After yesterday’s ride we went to Stoke-on-Trent’s young persons community project, Streetgames. There were loads of really enthusiastic kids, all doing their best to beat me on the cycle challenge (this involves two laps of a circuit on a static bike). I’m afraid to say that two or three of them did get the better of me and I was given a lot of stick. It was a great project and really backed up what has been written in the report, Laureus: Breaking the Cycle of Violence - Click here to read it.
I’m also delighted that Jed Mason, who joined us on yesterday’s leg, presented a cheque for £1000 to the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. He has also pledged a further £1000 on completion of the ride, which is extremely generous and has given me even more motivation (not that I needed any!).
Today we had an even tougher route over some pretty serious hills but I’m feeling good and slowly starting to get used to that saddle. Halfway through the ride we were joined by the Laureus Head of Communications, Mal Thompson (no relation!), but his timing couldn’t have been worse - he started at the bottom of a 2 mile hill. Mal dropped back about halfway up, leaving the rest of us to wait at the top with big grins on our faces. By the time he arrived we were bombarded with excuses about the saddle, gears, handlebars and all sorts of other strange problems. To give Mal some credit, he started to motor ahead after that but there’ll be a few charity fines for him this evening.
Later this afternoon we’re visiting the Sporting Futures project just outside Coventry.
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Daley Thompson won more decathlon honours than anybody before him. He is the only man to win two Olympic gold medals and a World Championship. He also created four world records, won three Commonwealth gold medals and two European Championships.
Harry Whitford on 09.07.2009 18:07
Hey Daley
Im the young lad that rode a few miles with you on your route earlier today. Just thought id leave a message to say how great it was to ride with two sporting superstars. hope the rest of the ride goes to plan and let me know if theres any other rides coming up:D
Thanks again,
Harry Whitford
Joules Reed on 09.07.2009 18:07
Hi Dalley and Hue, I was with Harry when we met you and rode with you for a few miles through Clifton Campville on your journey from Stoke to Coventry. I can’t believe we had the honour of riding with two real sporting icons, it wasn’t until just a few minutes ago we realised that we were in the company of two legends. As Harry has said, we wish you the very best of luck on your project.
mike cooke on 10.07.2009 15:07
Hi Daley;
Breaking the Cycle of Violence is a great campaign and we would love to show our support to all the riders taking part. Our initiative goes hand in hand with your campaign and the Sports4all banner scheme would like to meet you guys at the end of your ride. We would like to put up our community banners that carry messages that raise awareness of the issues that your campaign is targeting. Unfortunately i would not be able to ride with you guys as i don’t think it would be a good idea as i am a blind man and i don’t think you guys would appreciate me crashing into you all every few yards.
Our initiative has been going snce 2007 and it is targeting young kids in grass-roots sports and i think this would be a great oppotunity for us to show our support to your campaign and also show many others that their is initiatives out there trying to do what your campaign is also trying to do. I would like to come down to London with a few of our volunteers and show you guys our community banners it would also be a great finish to your ride showing unitication between organisations set up to try and fight for safer sports and safer communities all over the UK.
Please get in touch and let me know if it would be possible to come down and put up our community banners to welcome home all the riders to the finishing line.
All the very best to all the riders and a safe trip to the finish.
Mike Cooke