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Back in the Saddle – 2014 Anniversary

I was just looking through some old photos when I realised that it is 8 years since Cary and I completed the first Back in the Saddle sponsored bike ride challenge in aid of BuDS.

We took on the challenge to fill in a part of the Coast2Coast (C2C) cycle route from Whitehaven to Tynemouth which we had missed out the year before due to Cary having a cycling accident.  It was always going to be a challenge to go back to the accident site, get on our bikes and cycle the section we missed, but it was also one of the wettest, coldest May days that either of us can remember.  That made the challenge all the harder.

However, we achieved our goal, completed the challenge, and raised funds for BuDS at the same time.

Life has changed quite a bit for both of us since we did that ride.  Disabilities mean that I don’t think either of us could manage it now.  However, that determination to achieve goals is still strong within both of us.

We all face challenges every day and maybe sometimes we don’t feel up to facing them.  Sometimes it can be hard to keep going and we can feel that we haven’t achieved what we wanted to.  Just remember that every little thing you manage to do is a great achievement.  Whether it be managing to get out of bed, making it to an online meeting, admitting you need some help to do something, doing a task you’ve been putting off or even completing a sponsored challenge; you are amazing.  Always focus on the things you have managed to do and achieve each day and not on the things that didn’t quite get done.  There is always another chance tomorrow to do those things or a different way to achieve a goal you thought was unattainable. 

I may not now be able to cycle on a real bike out in the outside world, but I am now finally nearing the end of my Back in the Saddle exercise bike challenge.  So far, it’s taken over 16 months to reach the 93% point of the virtual route spanning the distance from Land’s End to John O’Groats.  However, I’m still going, and I will get there eventually.

If you would like to find out more about the challenge, why not visit: https://buds.org.uk/back-in-the-saddle-lands-end-to-john-ogroats/

If you would like to sponsor me, please visit: https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/fundraising/back_in_the_saddle_LeJoG

Or, if you’d like to take on your own sponsored challenge for BuDS, please email us at: fundraising@buds.org.uk