Oh, what a night!.. Claire's 2010 summary

Oh, what a night!
Late September back in 2009
What a very special time for me (and Ben) What a maybe? What a night!!

OK, so I've changed a few of the words and the song echoes round my head!

That was when Ben was told to shape up, face his health issues head on, and do something positive to see his young family grow up. It’s been 15 months and the time has flown!

Ben set his stall out to get in shape and WOW, did he ever surpass that!

I got dragged, kicking and howling with laughter, into the equation a year ago, when Ben announced his intention to train up to professional athlete status and accomplish ‘The Ride of his Life’ to raise money for kids who aren't as fortunate as ours, and lack a loving family.

When I sit and reflect upon that statement alone, I get a lump in my throat. All kids deserve a fabulous childhood, no matter what their colour, creed or family status. That alone drives Ben, myself and the team onwards and upwards - and look how far we have all come in a year!

We have the website, a magnificent team of professionals, sponsors joining our happy band all the time, and Ben has done the impossible! He’s got more than fit, he has accomplished his aims, and now sits on a bike for hours, knowing that the ball he set in motion a year ago cannot be stopped.

He competed in and finished a bike race he shouldn't even have entered in June, the Mallorca 312, and did it in around 15 hours – shutting up loads of critics and growing in stature immeasurably on a personal level! He finished last in a starting field of professional athletes who fell by the wayside along the hardest, most gruelling course in Europe with the first 100km being up a series of mountain ranges. To finish was way more than he or anyone else expected!

Ben has overcome mountains of pain and physical obstacles that most of us would not even attempt and he does it with massive smiles, loads of laughter and with the help of one of his now best mates, Dave Bladon. Dave is aiding and abetting him get to the mental and physical shape that is required to start in April 2011 to complete this momentous challenge.

He has discovered new friends over in Mallorca, who help him train out on the road, have given him invaluable support and challenge him constantly! He has roped in many others via the team to join him in getting into a new shape, instead of the round one we were all used to!

When Ben has fears, worries and questions about his mental and physical abilities, I remind him of how far he has come in such a few short months, how he has inspired so many people, how much support he has all over Europe and from reading the stats from our website, this has now gone global! He has followers in the Americas and as far afield as Down Under!

So as we all settle ourselves down for a merry, fun filled, family and friends filled Christmas, Ben is coming home with his family, not for a rest, but (weather permitting) to complete 1,000 km. He’s only taking Christmas day off and that's only because I refuse to follow him in a car as he pedals off on yet another 200 km ride!

Spare him a thought, talk about his achievements with your family and friends, spread the word, help us to reach the million followers on Facebook that we want and put a few words of inspiration for him on his website. And if you can, spare him a few quid, donate!

As we enter 2011, the clock is ticking down rapidly and the heat is on for the entire team, let alone Ben.

And when it comes to thinking about your New Year resolutions, just think about what Ben has accomplished in 12 months. Make a resolution and stick to it and see how your year can improve beyond measure!

On behalf of Ben, the team and myself, we would like to wish you all a Synfully wondrous Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

See you all in 2011 xx

Claire

Mr Grimsdale!!!! - Dave's training blog

Rest in peace Norman Wisdom, knowing that your legacy lives on through Ben Miles. Where did that come from, well his image just flashed before me last week as Ben was in the gym just polishing off a gruelling abs workout. He was at the end of an hour’s gym session, lying on his back like a dying fly, struggling with the last 5 reps. Ben lost his form, wriggling like a snake, face red and contorted with little murmurs....... erhhh erhhh, erhhhh, (the only thing missing was Mr Grimsdale – for those who can remember?!) honestly it was the best Wisdom impression I have ever seen. Now I kid you not, he had a shower and walked out the gym in a scarf and flat cap, you couldn't have scripted that. Apparently Cenk bought him the gear for his birthday – priceless.

