Message from Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research

Our riders received this wonderful message today:

Congratulations on completing the London to Paris ride earlier this year, we just wanted to thank you and communicate the difference the money you have raised has made.

Thank you for raising a fantastic £72,022 and congratulations on completing the London to Paris Challenge once again this year.

This is the equivalent of funding a clinical research nurse for two years at Hammersmith Hospital as part of the Trials Acceleration Programme (TAP). This nurse will support patients entered into one of our ground-breaking clinical trials that deliver new treatments.

Clinical trials are vital for moving breakthroughs discovered in the laboratory into new treatments. Clinical trials give patients access to new drugs and allow our researchers to make breakthroughs in treatments and outcomes. Trials give patients who do not respond to conventional drugs the chance to try new or alternative treatments; however the problem is that only 6% of blood cancer patients take part in clinical trials in the UK compared with up to 18% for patients of other forms of cancer. Clinical trials are essential in improving our understanding of blood cancers and in discovering new cures and treatments. Without clinical trials, progress cannot be made for patients in the future.

Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research understand the importance and impact that clinical trials can have to quality of life and survival rates of blood cancer patients. To that end we have launched a world leading and unique network of clinical trials centres within our Trials Acceleration Programme, which will give blood cancer patients access to new life-saving drugs, sooner to improve survival rates and quality of life. We have selected 13 treatment centres around the UK; coordinated by a central hub in Birmingham to set up more blood cancer clinical trials, quicker than ever before. TAP will see blood cancer clinical trials being completed within two years; the extensive paper work and bureaucracy surrounding clinical trials mean that currently these can take anything up to ten years to complete. In the first year we have seen six trials enter the TAP network giving up to 570 patients access to potentially lifesaving drugs.

Nigel Dixon – London  “Without research, I might not be here; I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in May 2006 and had chemotherapy straightaway, which unfortunately did not completely eradicate the tumour. I needed more intense chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, which was successful. However in January 2008, a scan revealed another tumour and I started radiotherapy. Thankfully, this worked and I had the ‘all clear’ that July. I was over the moon! I’ve now been in remission for just over two years and I’m still fit and healthy. I hope that my story shows patients who have setbacks in their treatment that there is always hope. Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research is still very close to my heart – without its research I might not be here today.”

So thank you for your continued support and dedication to helping beat blood cancers, together we are closer to a cure. If you would like any more information on Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research or about how to get involved please get in touch.

Well done and thank you

The London-Paris is recognised as one of the world’s most exciting cycling events open to the public and is the closest the amateur rider can get to the Tour de France experience.

The 2012 edition celebrated 25 years since Stephen Roche won the Tour de France in 1987 - one of the greatest feats ever - winning the Giro, The Tour de France and the World Championships in that year.

This year the team from Brewin Dolphin supporting Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research included:

Geoff Thomas
Aidy Boothroyd
Giovani Gonzalez
Findlay MacPherson
John Salako
Harvey Bennett
Harry Boxall
Marc Young
Jack Woodhouse
Richard Dillon
Catherine Robins
Neil Welch
Todd Harper
Gordie Houston
David Hood
Mark Cloves
Mike Simon
Paddy Johns
Robert Harper
Rosie Richardson-Aitken
Stephen Jones
Stuart Sangan
William Thompson
Andrew Lewis
Sonia O'Sullivan
Michael Sergeant
Tom Valentine
Phil White
Chris Cleave

The event is distinguished by having motorbike outriders, rolling road closures in France and professional logistical back up along the 520km route, from Hampton Court to The Eiffel Tower.  In Paris, The London-Paris is one of only two cycling events granted road closures in the centre of the French capital - the other is the Tour de France.  The peloton, with its 50 motorbike outriders, rolled along the famous Parisian streets to an emotional finish. Donate >

Gordie and Rosie

http://www.londres-paris.com/

Paddy and Sonia

Flickr album

You can view the full set of photos on our flickr album.

The Mighty Dolphins are the Champions!

Update from our guys!

Just a quick note today that despite a very wet and windy morning, the Dolphins are going strong and digging in. The sun has come out this afternoon to dry out some soggy jerseys! They're all doing well, Sonia has a huge smile on, Paddy's flying, Robert Harper and David Hood are loving it, Stuart Sangan is racing at the front, Catherine Robins looked soaked but delighted when she arrived, Rosie is tired but doing amazingly well, Stephen Jones is wrapping up warm for the afternoon (obviously not pushing hard enough!) and that scoundrel Geoff is looking really good as usual. - James Wright, Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research

On the road to Paris...

Team Brewin Dolphin will NOT be attempting this trick!

Day one summary from Hot Chillee

Follow the Hot Chillee L2P updates at www.londres-paris.com

Stage One of The London-Paris saw a damp, but exciting start to the event. 450 riders, including cycling legends Stephen Roche, Maurizio Fondriest and cycling professionals Colin Lynch, Karl Platt and Magnus Backstedt, gathered at Imber Court from 05:30 this morning. This year there were a total of seven speed groups setting off at timed intervals. Other sporting stars in this year’s peloton include Nigel Mansell, Joel Stransky and John Salako to name a few. The riders cycled a total of 169kms, taking them through the Surrey Hills, East Sussex, past Ashford and along to Dover.

