London Calling

BY: Rob Smith

Published: 30th March, 2014

Well it's his fault for not logging out, I know he's mentioned me before but now it's my turn.

Before Christmas my darling husband entered us both into the ballot for RideLondon 2014. A surprise for me, an even bigger surprise when I got a place and he didn’t! Luckily for me I read the small print and discovered that there were 150 tandem places to be allocated. Well it would’ve been mean not to….

I contacted the guys at RideLondon as instructed safe in the knowledge that if we were unsuccessful my solo place was secure. I was aware that disabled riders took preference for the tandem places but thought it was worth a shot. Whilst I am not registered disabled I do have a permanent weakness and nerve damage resulting from surgery for breast cancer in 2009/10.

By the end of February we found out our application was successful; we were going to ride 100 miles on a tandem through Surrey and London. We do have and have ridden many miles on our 2nd hand ‘offroad’ tandem, but not since I had had cancer. We knew that our old faithful tandem would not be up to the challenge (not sure the stoker is either yet) so after some head scratching and number crunching we decided to take the plunge and treat ourselves to a new tourer type tandem. I had to promise that I would train hard and that Rob would not be dragging me round for 100 miles!!!

We both agreed it would be a wasted opportunity not to use a challenge like this to raise money for a good cause. So we've chosen to ride for The Primrose Foundation which supports the breast care unit at Derriford Hospital. The Primrose Unit cared for me and Rob throughout my diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and aftercare.

Primrose provides breast care services for men and women in Cornwall and West Devon.Primrose Foundation.

So place secured, charity chosen and challenge set.

Next task was to find our new bike.
Rob spent many productive hours searching the web and found JDTandems in Yorkshire who produce their own tandems. After a few calls and e-mails involving measurements and logistics they kindly arranged for us to borrow a demo bike. The demo bike arrived and on the afternoon of my 47th birthday I met Rob at work and off we went. It was just like riding a bike….sorry but it was, after more than 4 years we just clicked back into tandem mode and spent a very enjoyable hour cycling in the Cornish sunshine. We managed to fit in a few more successful rides that weekend before we needed to return the bike. We rang the bike company and ordered our bike! Scary stuff, now we were well and truly committed. Financially and morally.

Rob meanwhile had entered us into a few sportives…bit different to our usual mix of XC and 12hr races I have done a couple (some may recall last years Twentyfour12 - My first ever race made even more poignant by the events of recent years. Many tears flowed at midnight as I crossed the finish line)

but I am usually found answering questions at race HQ and lap scoring for FullySussed.

So sportives, not races I’m reliably informed, but timed events on the road of a set mileage. One of which happens to be the Dartmoor classic, hmmmm. A beast of a challenge if ever there was excuse the pun, but grown men have been known to cry.

I am struggling with the concept of training, I cycle to work 12 miles a day 3 days a week. I work 30hrs a week as a staff nurse in a busy recovery unit at Derriford Hospital and the thought of training rides on my days off doesn’t always appeal. Apart from my commute to work my biking has always been a social hobby and I am going to have to work very hard at dragging myself out and picking off the miles.I do have a few friends who I know will come out with me as long as there is a tea n cake stop penciled in.

I’ve always been an active person with a pretty healthy lifestyle but I’m no Twiggy and post cancer treatments mean I need to work a bit harder to keep the weight off and stay healthy. There is something very satisfying though about enjoying a slice of cake knowing the ride home will burn it all off..

I’ll keep blogging the trials and tribulations of my journey to London if you want a chuckle.

So here I am, 47 years old, having got through breast cancer and all the challenges that brings (I don’t personally like being called a survivor). Now it’s time to challenge body and soul again in a very different way.

The big day is RideLondon August 10th 2014.
100 miles on the tandem with Rob.
Raising money for the Primrose Unit whose expertise and care saved my life.

If you would like to donate via the link please mention me,

Jane Smith.

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London Calling

BY: Rob Smith

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Rob Smith

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