So how's the training going? Well I think Ben's lost his bike… I think he's eaten it as he's put on a couple of kilos. Joking apart it is a really tough time, very disjointed due to Ben going on a Quad jolly with his buddies for a week. I’ve been off Mallorca for a chunk of time too, and with Christmas coming up there's been little consistency in his training for December. We’ve been training in the gym, a good few sessions this week in preparation for the next phase of training which is a 5 day, 1,000km UK cycle over Christmas. So whilst you’re sat watching the Queen’s speech with a crepe paper hat, sharing crappy Christmas cracker jokes with the comfort of a warm coffee & brandy, our caped hero will be out on his bike – that's dedication and determination for you.

Now is the biggest challenge of it all for Ben. It’s now a mental challenge not so much a physical one. The hype and adulation has dyed down, it's cold, short, dark days, familiar routes and programs to follow. I can tell you form my experience you don't want to be out on the road. The next 6 weeks are so, so hard to keep motivated and strong. Ben is strong, he has character, he's tough but we all have our limits. Now is the time to that he needs support from everyone, he needs a mental push, he needs every single one of us to rally round and encourage and get over this hurdle into 2011 and the countdown for the ride of his life.

So in the words of Lord Kitchener – WE NEED YOU. If you haven't spoken to Ben for a while, pick up the phone, send a message, make a donation. Whatever your actions, spare a thought for what he is doing, what he's trying to achieve and the sacrifices he has made and is going to make as a proud family man.

Have a fantastic festive season and I wish you all a healthy, prosperous 2011, thanks for reading and your continued support.

Dave

Catch the pigeon, catch the pigeon... Dave's training blog

If you’re old enough to remember that catchphrase then you'll remember Wacky Races. And so my story begins, in fact the old Mallorcian man that was part of the dispersing crowd looked like Dick Dastardly – thin, frail, with a slim pointy moustache and a devious look in his eye... yes there was panic in the sleepy villages of Mallorca the other week as Ben cycled around in his Lycra shorts, but that's not Ben's fault, it's mine.

You see a week last Friday I was support for Ben. Now what he didn't realise is that at 5' 7'' (well, with 3 pairs of socks on!) I could hardly reach the pedals of his big shiny truck, plus I’m not used to driving a mini lorry. You can imagine the fright in a little sleepy village when they see a blingy red sports truck swerving down the road with what seems like no-one driving (well you could make out a pair of hands and some tufts of hair just protruding from the wheel, but that was it!).

It always helps when, as a support vehicle, you know where you're going... "Morning Dave," – I could swear I heard Ben rattle as he got out of the truck, there's so many supplements he's taking lately. "So, where we going?" I replied. "Well, I thought...." as soon as I heard that word "thought" I knew that there was no plan… I was in trouble.

"I'll meet you in Arenal", I confidently agreed and set of to get ahead and chill out with a coffee. I swear I sat down for only 3 minutes after finding a cafe 20km into the journey, and there he was in the corner of my eye already. I jumped into the road like Billy Elliot to grab his attention, and to stop him, I’m such a nerd I need to plan and hate not being organised. He went gliding past. "Not stopping," he shouted. I screamed back at him to ask directions, “Cala D'or" I heard faintly. Bloody hell that's the other side of the island and numerous ways to get there. God I hate life…

****** Half an hour later & the phone rings *******

"Where are you?" said Ben in a stroppy tone. "Where am I? Where am I? Stressed – trying to find a bloody needle in a haystack!", I replied. "It's a lovely ride this, by the coast, sun shining, nice breeze!" said Ben. The coast? The coast! I was miles away and losing tufts of hair by the minute. You get the picture but it got better, at least when I caught up with him about 3 hours from the start, you know he's starting to move at some pace!!!!

Back to the less stressful task of training with him. The day before our ‘adventure’ I rode with Ben, South to North and back – 135km, great to spend some quality time together and train, talk, get some fresh air and appreciate our wonderful island. You should have seen his face light up when at 70km we had a full English brekkie treat at a British bar in Alcudia. This was Ben's toughest weeks training to date, 4 continuous days, 600km, it was by no means easy but he cracked it, with a smile and not too many aches & pains. That's a massive boost to Ben and his confidence is soaring. I'm really chuffed with his progress and Ben is duly proud of what he has achieved to date.

