A Raffle to be proud of....

Saturday this week (25th June) is the Summer Ball in a fabulous Marquee in Paul's Garden. Final Preparations are all coming together and we are all getting quite excited at the thought of a party. The weather is looking a lot better than was predicted last week and we may enjoy champagne in the Garden afterall.

I have just printed out the vouchers for the some of the raffle prizes and its quite amazing the things we have on offer. Here's a taster...

 · 2 return flights to New York

· 1 night stay at the Carlton Mitre Hotel, Hampton Court.

· 2 tickets to Kempton Racecourse

· A Private horse-riding lesson (for children)

· A private sightseeing helicopter ride.

· Dinner for 2 at Little Italy, Kingston-Upon-Thames

· A case of champagne

· A private portrait session with Seemephotography.com

· Dinner for 2 at The Bear Hotel, Esher

· Annual Multi-Trip Travel Insurance Policy for 2

· Private golf lesson at Royal Wimbledon Golf Club

· A weekend stay at a beautiful home on The Gower Peninsula, Wales

· 2 return flights to Budapest with accommodation

· Meal for 2 at Carluccios Esher, meal

Then the entertainment for the evening will be provided by 'Souled Out' a 9 piece band headed by Mark Payne. Mark is the brother of Ann who organised last weeks car wash. What an amazing family to know...! How lucky I am to count them all as friends and I am totally indebited to their generosity and help. Thanks guys, I owe you several big favours.

Its not too late to get yourself a ticket. £50 for the whole evening with Dinner and Champagne reception or £15 to join us after 21.00hrs for the dancing and music.

I am really looking forward to it and shall have to get up early Saturday to get some training miles in as somehow I think Sunday might be tricky!

The ball marks the end of the fund raising events. (I am sure some of you will be relieved to know!). Apart from a street collection in Saffron Walden in a few weeks, that's it! Well I count the collection as training as I am planning to take my turbo trainer and sit in the market square pedalling and collecting at the same time.

Training is going ok and although of late fund raising has been the main activity I have been increasing my weekly mileage and increasing the ride to work in the mornings. This morning I did 20 miles on the way to work, its not a huge amount but the fact that I can do the a fifth to a third of a days total mileage before breakfast without even blinking is slightly reassuring but its nothing like what we will have to do day in day out I appreciate. I am getting a good 150 miles in during my commuting week and trying to fit in longer weekend rides as well as a few runs during the week. Laps of Richmond Park on the way to work are never a hardship. Its such a beautiful spot I could just keep going around and around.

In July the mileage will increase again as we have a trip to Paris planned as well as Lands End to John O'Groats. I am hoping that will give me another decent block of miles and training and then we will be almost ready to start.

My biggest worry is the tension in my shoulders and neck which I tend to feel after a long day in the saddle and when carrying laptops around in my backpack routinely. I am sure alot of it is the general bike fit and set up and so with that I have booked myseld a session with the bike whisperer to try to optimise my riding position. Time will be invested well in this particular area of research as comfort day in and day out will be a major issue. Anything I can do now to reduce those nagging pains will make the time on the bike more comfortable.

Hope to see you at the ball on Saturday.