The Yellow, Green and Red flagged time sections saw riders competing for the General Classification, the Sprinter and the Climber jerseys. Greg Mansell finishes Stage One with the Yellow Jersey. The Red Jersey went to professional ex-German National mountain-biker Karl Platt, who took King of the climbs by a very comfortable margin. The Green Jersey went to the fastest sprinter of the day, Shaun Pearson and this year, Annette Loubser took the Pink Jersey as the lead woman, piping Tanya Slater – the fastest woman for the last few years – to the post. Tomorrow will be an interesting day for the ladies as there were seconds between them.

The handcyclists got off to a great start, despite the difficult weather conditions and the very early start for their group. Nigel Mansell got to the HotChillee start-line following his epic journey cycling from John O’Groats in the previous days. The rain managed to ease off by the time the peloton was into the swing of Stage One and held off until just before the riders boarded the boat. Tomorrow the riders will start from Calais, heading south to Amiens.

Our guys at Dover last night

On the way...

A very happy Geoff!

Gordie Houston, Stephen Jones, Paddy Johns, Geoff Thomas, Bill Thomson

On your marks!

LTR: Sonia O'Sullivan, Paddy Johns, Rosie Richardson-Aitken

Good luck Team Brewin Dolphin and guests

On Wednesday I travelled up to London to the Brewin Dolphin Head Office with a number of clients to support the 'London 2 Paris 2012' Charity ride in aid of Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research. A very well organised event with plenty of quality raffle prizes and auction items to help raise money for a great cause.
I am really going to miss riding with Team Brewin Dolphin, Geoff and all the other guys - what an event. For all you first-timers you are going to love it.
I look forward to catching up with all the stories on the blog and seeing some photos of the event - it will bring back very happy memories.
I wrote a little more on my own blog (titled 'Supporting L2P 2012 - needing some lycra), link attached:
http://journeytoironmanaustria.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/supporting-l2p-2012-needing-some-lycra.html

But the big question is

9 days to go. Last solo training ride completed on Sunday at a respectable clip and just collected bike from a major service . Why do I not feel 100% prepared then? Last year was a complete step into the unknown for me so I trained hard, or it felt hard. This year, due the weather I have been unable to ride into work as often as i would have wanted. This is only a 25 mile round trip but the miles soon add up when you can complete this 4 times a week and it appears to me that's what it is all about. However I appear to be riding faster than last year and by a significant amount. I have partaken in one big ride when Mark Cloves and I completed a ride from Hagley to Aberdovey a few weeks ago which was 110 miles again at a very pleasing average speed. This might have been partially due to me hiding behind Mark's considerable bulk for 100 miles and then sprinting away in glorious style for the last 10 miles. Very social. But this ride apart all my training runs have been shortish around 85km. Time will tell if this has been enough. With the weather looking dire for the next 5 days it is unlikely I will be on the bike again before we roll off next Thursday at the ungodly hour of stupid o'clock. The next few days will be spent ensuring I have all my food, carb drinks, recovery drinks, electrolyte tablets, painkillers, chamois butter, suncream, imodium, deep heat, anti inflamatories (nod to the wise;ensure you apply suncream, chamois butter and deep heat in the correct order)arm warmers, sunglasses and so on. So my big question is regarding compression tights; are they worn "Superman" style or can you wear jeans on top? See you next Wednesday Gordie Last unpaid tip. Wear a coat or jumper to the pasta dinner so you can remove it and get a second helping because the helpings are miserly

Stuart's putting me to shame!

This time last year I felt very much on top of my game and looking forward to the trip to Paris.  However a number of events including the appalling weather have conspired against me to wreck my best laid training plans.

I referred to my Garmin stat's a few days ago and noted with some concern that I managed to get out on my bike only 3 times in May, 2 in April and 2 in March.  This is not the training schedule of a supreme athlete and I suspect that I will be drawing on my experience of L2P2011 and deep reserves of strength to get me through.

This month I have already managed to get out 3 times and am covering the ground at a reasonable speed which has come as something of a surprise to me.  On the basis of my recent runs, over albeit a much shorter distance, I feel that I should be able to manage G4 pace.  Whether I can maintain that over 3 days remains to be seen.  If I can't then I can always put my feet up in the broom wagon!

I clearly haven't got enough miles under my belt to consider 'tapering' so next weekend I am thinking of cycling from home in Solihull to Aberdovy where the family are gathering for a big party. The full trip would be 133miles and I have no intention of doing that but if I set off a few hours before my wife I would hope to have done 60-70 miles before she catches me up in the car.  As Sasha knows I am a fair weather cyclist so if there is any chance of rain I will opt for the comfort of the car for the entire journey.

The only other observation I would make is that my average speeds this year have improved quite a bit which is strange given my lack of training.  I don't imagine that my technique has improved so I can only put that down to my new Tarmac which is very comfortable, much lighter and quite a bit faster than my old Trek.  I have also only recently found out that I wasn't putting enough pressure in my tyres and when you weigh in at around 100kgs that makes a big difference!