In terms of timescales, we are now half way through the training schedule that I set with Ben and he can now tackle a tough riding week at 50% capacity of his target weekly ride. Ben's on track. The problem we now face is that it's impossible for Ben to increase the volume of bike hours with work and family commitments. So I’m devising a tough gym plan to challenge his cardio system and throwing in some eye watering endurance leg work to take him to the next level.

I must say we do have fun training and have a great rapport, I do give Ben some stick on my blogs sometimes but I assure you he gets his own back. In the gym last week I asked him to do some hanging leg raises, it involves hanging from a static bar from the wall. The bar is 6ft plus off the floor. "Don't know that one, show me", he said with a straight face. “Hmmm OK" I said as I stood under the bar, concentrating on my leap. Well a full stretch with my hands above my head (as if I have a revolver pointing at me) leaves me 6 inches short! I jumped and just managed to hold on – he had a grin as he knows I normally need a box to get up. He walked over to the bar, easily grabbed it and started swinging his legs like a little kid on a swing

Cheeky git… I always get my own back; he knows he pays the price. You see Ben, you think I keep losing count with reps, I don't, I just add up all your practical jokes for the week and add them to your rep total…easy. As Muttley would say "heeeeeeheeeeeeeheeeeeeeheeeeee".



Q Rings, weight loss and three painful parts!

Hi everyone

I had a great week last week! I did 4 back-to-back rides – Wednesday 50k, Thursday 135k, Friday 200k and then another 200k on Saturday.

I’m chuffed to bits with myself. I’m so happy that my body allowed me to do the distance and the time on the bike, and I felt strong throughout it all. This gives me even more confidence that I can do the ride next year. I still have lots of training to do and am nowhere near ready yet but I will be on the day.

People think I have loads of time for training and that the ride is a long way off, but it really is close and I have to push as hard as I can to be ready for next year.

After these 4 days on the bike I discovered out a few problems that I’m working on now. The main problem is pain in the 3 points of contact on the bike - my hands, feet and bum.

I’m going to go back to the shoe company that did my insoles as they are better but my toes are killing me, so I need to try and fix this. My bum is still killing me as well, so I’m now trying new seats to see if I can find one that’s better for me. My hands hurt because I’m putting too much weight on them, so to help with that I’m going to train my core a lot harder at the gym. I’m raising my handle bars by 1cm, tilting them up a little and trying a new gel strap that wraps around the handle bars to see if that helps.

I am also trying to strip weight off the bike too. A new carbon seat post should save me 50gr, new seat 25gr, new carbon pedals, which move out a little wider to help on the pressure on your knees and hips, save 60gr.

I’m also going to try something called Q rings. Q rings are the 2 plates at the front of the bike that the pedals are attached to, and instead of being round they’re oval! This gives me 2 more teeth on the pedal stroke down when my leg is at the angle with the most force and 2 teeth less on the angles where my legs have less force. This should make my rides faster and help me recover quicker. I could write a whole essay on the things, but if you’re interested in knowing more about the Q ring just Google it.

With the Q rings I’m also getting new pedal arms, so in total I’ll have lost 235gr off the bike. Don’t even ask me about the price as it is getting ridiculous! What I can tell you is, it’s a lot cheaper to lose weight at Slimming World than trying to do it on a bike!

I’ve sent my bike off for the changes so this week I’ll be in the gym doing some really good training to gain more power for speed, core training for my hands and back and also massive cardio to strip off more fat. I’m after no fat at all - I just want skin!

Love the comments on Facebook and the website, Keith Walters seems to be having the time of his life on his bike, well done to him. Thanks to Dave my trainer for his funny blogs (just to let you know I always get him back every week after his blog taking the mick, but he never tells you! Numb nuts Dave is what I call him - he needs to find a better saddle too!)

And well done to John my ride buddy over here in Mallorca for doing his first 200k last Saturday.

