Team Early Doors – News & Updates
Hi, this is Nick and if you have read the main home page, you will know the reason and thinking behind our 100 miles bike ride challenge. I will try and keep you up to date with progress on getting ready for the big day, and so please do keep checking in when you can.
Showing most recent update first..... scroll down to see highlights of the Big Day
This is why we did it !
I just wanted to take a moment to reflect on why we did it.....
..... why we cycled 100 miles in one day, and why you all got behind us and supported us so generously with your donations.
This is to support our much loved friend Teresa, and the challenges she faces while still having the amazing drive and passion to both raise money and create awareness of the great Fight Bladder Cancer charity........
More to come.....
There will be more updates, and we will let you know the final amount we raised for Teresa, and the Fight Bladder Cancer charity. There will also be a highlights video of our 100 miles ride and so you will able to experience our journey as it happened....
Watch this space!
WE HAVE RAISED £1,800.00 !! (Monday 1st August)
Thank you all so very much !
This goes out to everyone who has been so amazingly generous with their donations and kind words of support.
As I said right at the beginning, I have never done anything like this before, and really didn't know what to expect.
All of Team Early Doors are overwhelmed by the genuine interest, kindness and support from all our family, friends and colleagues throughout this amazing adventure.
Would we do again.... yes, although maybe not until our legs have stopped aching!
Thank you from Team Early Doors xx
Confirmation of the 100 Miles !
We used a cycling App and backup milometer to measure the miles covered and to confirm we had covered the 100 miles.
As you will see from the picture, we actually did 100.8 miles, which took 8hrs & 34mins of actual cycling time (time in the saddle).
The other measurement shows that we climbed a total of 4,314ft during the 100 miles, and both Ed and I know where most of that was.... !
As an interesting comparison, *Ben Nevis is 4,400 ft high
We never wanted it to be easy.....!
*Ben Nevis is the highest mountain of the British Isles
Time for a beer!
Having made it over the finish line, it was time for a well deserved beer....... Cheers!
We made it, we cycled 100 Miles !
After 8hrs and 34mins of actual cycling time, we had covered the 100 miles and made it to the finish line in Ashley Cross, Poole.
With emotions running high, we didn't care about our tired, aching and sore bodies, we had made it, we had actually cycled 100 miles !
Ummm ....... where did I put my bike helmet ??
The long ride starts to play games with your mind !
Nothing to do with my age.... !
Pit Stop !
After our challenging hilly section and a couple of wrong turns (sorry Ed), as we reached Fordingbridge, it was time for a quick road side pit stop, to catch up with the support team, and to link up with James who would be riding with us for the remainder of the route.
Half Way !
This picture was taken at the half way stop off point, and after more banana's, flapjacks and some pork pie (with mustard Ed), we were still smiling.........
........... Little did we know that we were about to take on the toughest section of our ride, with long steep hills really testing our aching legs..... we certainly weren't smiling for a while after that!
Stopping off points !
A vital part of our completing the 100 miles, was ensuring that we kept well hydrated and our energy levels up. We had pre-planned stopping off points about every 25 miles, where our brilliant support team were on hand to refill our energy drinks, hand out nice, 'fresh' bananas and other snacks to keep us going, and generally look after us.
Happy Pedalling !
Happy to be reaching a stop off point !
Drone photo going across the New Forest !
Can you spot us?
The 100 Miles Bike Ride is Go !
With the route set to take us along the sea-side from Poole to Christchurch, we would then head up into the country side and the beautiful scenery and views to be found as we take a winding route across the New Forest, heading north almost reaching Salisbury. We then turn back around and head south to Fordingbridge and then across to Wimborne, before heading back down to Poole.
Morning of the Big Day....... About to set off !
With the final pre-ride briefing and all important bike checks complete there is time for a quick photo before we set off.
The weather is looking good and so we take the first turn of our pedals as we start what is to be a challenging, but great day ahead.
This is it!
Morning of the Big Day.... are you really wearing that?
You can tell what Ed is thinking....... are you really wearing that ?
Yes, I was sporting a Go Pro 'head-cam' for much of the ride!
The things I do for the team.....
Morning of the Big Day....... Porridge Time !
After a restless nights sleep, its an early start to get ready for the big day ahead. With a feeling of nervous anticipation, we try and stay relaxed and so here is Ed, with porridge and coffee to set him up for the challenge ahead.
Morning of the Big Day !
The balloons say it all !!
It's the Final Countdown !
Blimey, where did that time go?
Here we are with only two more sleeps before the big day and there is a feeling of nervous excitement as we make final preparations for the actual 100 Miles Bike Ride. It now comes down to turning those pedals on the day and covering the miles. The support and generosity so far has been absolutely amazing, and it is that, along with the reason why we are doing the ride, that will get us through the day.... Bring it on!
Your Once, Twice, Three times a ....... cyclist!
As previously mentioned, there are three of us doing this ride, being me (Nick), Ed, and James.
