trackšŸ˜Š
Jun 2018
7:55am, 6 Jun 2018
3,463 posts
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Pou Pou LePhoƵk
Waves bicycle pump (I don't have any pom-poms).
Aug 2018
9:46am, 6 Aug 2018
648 posts
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tiamo69
Apologies for lack of news...

Real life events brought my depression back with a vengeance + the unexpected & prolonged heat, certainly hasn't helped matters...

The good news is that i've re-booted, thanks to an amazing offer that has shown me that people truly believe in me & want me to succeed...

recent events - bad, turning to good...

Back at the end of April or beginning of May: I had an 'out of hours' 1-2-1 meeting with the CEO of my wife's Employers, HomeServe; to talk to him about my challenge & see if there was anyway that the Company could support me...
The CEO is a very friendly, down to earth American; who looks upon HomeServe as his second family & I've gotten to know him a little, by always volunteering to help out at Events they organise + I'm the designated 'go to guy', whenever their Mascot has to make an appearance somewhere! My rates are very reasonable - Free! :)

Anyway, I'm currently car-less, as my 15 year old Fiat Stilo is now past its MOT & is beyond economical repair, to get through one. So, I have a 20 mile (up & down, there & back) commute by Bicycle to get to the RBL Arboretum: where i've been doing continuous 15.5ml loops.

I told Greg that this commute would make be one of my biggest obstacles & that I especially concerned about Winter: because, if i was commuting by bike, i would have to carry spare clothes, food etc with me, in panniers or rucsack & ride all day, with the extra weight slowing me down + i would have nowhere to grab a quick break & warm up, without relying on local businesses, who might get annoyed at seeing me 5-7 days per week!

The purpose of my meeting was two fold:
1) to discuss it out loud, with someone other than my wife & someone who was a very experienced & practical, that would give me their honest & valuable opinion!
2) assistance: i would have been happy with a 'non committal support' & offer to advertise/promote challenge internally + assistance with social media & maybe webpage design - that was my bottom line, although, to be honest, i was just appreciating having the opportunity to discuss my plans with him!

Top of My Wishlist - would have been the offer to have use of a 'pool car', to help me out & for this, i was more than willing to work (for practically nothing) within the organisation, travelling between sites as a 'people/charity champion & employee advocate (using my experience as an Ex-TU Steward & Branch Officer)...

Without me actually asking for it, Greg offered me the use of a car; for a minimum of 3 months; to be reviewed, depending upon how my challenge was going...
I was literally blown away...
all the cliches 'Good Things happen to those that wait; Karma etc' whirling around my mind...

So, with this great asset to be arranged, but, firmly planted in my back pocket, i started my challenge on the 14th of May; without telling Greg, as i didn't want to hassle/chase him & appear ungrateful/pushy...

Then, my Mobile Bike Mechanic passed away, suddenly to cancer: he'd been my Cycling Mentor since i 1st got back into cycling in June/July 2013 & my Father had been seriously ill since March & wasn't getting any better, while he waited for his operation date...

The sudden loss of Mark & worry about my Father: coincided with me being 'shafted/cut out' by 2 of the Local Bike Shops that i supported, something i took really personally & which still plays on my mind daily, that i haven't addressed, over 3 months later; pressure from Real Life (debt, needing to sort house/garden/invoices out but, swiss cheese for brain not allowing me to do anything!) and I'd heard absolutely nothing back from Greg or HomeServe, so, i took the lack of information, as another 'kick in the teeth' & refused to chase up a seriously busy man, who had obviously forgotten about the massive favour he'd promised me, on a whim...

All of the above, left my mind open & my depression came flooding back in, with a vengeance + the prolonged, unexpected heat, has seriously hampered the will to go out for a +100ml bike ride!

Anyway, just over a week ago, completely 'out of the blue', my wife was approached by John, Greg's Right Hand man & he asked if he could have a word...

Pom was fully expecting it be a 'Greg's had a look at the business & we can't feasibly help Phil out with a car', type of conversation...

what she got was 'we've almost sorted out all the details for the car, i'm meeting with the Fleet Manager next week & we're going to pick out a suitable vehicle (big enough to get bike/bikes in back) together' conversation...

Pom was blown away...
She rang me straight away...
I was blown away...

so, with such a positive affirmation of support & belief in me from such a 'serious, high powered dude' (& he is a Dude!) i couldn't do anything but, look at how i could 'reboot/restart' my Challenge!!!

Yesterday, was Day One (Take Two) of my Year Cycling Challenge & i did a 44 mile (+6 mile commute) as a #finishfornigel tribute ride to Nigel Swanson-Buchan, the 69yr old, who suffered a fatal cardiac arrest, around mile 56 of last weeks Prudential Ride London 100.

& this means that the last day of my challenge will now be the date of the 2019 RideLondon100!

So, onwards & upwards, i've got a short ride to do today & then, i'm off to collect a gorgeous 2016 VW Tiguan! :) :) :)
Aug 2018
9:49am, 6 Aug 2018
649 posts
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tiamo69
PS: I had to pull out of the 205ml Chase the Sun, the week before the Event; as my Dad was so ill...
He was going to drive his Motorhome for me & be my 'support crew & accommodation'; there was no way, i was allowing that to happen, with how ill he was...

so, that's unfinished business to be revisited in 2019!
Aug 2018
10:38am, 6 Aug 2018
1,773 posts
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ThorntonRunner
Sorry to hear the bad news, but pleased for the good news and that you're able to get going again. Look forward to hearing of your progress:)
Aug 2018
12:16pm, 6 Aug 2018
16,150 posts
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Columba
Sounds like a real roller-coaster. Onwards and upwards, as you say. Keep us informed.

About This Thread

Maintained by tiamo69
My Personal Year Cycling Challenge in Memory of both Tommy Godwins: Challenge Re-Started 05/08/18

Target 20,000mls Ideal 25,000mls
Week One Total:
Current Total Mileage:

(All Mileage is Outdoors)

Originally started Challenge on 14th of May 2018; however, due to serious Family Illness & Real Life issues, had to stop, reboot & restart!

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