The EducAid team had been busily preparing for the Bike Ride for weeks and weeks; Farah had been organising registration with the event organisers and a stall to host the riders, Amelia had been contacting companies to get hold of some products for our goodie bags and general well-being, whilst Adrian and I were busy in training (*cough*). 9am on Saturday 2nd July it was all set to go: 20 EducAid riders on a sunny morning, and a lively carnival atmosphere surrounding the start/finish line in Castle Park, Colchester.
The morning started early, with most EducAid riders gathering around 8:30 for a little chinwag and some last minutes stretches. Some of EducAid’s longest standing supporters were present: it was a real friends and family event, and for those of us who have only been involved with EducAid for a couple of years, it was nice to put so many names to smiling faces.
Before we could finish the Danish and coffee, we were off. There were three routes that riders could take: 25 miles, 50 miles, and 75 miles, the longer routes spurring off the shorter ones, and all of which were absolutely glorious. Along the way there were green fields, charming villages, and very very tempting pubs.
A few miles in and half-way up a (not-that) steep incline, I failed to register any speed on the passing speedo…I feared for the worst! A quick rest with some Get More Multivitamin drink, some Superseeds, two cherry Vega Sport energy gels, and an Organic Energy drink later (thank you to all those generous sponsors), I was back up and cycling. At a rest stop further down the road I met up with Team Boardman and Team Morawiecki – some of our most prolific fundraisers – and all strength was restored!
There were only a few miles left and everything started coming together; the sun was beaming down and the country air was quick through the hair. It was nice to be surrounded by so many EducAid riders – all identifiable with our signature t-shirts – it felt as though we were really part of the pack!
We returned group by group, tired but very happy with how we’d all done. Once again we were plied with drinks and cakes and brownies – a very welcome return for all of us tired riders. I think that this photo of Team Boardman captures the moment rather well!
All in all, a great day. Farah, Amelia, and Farah’s daughter, Nicole, did a superb job feeding the hungry riders, and holding the fort at the start/finish line. It was a great day for all involved.
Importantly, it was also a great day for EducAid. To date, the total sum fundraised for EducAid is over £3,650 with Gift Aid. With a number of donations still to come in, we’re pretty confident that we will reach £5,000. Such a fun way to raise money for a fantastic cause!
To everyone who came and rode for EducAid, and to all those who were there in spirit and those who donated, thank you. On behalf of the EducAid team, we all really enjoyed the day, and thank you for joining us. We’ll be doing many more fundraisers over the coming months, and there are lots of ways to get involved (and they’re not all athletic!) so do keep you eyes peeled. If you haven’t donated, but you would like to, you can do so by clicking here.
Until next year!