James is kept very busy with work and being a full time, and absolutely brilliant, Dad to baby Rosie. As such, he hasn't had the time to train fully, although James will still be riding on the big day and will also guide us home for the last 25 miles.
Top man !
Shout out to the support team !
It is good know that we will be very well looked after on the big day, by our brilliant support team, Carol, Hannah, Aimee and baby Rosie. They will be meeting us at key stages during the bike ride to provide much needed water, snacks and encouragement to keep us going.
Love you guys!
Lights, Camera, Action !
Also a key part of the support team, are Jules & Jenny, who are filming the bike ride. As they know a thing or two about video shoots and production, we will have Go-Pro cameras on the bikes, and there is even talk of some drone filming, and so we will have a video of the bike ride that we can share afterwards.
Love you guys too!
Final big training ride!
So, Ed and I have completed our final Saturday, long distance training ride. We had the chance to test the bike repairs, fine tune the route for next Saturday 'The Big Day', and make our legs ache, again!
All good fun though!
Soggy Bananas !
Yes, you read that right... !
Eating Bananas during a long distance bike ride helps with energy boost etc. So, you put a couple of nice fresh Banana's (like the one on the left of the picture) in the back pocket of your cycle top, and after a couple of hours riding during hot weather they turn very ripe and soggy (like the one on the right of the picture)....... Nice!
Keep the faith!
With road names like this on our route, we should be OK!
Spanner in the works!
It's not just the riders feeling the heat, so are the bikes.
As we build the miles, so things need fixing and these are the front cogs/chain rings from Ed's bike, which managed to get bent!
Without these, the bike isn't going anywhere and so a new set on order and time to get the spanners out!
When I'm out on my bike, I think I look like this...
Getting ready!
So, the scene is set and it is now all about getting ready for the big challenge on Sat 30th July.
Training has been under way for a few weeks now and we have slowly been building up the miles.
The plan is to break the ride into 4 x 25 mile stages on the day, with Nick & Ed in the saddle for the full 100 miles and James joining in during certain stages. Our support team will meet us at each stage to provide much needed fluids, food and above all moral support.
The challenge is now on!
We will keep you updated on progress…
We are Team Early Doors!
In the saddle on the day are me (Nick) and Ed who are covering the 100 miles, and James (who will join us for certain stages).
I am what is known as a 'gentleman of a certain age'..... otherwise known as an 'old fart'
with Ed and James being the 'young guys' and I have to admit they are almost half my age!
I would like to highlight now that far from owning 'state of the art' racing bikes, we are just leisure cyclists with very modest bikes and equipment, and we try to avoid Lycra. (I'll do more on the bikes and equipment in another update). For us, a 25 mile bike ride would be considered as 'doing well'
I hope this helps to put into perspective the challenge ahead.
The support team include Carol, Hannah, Aimee with baby Rosie, Jules & Jenny
In addition to supporting us in the build up with training and getting us out there on social media to help with fundraising etc, they will be our backup and support on the big day with more to follow on all that.
Team Early Doors and why the name?
I think it was a combination of genuine concern that I was going to set off on a 100 mile bike ride and also feeling sorry for ‘the poor old bloke’ being out there on his own, that my family rallied around me with offers of help and support.
Thank goodness is all I can say!
This is very much a team effort and everyone has a part to play, and like any good team we needed a name…
So, why the name?
One of life pleasures is going down the pub for ‘early doors’ and so the name came about on one such occasion, and has stuck.
Help!
I would consider myself a keen leisure cyclist and like to get out for a ride all year round to help keep fit.
A good ride would be around 25 miles and the occasional stretch would be around 35 miles, and so the concept of doing 100 miles was like me saying I would fly to the moon!
I have also never been directly responsible for attempting to raise money for charity and so had no idea of what that involves and the responsibility it brings…………
It was time to get help and call in ‘the team’
I’ve never done this before!
Don’t get me wrong, I knew that pledging to cycle a 100 miles to raise money for Teresa and her charity, Fight Bladder Cancer was not to be taken lightly, although in truth, I really had no idea how I was actually going to do it!
However, there was no turning back and so I needed to get to work on actually making the challenge happen and getting it done.
Why 100 miles?
Since receiving the hammer blow news of Teresa’s bladder cancer diagnoses, we have been able to spend some time together, and being the amazing woman she is, it was clear that Teresa was going to tackle the situation head on, and was determined to make the best out of what is quite simply, a truly overwhelming situation.
You only have to read Teresa’s blog and Fight Bladder Cancer web page to get an idea of the strong and positive character that she is. I am both in awe and inspired by her bravery and what Teresa is doing, and felt compelled to do something to help support her mighty cause.
It had to be a ‘stand out’ challenge, although not being good with heights meant I couldn’t climb a mountain or parachute out of an aeroplane, and as for running, I look like a demented Giraffe running across the Serengeti….
One thing I do enjoy is getting out on my bike and so I came up with the idea of a 100 mile bike ride……..!
