I've been close to my mum ever since I was born on her 26th birthday - what a birthday present! Looking back I think there have only been three occasions in fifty years when we haven't met up on our birthday.
I'm thankful that last year (2005) we had the whole day together. Dad was in hospital getting his bionic knee fitted and as well as visiting him, mum and I went out for a meal, received cards and gifts together and had a really nice day. So it was a severe shock when only a few weeks later I received the phone call telling me that mum had died suddenly of heart failure.
Mum knew I was planning to ride from John O'Groats to Lands End in 2006 and was looking forward to it (in that slightly worried way that mums do). Unfortunately she won't be around to give her support and encouragement but she'll certainly be inspiring me as I start my ride exactly a year and a day after she passed away. It seemed fitting that I should use my ride to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation and I hope that I can help them reduce and eradicate heart disease and other heart related problems.
If you would like to sponsor me you can click on:
beware however - they take the money as a donation, regardless of whether I manage to complete or not!
If that's too daunting for you, I'm also riding the London to Brighton Bike Ride on the 18th June. My sponsor page for that is:
Thanks.