In early February 17 my brother asked me if I would accompany him on a high profile ‘Sportive cycle event’ where he and some friends intend to raise awareness for BLESMA, knowing I was not very experienced at cycling I hesitantly agreed. He then told me the ride was 100 miles through the Lincolnshire countryside and will take place on the 6 May so I would need to get my skates on and start training. My initial thoughts were, ‘nightmare, what have I let myself in for’. Training for the event was always going to be difficult, balancing it with work and the inclement weather, more importantly, I didn’t have a bike. My son generously loaned me his ‘Time Trials bike’, I bought a Turbo Trainer and set them up in my conservatory where I could get used to the bike without embarrassing myself on the roads and for somewhere to train during the bad weather.