Frilly Socks and Pot Holes

Styling out cycling with frilly socks; not sure how it would go down in the cycling world (I assume not well). I'm thinking of ways to improve those - god awful - sunglasses they insist on wearing. I don't think wayfarer-esque sunglasses quite fit the bill.
Training is still going well; no more falls (thank god) but maybe a few near misses. Pot holes are the devil. Yesterday bought hailstone pounding me in the face and for anyone who knows me well they will be aware that this did not impress me! 
Although I love sheffield, I'm hating it's hills right now. Where are all the flats? I can only imagine this will hold me in good stead for the London 100 cycle.
Not to forget why I'm doing this - to raise money for the Epilepsy Society. As many charities do, they do great things and need the support of others to help those good things along :) Please donate, there is no amount too small. 

http://www.justgiving.com/2014teamsilondon100/

Here are our stats on strava for last year, 100 miles in 7 hours, and more importantly raised over £4000 for the Epilepsy society in memory of Simon. Something to aim for and hopefully smash this year.

Team Si The Movie

The finish of 100 miles in the London-Surrey 100

One Amazing Weekend! One Epic Challenge! One Brill Team Effort.

It hurt, it burnt & it made me cry. But this challenge is one we are immensely proud of. We came, we saw, we conquered. See you next year Surrey, Leith Hill 2014 Team Si will conquer you again! 

Move over Wiggo Team Si have arrived! 

Inaugural London 100 Cycle Ride Done!  

Simply Epic!

Good old paper sponsors

Along with the 'online' techno savvy donations we also received a shed load more from those less inclined to fire up the olde pc but still just as generous to dig deep and support us heart and soul. So to make sure they are all thanked (really hope we have got all names) we have listed them all below.

Australian supporters,
Eosin Sheehan, Steve Skinner, Jason Moore, Fred McGovern, Darryl Rowley, Andrew Welnt, Pete Simpson, Matt Skofield, Wayne Clarke, Chris Wilson, Gaz Lume, Baby D, Raun Sam, Andy Greenwood, Robert Ryan, Eoin Diamond, Justin French, Brad Primrose, Brendon Latham, Daniel Desai, Phil Ruediger, Jason Cox, Patrick Maguire, Hans Peter, Ten, Mui, Asa Hughes, Dave Hynes, Anthony Hill, Matty Tyson, Ste Owen, Andre David's, Trev Youngberg, Elliot Phillips, Frank Szabo, Tamati Vercoe, Sophie Adams, Gavin Lemhan, Aidan Currin, Marty Blingo, Thalia Codfley, Andy Greenwood, Paul Finney, Scott Redpath, Barry Johnson, Joe Dixon, Ben Cosin, Paul Featonby, Cody Dunsmore.

Uk supporters
Pam Marchant, Rhyl Povey, Alan Povey, Sian Jones, Awen Haf Jones, Jean Smith, Stuart Smith, Diana Smith, Sharon Riley, Sarah Sparrow, Shirley Lunn, Gayna Roberts, Jane & Alan Ware, Chris Benson, Sarah Bowyer, Ben Hearth, Gary Akerst, Jaqui Thrasher &the Greenacres team, Stu Hughes, Ross Tennet, Jon Williams, Darren Andrews, Steve Leather, Gwyn Jones, Huw Evans, Steve Miller, Brian Smith, Tom Lockley, Lyndon Oxadrian, Jane Wadding, Sian Lloyd, Steve Sinclair, Adeian Caveill.

BIG massive HUGE thank you to all xxxxxx

Our official numbers

What a team, Team Si will continue, who is up for it next year? Oh if anyone spots Matty helmet 12605 on a train let us know, he lost it in Crewe. 

£3000 +

A massive thanks to everyone who has helped us raise over £3000, we will be giving 110% tomorrow. I was less nervous when getting married to my beautiful wife Kati who I am so proud of. She has given 110% everyday training.

Last Bike Check

Final check of bikes today ready for the train journey to London this afternoon. The last thing we want is the bikes to fail. Don't understand why we won't have a skoda following us with a couple of spare bikes on the roof.

Final Week

Posted by Kati

As we are finally into the final week everything is winding down training wise (no more evil 70 milers that make me cry) just a few 10/20/30 ones to keep the legs moving! Matty is home and we have had a few training sessions as 'Team Si' which has been great - well except now I have two super fit feisty men to contend with on the day instead of just the one! (on one trip out they were leisurely chatting about how to keep ME going as the weakest as I was killing myself at the front! Neither may I add broke a sweat while I was quietly dying)  gguuurrrrr..... however we are nearly there and none of it could have been possible without the support/sponserships/hint & tips we have had.... Your all superstars and you have done us proud. We will keep you all updated but with the total now well over £2000 we are genuinely humbled. Now we have to do our bit! Ouch! See you in London or if you can't make it check out bbc1 on Sunday for live coverage...... 