Perhaps if I had properly pumped up the tyres on my Trek I wouldn't have felt that I needed a new bike.  This cycling is an expensive pastime!

I am looking forward to seeing the rest of the team next week.

Jersey Sportive!

Unfortunately our weekend in France was cancelled due to the strong winds and the ferry crossing to St Malo. Not being a good sailor I was very grateful. I am flying to the UK for the L2P just in case. Rather than miss out completely the majority that had planned to ride one or both of the French sportives decided to make our regular Saturday ride a long one - 'The Jersey Sportive'. Not quite the same but most of us us managed the 150km at a good pace. Average speed 29.5kph which is better than expected due to the number of bends and stops. Attempting that distance in Jersey felt a little like a scene from 'Groundhog Day'. Although it was still windy the rain only arrived when we finished at the Radisson for a well earned pint. Had to resort to the turbo today as it rained virtually non stop. Weather should be better tomorrow so extra miles as punishment for being a fair weather cyclist. Another thing to remember for L2P is to bring along a pair of flip flops. They are easy to carry in your musette to put on at the end of each day and a lot kinder to your tired feet than shoes. What about your stories???

London Revolution

Finally found the time to post my blog following the London Revolution Cycle Ride of a couple of weeks ago. There were just over 1200 cyclists of mixed abilities for the two day event. The day started on industrial waste ground just outside London City Airport which was useful for me as i was due to fly back to Jersey Sunday evening. We were warned not to ride our bikes until we were on the grass matting at the start due to the possibility of glass etc however there still seemed to be plenty of punctures within the first couple of miles! I set off about 30 mins from the start on my own, but hoping to hook up with a group of similar speed. As mentioned earlier there was a range of abilities from those that had never cycled more than 50 miles in a day to the more serious club cyclists. I eventually found a small group of three after the first feed stop but unfortunately due to a loose bottle cage I was back on my own. My fault I should have checked before i set out (something to remember before we all set off in 2 weeks). The route was very clearly marked but without company it seemed a long way. Eventually found some club cyclists who were a little stronger than me. I could have hung on given the opportunity, however they seemed keen to drop me. Their wish was soon granted as they raced through a red light! Arrived at Epsom race course having completed the course in 5hr 43min which better than i had anticipated. Facilities at Epsom were very good but not being a good sleeper i decided to pass on the tent and mattress option. The shower facilities, food and entertainment for the evening were all very good but an early night was called for. As i had no rush to be at the start too early I arrived back at Epsom to find a sea of cyclists all trying to pass through the timing gate. Another coffee seemed to make sense as being at the back of the field would allow me more opportunity to meet another group as i rode through. You will be told at the L2P to introduce yourself to the rider/s next to you and from past experience making conversation helps the miles pass by much quicker. Finally met up up with three fund managers from London at the first feed station and remained with them for the rest of the ride. I was very grateful for their knowledge of riding through traffic in London and will never complain about traffic in Jersey again! Boxhill was not as bad as expected but this could be down to the new smooth surface! The climb later in the day was much steeper. Sunday scenery was was much more enjoyable and we even had the chance to ride around the outside velodrome (not the olympic one). A good weekend, dry and cold but more important 180 miles in the bank. Last weekend came down with a chest infection so missed the best weekend by far. Decided to put in the miles over the 4 day break and managed to clock an average of 80km per day. Plenty of hills and a fast pace as i was with my cycling club friends. Next weekend I have another double 155km on Saturday in Lamballe and 165km in Nantes. Hoping to improve on my Lamballe time from last year but the weather is not looking great. After that it will be a final blast the weekend before L2P then rest rest rest! If you can arrange for a sports massage on the Monday before we all set off, well recommended to loosen the muscles. Tip of the day. Although all our day and overnight bags will be placed in your chosen group they are all the the same colour with identical labels. I will be bringing a brightly coloured label to make location much easier after a long day!

Wheel Hereos 100 - Details

Untitled by bluemoonrising at Garmin Connect - Details

I picked a hot day for my first long run!

The Blog has been a bit slow this year, perhaps reflecting the fact that a number of us rode L2P last year and are being a little more relaxed about our preparations this year.  I can't speak for the other riders but my training so far this time has been not quite at the same tempo, and after my ride on Sunday I fear my approach this year has been somewhat complacent - more on that later.

There has been plenty of email chatter about what group to ride in and the only advice I can give based on my experience last year is that G4 averaged approx 15.5mph over the 3 days and for me was pretty comfortable. Bear in mind that 15.5mph in a pelaton of 80 -100 riders is very much easier than riding at that speed on your own.  It looks as though they may have upped the group speeds a tad this year but I am sticking with G4 and may edge up a group depending how I feel.  Last year I was reluctant to commit to a faster group as I wasn't sure how my body would stand up to the stress of 3 long days in the saddle.  There are a few difficult hilly sections on each day but I know what to expect now so if I feel comfortable I may be bold and move up.   It is actually not easy to change groups during the day as you run the risk of shortening your lunch break which is an important recovery time.

