My new blog

So this is my blog for the "Big Bike Ride" as Elissa calls it, which will take place in May next year in aid of the Arthritis Research Campaign (UK) and Arthritis Fondation Courtin (France). The fundraising activity has got off to a really good start, with a whopping £1500 already banked or accounted for. The ST social club donated a massively generous 500€ which we have given to Fondation Courtin, Arthritis - I am really glad that this project has now turned into a real Franco/British incentive, my intention is to put all cash or cheques into Arthritis, Fondation Courtin from this point on, as they, like ARC in the UK are doing fantastic work to try and ascertain the fundemental causes for childhood arthritis.

Elissa has been OK this week but she had to have a day off school towards the end of the week, as she was not feeling very well. Her arthritis can get worse during the Autumn (which incidently was the season it all kicked off). The changing of the seasons and sudden increase in humidity can really affect her joints and can make it quite unpleasant for her. She remains, as always, brave and stoic about her illness and how it affects her.

So far, I haven't started my training programme, but have been doing a lot of mountain biking as well as some road work. Regular jaunts to "Le Peuil" have been followed by a 60K road bike trip to Apprieu (Claix to Grenoble Airport, near enough).

So far, things are going ok on the bike, but training in Rhone Alpes constantly reminds you of what I once saw described as the "beautiful irony of gravity": in other words, you sweat your arse off climbing a huge great mountain for an hour and a half, only to find that the descent down flys-by in the blink of an eye. Mind you the view on the way down isn't half bad - see pic above

http://www.justgiving.com/andy-chilton