Much love 

Team Si xxxxx 

Just a few of the supportive gestures we have received in the last few months

Team Si in our Hearts and on our Bikes

Training is winding down this week, only 30 miles today. Then put our Team Si decals on our bikes. Wish we could be putting them on Simons bike. Feel so proud to be riding the London 100 in his memory.

70 Miles in a Mankini

70 mile cycle toady, Dyserth to Chester and back in my cycling Mankini. No wonder Kati was crying at the end of it. The last long training ride until the big day on the 4th. Going to spend the next two weeks trying to cure Kati's back ache and my dress sense. Even the cat can't look at me.

"Why Didn't You Just Do A Raffle?"

Bumped into a friend (Badge aka Badge Makes Art - very talented chap, look him up) that we haven't seen for a while as we were doing the 60 mile training this morning. He took one look at us both and simply asked, " why didn't you do a raffle like normal people?" 

First Time For Everything!

Having spent 14 years with this man I honestly believed he was allergic to a scrubbing brush...... Therefore shocked to find him outside not covered in hives & with a full understanding of how to work it! 

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner (well chicken legs)

Whit wooooo........Gary kitted out and ready to go! 

Sooooo Much to Learn!

Posted by Kati

Just to give you a little insight into how much there is to this cycling. Having just done a 12 mile hill climb to 'train' for the joys that are Leith Hill, Box Hill and some other evil hill sent to try me along the route, I have endured the following pearls of wisdom from behind me......... Sit down, change gear, stand up, sit down change gear, stand up, sit down, change gear, change gear, little circles, little circles, high knees, littles circles, change gear, stand up, sit down, change gear, don't wobble, DON'T WOBBLE, change gear, stand up......... I could go on! (this is genuinely not me whining, Gary's doing an ace job of training my sorry ass & without him & his encouraging words I would be passed out on the side of the road at the first little bump, I just never knew how much there was to it!) 

My gorgeous trainer...... 

Just a photo I love of myself, Matty & Simon I thought I'd share xxxxx 

This cycling malarkey could finish me off!

Posted by Kati

To give you a quick update.... Firstly apologies for not write for a while we have been busy training none stop (well we we're until we took a little break to visit Matty and Asia for three week aka a cheeky holiday) but now we're back and raring to go! (this is a bit of an exaggeration - raring for this torment to end more like!) 

So first trip out after our hols pretty much killed me & saddle sore returned with a vengance! I was really down hearted as it felt all the training was wasted... However the next two have been some of my best/progressive rides, so the hope of managing this epic challenge is starting to look like I have a chance. Despite Gary getting a flat tyre (kind of fancied him a little bit more when he got all manly & fixed it in a flash) we did a 12 mile hill training session (evil beyond evil) climbing 170m in a mile & 1/2 with Gary shouting climbing technique instructions behind me as we headed into a tough head wind and the day before completing my fasted trip to date averaging 14 mph with hill climbs & roads. 

The week is finally finishing on a positive!  

Team Si Photo at Angkor Wat

Posted by Gary

Met up with Matty and we cycled around Angkor Wat in Cambodia and managed to catch the sunrise behind the temple. A fantastic place to have our team photo. We came back from our 3 weeks in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand yesterday. We have got to get back into some serious training, I think we may have put on a few pounds. We might use these bikes for the London 100.

Cheeky Cheeky

Posted by Kati

Just made me chuckle ;)

Snowdon & Everest

Posted by Gary

We decided right from the start that we would cycle the 100 miles together and finish together as it was not about personal achievement but raising money together for the epilepsy society in memory of Simon. My key job was to get non sporty iPad loving Kati fit enough to finish around the 7 hour mark.
Yesterday we both linked heart monitors to our iPhones and did 15 miles at the same pace. In the picture my reading is on the left and Kati's on the right. I thought I would see how much effort she was putting in and see if I was working her hard enough. Wow,after comparing the results (22bpm difference) I realised that doing the months of training and the 100 miles together is like me climbing Snowdon and Kati Climbing Everest. I just thought I would let you know who will have made a massive achievement and will deserve all the praise when we cross the line on August 4th. I am so proud of her already.