After last years ride I invested in a new bike, a Specialized Tarmac which has improved my speed and is much more comfortable than my old Trek despite the fact that the geometry is fairly racy.  Those of you who know me may be surprised to learn that my old bike was too big for me (I'm 6'5") but it was and that made for a very uncomfortable ride. The new steed is smaller and I feel much more comfortable on it and more in control of it at speed, helped by some brilliant new Mavic tyres.

So what have I been doing since last year?

Well having bought my new bike I was kindly invited to go on a training ride in November around the Surrey Hills with Sky ProTeam riders Geraint Thomas and Ben Swift.  Now those of you who know your cycling will appreciate that these guys are serious!  I can best describe the experience by saying "I have made better decisions".  These guys were hardly drawing breath and I was struggling to hang on to the back of the peleton as we tackled some of Surrey's finest - Box Hill etc.  After just 30 miles I was absolutely shattered and returned to the hotel a broken man realising that a new bike might be nice but it is no substitute for proper training.

I am like many riders a fair weather cyclist but in an attempt to get a head start on my training I started to cycle into work a few times from late February.  For me this is a 24 mile round trip and for safety reasons I generally choose to ride down the canal tow path.  In pitch dark and with a muddy tow path the safer option proved to be the road which brings its own challenges, impatient rush hour drivers and me falling off on two occasions having got my feet stuck in the clips.

Riding into work does make a massive improvement to ones fitness but the reality is that I have not been able to do it often enough as the heavy rainfall has made the canal trip too dangerous and life is  too precious to be cycling through B'ham traffic.  My cycling has therefore mainly been confined to weekend rides, generally on my own, south from my home and into the glorious Warwickshire and the North Cotswolds countryside. I have a nice 50 mile circuit which I will tackle a few times over the holiday weekend and see if I can pick up my speed a bit.

I did a 75 mile sportive in March and felt reasonably comfortable although the speed was quite slow.  Having been out of cycling action for a few weeks and missing the London Revolution that I had planned as my big pre-L2P training event I was desperate to find a good ride so that i could get some miles in the bank. 

This brings me back to my ride last Sunday - The Wheel Heroes 100 that I rode in my new LLR/BD kit.  I did the same ride last year but the difference on Sunday, other than some subtle route changes, was the temperature that averaged 26 degrees and max'd out at 33!  I was fine for the first 40 miles until we hit the hills and then the combination of a lack of training and the heat kicked in to devastating effect and my average speed dropped massively. Thankfully the organisers had put on place excellent refreshment facilities and after a lengthy breather at 75 miles I was able to finish reasonably strongly.

It wasn't a particularly pleasant experience but valuable miles are in the bank and I hope to add to these over the weekend if the weather allows me to get out.  I just need to find one more long run out before L2P and I should be in reasonable shape - not as good as I had hoped when I committed to ride again but enough to get me through.

New auction prize: train with Sonia O'Sullivan!

We're delighted to have Sonia on our 2012 team. Her crowning achievement was a gold medal in the 5000 m at the 1995 World Athletics Championships. She won silver medals in the 5000 m at the 2000 Olympic Games and in the 1500 m at the 1993 World Championships. Sonia has also won three European Championship gold medals and two World Cross-Country Championship gold medals.

Here is your chance to bid on a training day with Olympic athlete, middle-distance runner and all-round champion Sonia O’Sullivan.

The training schedule starts at Lensbury Club in Teddington and includes a run to Richmond Park or St. Mary's track dependent on winner’s capacity and training requirement.

Sonia is flexible on distance and speed depending on level of ability.

A gym session followed by gentle swim to warm down.

Lunch with Sonia and the chance to talk about her training and racing over the years, and why she still loves running and fitness.

Drinks and snacks between sessions.

Plus the chance for photos and a signed book for Sonia’s training partner for the day to take home.

Kindly donated by Sonia O'Sullivan

Terms and conditions: Transport to Teddington not included.

Bid for this prize now!

Fundraising for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research

Garry Richardson, Jill Douglas, Ian Burrows (Brewin Dolphin), Mike Gatting and Paul Sargent (Brewin Dolphin). 

The evening raised over £10,000 for the charity.

The amazing charity raffle!

As part of our fundraising efforts for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research we're selling raffle tickets with some fabulous prizes. To purchase tickets, please email tabitha.wrathall@brewin.co.uk.

TOP PRIZE: Jersey Ultimate Experience

Return flights to Jersey courtesy of British Airways.

Two nights accommodation at the The Royal Yacht Hotel, which is a new, modern, luxury Jersey hotel situated in St.Helier. http://www.theroyalyacht.com/

Friday Lunch or dinner for two at Quayside Bistro, situated in the heart of St.Helier, whom caters for all. http://www.libertysjersey.co.uk/quayside-bistro

Saturday Dinner for two at the Oysterbox restaurant situated in one of the most beautiful places in the Island, St.Brelades Bay. www.oysterbox.co.uk/

Sunday Lunch at The Atlantic Hotel, Michelin Starred restaurant which is set in six acres of private grounds adjoining La Moye championship golf course. http://www.theatlantichotel.com/

Luxury car supplied by Jackson’s the premier car dealer in Jersey for either the Saturday or Sunday.

Hire Car for the weekend supplied by Avis.

