High Excitement

As part of my marathon training Friday is 'long run' day. When I reveal to the running stalwarts in my sphere of friends that all my training is done on the treadmill I wait for the standard recoil and looks of horror. But, there are many benefits of training indoors, especially during the winter when a controlled environment provides a great comparison week on week as to my progression. More importantly, though, I find the 'give' on the treadmill to be kinder to my Achilles. Lymphoedema aside, my damaged Achilles is the biggest threat to my marathon goal and I will do whatever is necessary to give myself the best chance of success. If this means banging out up to 3 hours of a long run on the treadmill then so be it. In a bizarre way I actually relish this challenge and use my time productively. I don't listen to music or watch the bank of TV screens, I just run and I think. This is my time for me and usually my mind takes me on an enthralling journey. Juggling work, home life, and both running and cycling training means there is not much spare time in my life and running has become marvelously therapeutic.

This Friday, my mind quickly settled on the exciting plans for 2012 beyond the marathon. Hardly surprising as the previous night I attended the HotChillee Ride Captain and Sponsors dinner. Let me explain a little about HotChillee. They are the organisation behind the phenomenally successful London to Paris (L2P) and Alpine Challenge events. In 2010 I rode L2P and was completely overwhelmed by the experience. Their strap line is "Professional Events for Amateurs" and they are not wrong. Over the years I've taken part in a lot of mass participation events; large scale triathlons ranging from National and World championships, big city marathons in both New York and London and have even competed at the supremely slickly organised Hawaii Ironman. Yet none of these compared to my HotChillee experience. Wow. So impressed was I that I immediately signed up for the inaugural Alpine Challenge that year and returned to L2P in 2011. Many, many others do the same; it's interesting to reflect why? Having ridden between London and Paris once, what's the lure of doing it again? And again. And again. Yet many do. Year after year. The magic is in the whole experience, the camaraderie, that it is just a wonderful three days on your bike. HotChillee are the people that make this happen.

I was hooked, and felt impelled to get more involved. On the road during the events each group of riders is mentored, encouraged and if need be, controlled, by an army of Ride Captains. David (the Bull) and Will, assigned to my group, were an integral part of my enjoyment and inspired me to push to new levels. The Ride Captains are the front line of HotChillee, the ambassadors of the brand and they are brilliant people. Imagine my delight therefore when recently I was accepted on to the Ride Captain Development Squad. I was bursting with pride. This means that I get the chance to become a part of the HotChillee family, to learn the skills needed to be a fully-fledged Ride Captain (RC) and at some stage in the future I hope to guide, assist and support fellow athletes on their own personal journey of attainment. If I can convey just a fraction of the pleasure I have had, we all will be winners.

The duties of a RC start months before the event itself, with organised training rides starting in January, the first of which is tomorrow. So, this evening, as I prepare all my kit, I feel excited, but also mildly apprehensive. Tomorrow, I begin to learn my trade, and to get to know fellow L2P 2012 participants, be they familiar faces from previous years or new-comers.  Only time will tell, but I hope to strike up new friendships and play a part in the achievement of others – this time it’s all about them!