And I would ride 500 miles...

So after the summer of training, how did the team fair? After covering between 150 and 190 miles per day over the three days of the Heartbeat Challenge, we were still able to smile and walk to the bar. Some achievement, but we certainly felt challenged. 

Once again the Wessex Heartbeat Cycling Challenge had brought together numerous teams, all with the aim of raising money for both Wessex Heartbeat and their selected charity, in our case the Joe Glover Trust. With more than 50 teams taking part in a event that has two starts because of the number of teams, the charities should benefit very well. Team QGate is very pleased to report that we have passed our initial target of £1,000 so we have raised it to £2,000!

Over the three days we covered a range of terrain and climbs, through some lovely parts of France but with little time to really take it in. Again the French were very supportive: they just love cycling and when they see a group of cyclists in what must be some sort of event they will just stand to clap and cheer. Equally, over the ride, whilst there is an underlying but unspoken element of competition, each team supports the others by cheering, clapping, honking as cyclists pass the support cars waiting for their own team member on the road to catch up for the change over.

One of the interesting conundrums of the event is the time wrap that effects the teams. Although each member should have an equal time on the road, and by the maths three times as long in the car, everyone talks about how quickly it's your turn again, to mount the bike and get on with your next stint. The time in the car goes so quickly because of having navigate, drive, eat, rest, enjoy the views, watch out for other teams that may be catching you.

At the end of each of the days, that shower and that first beer never felt so good. During the evening there is an opportunity to talk to some of the staff who are directly affected by, and see the benefits of, the work of Wessex Heartbeat. This does bring all that has been done during the ride into perspective. And it is what makes your support for us on the ride so gratefully received.

So, huge thanks to my team mates, Jim Evans (a veteran of the event), Brian Green and John Chandler, both first timers and who did themselves great credit. Thanks too to our fellow colleagues in QGate for covering for us and sponsorship, and obviously to everyone else: friends, relations, customers and all those others who have helped us beat our target. We look forward to doing it all over again next year.

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