Opportunity to do as many activities as you wish from the list below:

The activities will need to be agreed in advance once dates are confirmed and are subject to availability.

A round of golf for 2 at La Moye Golf Club the number 1 course in the Island. Located in St Brelade in the south west of the Island, the golfer is presented with stunning views inland of the western parishes and seaward of St Ouen’s Bay and the sister Channel Islands of Guernsey, Sark, Herm and Jethou. The Course which was established in 1902 has previously been a venue on the PGA European Tour, with such notable winners Tony Jacklin, Ian Woosnam, Bernard Gallagher, Howard Clark, Sandy Lyle and Sam Torrance and since 1996 now features in the European PGA Seniors Tour. www.lamoyegolfclub.co.uk/ 

A tour and tasting for two at the La Mare Wine Estate, followed by a Jersey Cream Tea. Set in the peaceful grounds of a traditional 18th century granite farmhouse, La Mare Wine Estate is a working 25 acre domain, committed to creating the very best wines, ciders and spirits, along with hand-made preserves and chocolates. Unique to Jersey, La Mare is the perfect location to spend the day. http://www.lamarewineestate.com/

A private visit to St Ouen’s Manor the ancestral home of the de Carteret family. The family traces itself back to the year 1000, and family members are recorded as having served with William during the Norman Conquest.
The earliest records of the house date from 1135 and, uniquely in the Channel Islands, the house has been handed down from father to son ever since then. The owner of the house is known as the Seigneur de St Ouen and to this day is the first of the Seigneurs to pay homage to the reigning Monarch whenever he or she visits the Island. The Manor features on the reverse of the Jersey £20 note. http://www.stouensmanor.com

 

Kindly arranged by Stuart Sangan, Head of Office, Brewin Dolphin Jersey

Terms and conditions: Booking is non-transferable

Other prizes include:

·          10 tickets to the next Saracens match at Wembley

·          Case of wine from Berry Bros 

·          Debrett's The Queen - The Diamond Jubilee book

·          1 hour private tuition at Urban Golf, Smithfield Street, London

·          Bespoke Perfumery Gift Certificate from Royal perfumers, Floris - worth £150

·          Debrett's Guide For The Modern Gentleman book

·          All Black shirt signed by Kiwi legends Zinzan Brooke and Sean Fitzpatrick

·          Ranulph Fiennes signed book

·          Frank Gardener signed book

·          Zinzan Brooke signed book

·          Alastair Campbell signed book

·          Cricket bat signed by the Sussex CCC team including England's Matt Prior, Luke Wright and Michael Yardy  Kindly donated by Brewin Dolphin, Brighton
·          Framed photograph of the England Rugby World Cup Winners 2003, signed by former England captain, Martin Johnson  Kindly donated by Peel Hunt
·          Cricket bat signed by Mark Ramprakash  Kindly donated by Peel Hunt

·          4 x Twenty20 tickets to watch Sussex v Surrey on 8th July at Hove. Match tickets include access to members area ( no hospitality) Kindly donated by Brewin Dolphin, Brighton

·          LLR Cycling Kit - Including a Specialized S-Works Prevail Helmet, Universal Brake Kit, Replacement Brake Pads, Replacement gear cables, Shimano SPD cleats, Replacement chain, Bar and Rim Tape, Lights, Waterbottle, Overshoes and an Allen key tool. All of this comes to nearly £300 worth of kit!

·          More to be added!

winner!

The incredible charity auction!

As part of our fundraising push for the London-Paris 2012 cycle challenge, we are running an online auction with some fantastic prizes on offer. You can find details of these items and place bids for them below, the auction will be open until 6.45pm on Wednesday 13 June so be sure to place your bid by then.
Brewin Dolphin are helping us to beat blood cancers as sponsors to the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research London-Paris Team. Fifteen finely-tuned, lycra-clad athletes are riding 520km over three days and hoping to beat the £120,000 total the team raised last year. Find out more about the event.
Please note that to bid on any of the items you will need to create a 32auctions account, which will only take a minute. Good luck and happy bidding!

Lot 1
Ultimate Arsenal FC Fan Experience

A trip behind the scenes at Sky Sports with John Salako (2 Guests)
An Arsenal Experience Tour with Arsenal Legend Lee Dixon (4 Guests)
PLUS - Ball signed by the current Arsenal Team 2011/12 season
PLUS - An Arsenal shirt signed by the 2011/12 squad
Kindly donated by Lee Dixon, John Salako, the League Managers' Association and Arsenal Football Club.
www.arsenal.com
Terms and conditions: The date for the Arsenal tour is to be confirmed once 2012/2013 fixtures become available.
Bid for this prize now!

Lot 2
Westminster Calling!

A unique opportunity to have your next Press Release written by Former Director of Communications for Number 10, Alastair Campbell.
Alastair will also include the winner as a character in his next novel.
PLUS - a year's subscription to The Spectator.
Kindly donated by Alastair Campbell and The Spectator.
www.spectator.co.uk
www.alastaircampbell.org
Terms and conditions: Please note this prize is non-transferable and subject to availability.
Bid for this prize now!

