Those of you who know me will be surprised to hear that I am going to cycle from London to Paris this September.  I'm pretty surprised myself as it has been almost 20 years since I've been on a bike ride (and even then it was never more than an hour) and I've never been a great lover of exercise.  The event and the training are going to be a huge challenge for me.

When the "London to Paris ride in support of the British Paralympic Association" email popped up in my work account I thought of the incredible effort our athletes undertake and was inspired to give it a go.  Over the last couple of years I have been lucky enough to meet some of the Olympians and Paralympians that EDF Energy sponsors and to learn how they rely heavily on the funding we provide.  Their commitment to their sport is remarkable and they are under constant pressure to bring home the results to continue to attract funding.

My training plan will take me more than 1000 miles around the hilly Scottish countryside then the event itself is 300 miles over four days.  My biggest worry is making it to the ferry on the first day - 95 miles and the ferry leaves at 5pm. Eek!  I'm also pretty scared of the hills.  I've recently learned that Kent and northern France do have plenty of hills to tackle.  I'm two weeks into my training now and already know that hills are a psychological battle I have to conquer.  Your donation will help me get to the top.

All of your donations go directly to the charity.  Entry fees for the event have been covered by me and EDF Energy.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.