Brian's 100-mile cycle challenge

Blesma Support Officer Prosthetics has found himself ‘volunteered’ by the Managing Director of OpCare to join him on an epic one day cycle ride on 3^rd June 2015 from Exeter Mobility Centre to the Bristol Centre for Enablement, a distance of 100 miles plus, via Cheddar Gorge.

Rob Chatfield of OpCare had the idea of cycling between the two centres, which OpCare operate under contract for the NHS, following an approach by the Blesma fundraising team to support Blesma Week 2015. Rob was inspired to do something personally and as a keen cyclist he decided on this challenge and immediately thought it would be a great idea to involve Blesma employee, Brian Chenier, who he knew had cycled before. Below is Brian’s blog:

"I was delighted to hear that Rob Chatfield was making such a personal contribution to Blesma week, but then I read further down the email and saw that he had strongly hinted that it would be good if I were able to join him. I was initially reluctant, 100 miles in one day over that part of the country is no mean feat. I have ridden that area before several years ago and it is a bit lumpy. But then I thought about how the money raised is used and how it makes such a difference to our Members. I also reminded myself that health isn’t free and my father has been very ill recently and I have been very lazy and making excuses to myself why I can’t go out on my bike. This challenge was just what I needed to motivate myself and start training. The thought of completing my first ever 100 miler was also strangely tantalising.

I have looked at the ground and the proposed routes for this ride and have concluded that at my current standard of riding and fitness it will be virtually impossible for me to complete it. So, training has started with regular spinning sessions to build my cardiovascular fitness and lots of core and balance work too. I will be honest, I hate this stuff, but the thought of dragging 16 ½ stone of MAMIL (Middle Aged Man In Lycra) up Cheddar Gorge isn’t very appealing to me – or anyone else I suppose.

For the next four months I will be working as hard as I can to make sure that I am physically able to complete this ride and raise as much money and awareness as I can for Blesma. I hope that other OpCare staff come on board too and join Rob and me on the day.

To sponser Brian visit https://www.justgiving.com/BriansCycleChallenge/