Lot 3
The Grove with Rugby Legend, Zinzan Brooke

The opportunity for you and two guests to enjoy a round of golf with New Zealand rugby legend Zinzan Brooke on The Grove's championship course. PLUS four ground passes to the IRISH OPEN at Royal Portrush on Thursday 28th June 2012.
The prize includes 1 x 4 ball for 18 holes at the Grove's championship course with full access to the practice facilities before you and your guests tee off.
Kindly donated by Sportingclass and The Grove.
www.sportingclass.co.uk
www.thegrove.co.uk
Terms and conditions: Please note that all additional costs to be covered by the auction winner. Food and beverages are not included. Please note booking is subject to availability and the passes for the Irish Open are non-transferable.
Bid for this prize now!

Lot 4
Exclusive Monaco Formula1 Grand Prix Weekend, May 2013

You and a guest can enjoy all the action and glamour of the Monaco Formula1 Grand Prix weekend next year on 24th to 27th May 2013. This exclusive auction item includes the following : Return flights from London to Nice. 3 x nights accommodation in a central hotel in Nice. Full hospitality on both the practise day and the race day - including breakfast and lunch with complimentary bar. Access to balcony to view the practise day and race, where you will be up close to the action throughout the weekend.
Kindly donated by Bespoke Events
www.bespokeevents.co.uk.
Terms and conditions: Please note transfers are not included.
Reserve: £4,000
Bid for this prize now!

Lot 5
Exclusive cycling trip to Majorca with the legendary Stephen Roche

This prize is for two people for three nights at the Triple Crown winner Stephen Roche's cycling camp, staying at the Ponent Mar Hotel in Palma, Majorca.
This exclusive prize includes a ride and dinner with Roche himself, half board hotel accommodation, cycle hire and a Stephen Roche 25th anniversary limited edition cycling jersey for both riders and a signed autobiography (being published in June 2012).
Kindly donated by Stephen Roche
www.stephenroche.com
Terms and conditions: Please note that flights and transfers are not included.  Dinner and hosted ride with Stephen Roche subject to his availability. This prize is non-transferable.
Reserve: £600
Bid for this prize now!

Lot 6
Private Garden consultation with RHS Gold Award winner Chelsea Flower Show designer, Cleve West

This is the perfect gift for any keen gardener who is looking to gain some expert design advice on their garden. Cleve West has built a reputation for innovative garden design, from private havens to award winning show gardens. As part of this fantastic prize, Cleve will meet you at the Brewin Dolphin London office for a private two hour consultation to discuss your garden and design requirements. As part of the consultation, Cleve will produce some bespoke design ideas with recommended plant and flower lists, in order for you to transform your garden.
Kindly donated by Cleve West Landscape Design
www.clevewest.com
Terms and conditions: Please note the date and timing of the consultation are subject to availability. This prize is non-transferable and must be redeemed by the successful auction winner only.
Bid for this prize now!

First Sportive of 2012

Not wishing to repeat too much from last year I have been waiting for something to write about but conscious that those who did the L2P last year should pass on experiences etc..

Yesterday I completed my first sportive of 2012 in Bristol known as the Mario Cipollini Grand Fondo. Four of us from Jersey went over on the Saturday and had the opportunity to join 100 others for the pre-ride gala dinner with the Italian legend. Despite not being fluent in English we were all able to enjoy his stories and engage in the passion he has for cycling. The event organisation was terrific and to a similar standard of of the Hot Chilli L2P of last year which sets the benchmark. I was fortunate to have pre ride massage before breakfast which is something i missed out on last year during the L2P. Book very early to have any chance before and after the ride! Peter was the master last year at being top of the list. The early bird etc. I stuck to my usual routine of having a full bottle of SIS PSP22 Fuel before breakfast. This achieves two things. Plenty of liquid in case you have problems drinking on a bike (you will learn but better to be prepared) and secondly according to the SIS marketing the powder provides everything to charge the batteries. The team captains are aware that many riders take on more fluid than normal before the ride so there is always a stop after the first hour! For the newer team members you will be provided with sachets at the start of the event but it is worth trying different flavours before hand to make sure they agree with you. Zpvit is a good alternative (Chain Reaction) stock both. Its important that you try different energy bars etc to see what's good for you. When riding I tend to eat bananas (easy to peal and eat quickly) together with the Zipvit energy chews. Gels are great but variety is important and flavours are very personal.

Being a UK Sportive there is no official mass start as the roads are not closed, however all the cyclists are keen to start as early as possible. Two hundred yards down the road Ian from our group had a full blow out in the back tyre. Better early on as he had spare wheels back in the car. There were support vehicles just as there will be in L2P but it was quicker to go back. Having been close to the lead out groups we were now firmly at the back. The ride was split into 3 with feed stops at 40km and 80km and refreshments at the finish 115km. Although not as long as an L2P stage the climbing partly made up for it at 1650m. The first stage was relatively flat, cold and windy but at a a nice steady pace. Not so part two! The rain came and with it Burrington Combe and the Cheddar Gorge. Not ideal after a feed station so the food intake was low despite numerous temptations. Cycling in rain uphill is not enjoyable but coming down the other side at speed isn't either! In France if it rains you will be obliged to wear a yellow top (what runners use or similar) so might be worth trying to borrow one in advance rather than the last minute panic we had last year.

The second feed stop was unbelievable as we had a choice of so much food. Unfortunately one of our group had cramp and as we were all soaked through and cold, and two of us had a plane to catch, we decided to press on. The sun came out briefly and we began to warm up but with 20km to go the heavens opened up once more. The light was so low I could barley see but as i use prescription sunglasses I had no choice but to carry on. Having started at just after 9 we arrived back at about 14:15. Average moving pace just over 27km which is acceptable in view of the conditions.

My next Sportive is the London Revolution May 19/20th. I know Steve will be riding but it would be great if anyone else from the L2P team could join us.

Hope you are all putting in the miles, as time spent now will ensure that you enjoy the experience. If you can ride in a group you will benefit not only from understanding the etiquette of the peleton, but you will find your average speed will gain about 2kph from riding on your own.

My training so far

Hi Everyone

All of a sudden it's April so I thought it was about time that I made a post to share my training experience so far. First of all I'd like to say I'm a newbie cyclist and hadn't owned a road bike until signing up to L2P - so I've pretty much been learning / making things up as I go along.

Since signing up I've been making spin classes a regular part of my week (6:45am on Mondays and Fridays) - if anyone hasn't tried them I would definitely recommend it for when you can't get out on the bike for real. I've also been doing a long ride (weather permitting) every weekend through the winter. One of my best purchases so far have definitely been my bib tights - I don't think I'd have made through the winter without them. They have, however, been renamed as my 'mankini' by my friends. I’d definitely like to upgrade my wheels next so any tips / suggestions would be much appreciated.

More recently I've been going out for Sunday rides with my local triathlon club and completed my first ever triathlon a few weeks ago. Despite a bit of a mishap in the transition area (it took me a while to find my bike!) I absolutely loved it and am definitely hoping to build a few more into training for L2P.  

It was fantastic to meet Geoff and all the team in London back in November. It really helped me to understand the great work Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research are doing and provided great motivation for training over the winter. Everyone who completed L2P last year spoke so highly of the organisation from HotChillee as well. It was a great surprise to receive a training jersey in the post from them recently. It’s also the right size so I’m hoping that’s a good sign for when the LLR kit arrives!

Happy training to you all.

Rob Harper

Looking forward to following the L2P 2012 team

Glad the blog is back in use and I can start following you guys in the lead up to L2P 2012. I really am go to miss the event this year but wish you all every success in your training.

For all the first timers in the team you are going to love it - a really memorable time, meeting great people, wonderful cycling and very professionally managed from start to finish.

If anyone is ever in the South of the country and wants to meet up for a training ride then please let me know. I need all the time in the saddle I can get as I have my own challenge this year:

http://journeytoironmanaustria.blogspot.co.uk/

Happy training!

Hello team!

Very excited to think that in 101 days we will be arriving in Paris - bring on the champers!  Hope everyone's training is going well.  I have been along to the first 2 HotChillee training rides, if anyone has the chance to get along to one I would highly recommend it - they are fab.  I stayed safe in Group 4 for the first ride then stepped up to Group 3 for the second... could keep up on the flats but really need to work on hills!  I'm doing LEJOG at the end of this month so I am hoping that once I have conquered Cornwall and Devon, and the Scottish highlands, I should be ready for anything...

I notice our justgiving fundraising page is looking a bit sparse, let's spread the word and get the donations flooding in! www.justgiving.com/250years

Training and Diet

I took part in the L2P last year which was a great step into the unknown for me having never cycled or taken part in an endurance event before. one of my big concerns was eating bfore, during and after each day. We have a nutritionis who comes into the office, primarily to sell his gear so I would pay little attention to any actual products he mentions, but I asked him for his advice on nutrition for L2P and he trew in his tuppence worth on training. His thoughts are below.



First of all, always train in a way that replicates the movements of your chosen sporting event. For example, it’s not much use to you doing leg extension and flexion in the gym on the machines, because this does not replicate the movements of cycling. Instead, you would be better doing weighted squats and single leg squats. This is because a squat is much more similar to the cycling movements that take place in your legs. Obviously, spending a lot of time on the bike itself is the best replication.


You also want to replicate the intensities of your sport. So cycling involves lots of repetitions of varying intensities. If you are doing strength work – do several sets (4 or 5) of 20-30 repetitions. Any more repetitions than this and you might as well do cardio. Any less and it doesn’t represent the endurance nature of your sport. London to Paris is a long distance event, so obviously you need to get used to being on the bike for many hours. I strongly recommend choosing a gear that allows you to peddle at at least 85 rpm because grinding the peddles will only tire you out after the first 10-20 miles. Gradually build up your mileage between now and the event and make sure you factor in plenty of recovery time especially between intense training sessions.

Balance and agility is very important on a bike. You may be dodging potholes or water-bottles and your core strength is essential. Probably one of the best balance exercises you could do is to try to balance on your knees on a stability ball (the exercise balls that look like a beach ball). You may need to start by holding on to a rail or something, but over time, you should be able to balance for 60 seconds un-aided. Do three sets.


Vibration is also something that you have to cope with on a bike. The imperfections on the road surface will transfer through your bike and be absorbed by your muscles. The more you can absorb these vibrations, the longer you will last. If you have access to a Powerplate, these are a great way of training for vibrational strength. You can use the Powerplate as a platform from which to do your squats and core exercises.



Your shoulders and triceps and forearms are holding the weight of your upper-body for long periods of time. So press-ups and dips are also good exercises to strengthen this area. Again, you can do these on a Powerplate for extra effectiveness.



Now for your nutrition. First of all, you must balance your blood sugar levels and get plenty of vitamins and minerals. This is a daily requirement, regardless of your sport. Next, specific to your sport, you need to make sure you get the right fuel before, during and after:



Before: Eat foods rich in lean proteins and complex carbohydrates – but give your body a couple of hours to digest it properly. Just before your exercise (within 10-20 minutes), have something like a banana or a pear to give you some simple healthy sugars.



During: Your training is going to be at a moderate to hard intensity for quite a long period. This means you need a mixture of carbohydrates, water and a little protein. Too much protein will be difficult to digest, but a little bit will help you get through the training without feeling starving and lethargic at the end. There are some excellent sports drinks on the market and also some very crap ones. The best sports drink I can recommend (although I would say this because I now sell it), but I honestly do think it is the dog’s danglies - is Prolong by Herbalife.

Here is the link… http://theboosthealth.com/herbalife-24-prolong.aspx I would just point out though, that I am showing you the most elite products on the market – so they’re not cheap. If you want me to give you some cheap options, just send me an email.

Being on a bike is quite advantageous in some ways, because your stomach can cope with digesting more food than it can, say if you were running. I tend to chop up a couple of protein snack bars in to bite-size chunks and put them in an open food bag. I can then snack on these while I ride, combining them with my sports drink.



After: Once you have finished your training, you have about 30 minutes before your metabolic window begins to close. This basically means that the best time to get nutrients back in to your muscles is within 30 minutes of finishing. Get this right and you will recover in half the time. Again, you need lean proteins and complex carbohydrates, plus a small amount of simple carbohydrates to get your energy levels quickly back up. You can do this with whole foods, but you will not recover as quickly as you would if you use a recovery shake.

I hope this helps some of the newer cyclists.

A word from our team captain, Geoff Thomas

 

I’m delighted to be Captain of the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research Team again this year. It’s a great honour to lead our red jerseyed riders to Paris and so much fun to be involved in this fantastic event.

It’s a cause very close to my heart and I’ve been involved with the charity since my recovery from chronic myeloid leukaemia in 2005. I’m thrilled that all the fundraising from our team this year goes to a project which I have championed. The Trials Acceleration Programme (TAP) will link 13 hospitals around the country, giving patients with leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma access to new treatments sooner, drastically improving their chances of survival.

I’m also pleased our team sponsor, Brewin Dolphin are back on board. We have 16 keen riders from Brewin offices across the UK and they’re fully behind the cause again and committed to raising even more than they did last year.

They will be joining a few of my celebrity friends, Football Manager Aidy Boothroyd, Rugby Player Paddy Johns, TV Gardner Diarmuid Gavin and Sky Sports Presenter Jill Douglas are all part of Team LLR. Not to mention John Salako who is aiming to make it to the start line after injury cruelly ruled him out of last year’s event.

Last year the team raised a massive £120,000 and we’re just as committed as our friends from Brewin Dolphin to beating that total this time around. This fundraising makes a huge difference to our patients. Patients like Harvey Bennett who has recovered from being diagnosed with lymphoma in May 2011 to join us in June. Like Nick Gordon, who rides this year after beating cancer twice. Like Harry Boxall who will be training in Jersey after undergoing treatment for Lymphoma. Some pretty impressive efforts which benefit every one of the 30,000 people a year diagnosed with a blood cancer in the UK. Our riders and fundraisers are helping to save the lives of all these patients, young and old, from all over the country. From grandchildren to grandparents, sons to sisters, not to mention the odd ex-footballer. I may not pick up the yellow jersey on The London–Paris 2012 but I’ll be very proud to wear a red one along the way. You can too by joining our team and helping to beat blood cancers.

Geoff Thomas

Team LLR Captain

www.leukaemialymphomaresearch.com

New year, new race!

Following the success of last year’s London-Paris, Brewin Dolphin is delighted to field a team of sixteen riders for the London to Paris 2012 Cycle Ride in aid of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.
Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research is the only UK charity solely dedicated to research into blood cancers, including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Its life-saving research is focused on finding causes, improving diagnosis and treatments, and running groundbreaking clinical trials for all blood cancer patients.

As part of the Beating Blood Cancers team, in association with Geoff Thomas, our riders are from offices across the Brewin Dolphin Group and have local hospitals involved in the clinical trials which are to be funded by the proceeds from the race this year.

Geoff Thomas is an ex-Crystal Palace and England player who was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia in 2003. Unlike many who do not survive this illness, Geoff battled back to health thanks to a life saving bone marrow transplant from his sister. Since recovering from his illness, Geoff has dedicated his life to raising money to fund blood cancer treatment.

Please visit our new JustGiving page and show your support for this brilliant charity.