Keep you posted

Love

Ben

Crash, bang, wallop.....oh what a picture, what a picture - Dave's training blog

Old Jetta, 12 years old (or 80 something in dog years) flinched again as Ben went hurtling towards the ground. I could see him wobbling out of the corner of my eye – not surprising really as he was trying to ride the e-roller with no hands!

Blood trickled from a cut on his leg, his dodgy Flashdance headband looked like a crooked pirates’ bandana, and I can tell you he didn't look too fetching in his Lycra pants!

"OK - time for a break!" …Yes, leg break if you don't keep your hands on the bloody bike!

That was last Thursday and as part of Ben's training he has an e-roller (check it out on You Tube - most of the videos show people falling off!) It's an advanced stationary cycling system for your bike, and I can tell you it's an art to ride. For endurance Ben’s been putting in 4 hour stints, and it's boring... really boring, and he hates it! And, as he has the attention span of a goldfish, he likes to attempt party tricks! Hence he's covered in bruises and his dogs are on valium.



A possible solution to Ben's attention span!



Ben's best training sessions are always outside, fresh air, variety of scenery, mountains - and there's no better training ground than Mallorca. This week’s training is a bit of a milestone for Ben, it's going to be the toughest yet and a real gauge of where he is in his European quest to cycle 6,000km. So Wednesday night is a 75km night ride with John, followed by a 100km on Thursday which I'll join him on, then Friday and Saturday will be 200km. Four back to back rides with the last two at distances which Ben proposes to sustain for a 6-week period in April 2011.


This is a massive, massive event for Ben and a turning point in his training, a positive week and he's off and flying to the next phase. To crash and burn – well that's not even worth contemplating how tough that is mentally.

So Ben needs all the support he can to motivate and push him through the pain barrier. Please send Ben your thoughts and wishes this week to spur him on and get him home before the dogs start to worry!

Shoes, support and static cycling!

I hope you all have had a good summer and are now nice and relaxed. I’m far from relaxed at the moment as each day the ride gets closer and closer and I am really starting to get nervous now.

I’ve upped my training quite a bit from July and August and am pushing harder now. Saying that, I haven’t been on my bike for over a week as I have lost my shoes. Well, not literally, but they’ve gone away to have special insoles fitted to distribute my body weight evenly over the whole sole of the shoe. It won’t make me go faster but will hopefully really help on the long rides - with my left leg being shorter by 4cms I’m looking everywhere for some help on that one!

For the last week I have been in the gym building muscle, not just for my legs but all over.

My weight is steady at the moment between 69/70 kgs. I still have a little bit of a belly hanging round but I am sure I will drop it soon. And I’m going to have to wax my legs soon! I keep putting it off as I’m really not looking forward to it but putting on lotions and having massages are becoming a pain with the hairs. It doesn’t do anything for me when in Lycra either!!

I have had a press release over here in Mallorca and been in a few newspapers, which was quite exciting. I didn’t think anyone had really read it but most people I talk to now know what I am doing and give me a few words of support.

I have an event coming up in October to raise awareness for BenSmiles and the charities. This is to also help promote the official opening of Dave Bladen’s new company Viva Sports Events, which is doing fitness breaks and holidays in Mallorca. So, the event – 500 Miles For BenSmiles. I will be riding my bike on a roller system (check it out on Youtube, the Emotion roller system, cool piece of kit) for 500 miles (806 kms) nonstop. It should take me about 40 - 45 hours. I will stop every 2 hours for 5 minutes, going on the same rules as the Guinness World Records for world’s longest static bike record. I’m not going for the record, I just thought it would be a good guideline for the press and public to see. (I say I’m not going for it, for now, but ....! We’ll see how I feel after the ride. Who knows?)

I speak to a lot of people about what we are doing and some people either don’t care or don’t understand and I must admit that gets me down. I sometimes feel my efforts are a little worthless, but then I hear a few stories or read something on our website about what people are doing and it really does lift my spirits.

Claire has just told me about a woman in her Slimming World group who has lost loads of weight and just bought a bike so she can do a 50 km ride next year with me and to raise money for the charity. The bike shop was so impressed with her that if she does the 50 km ride next year he will give her money back to go towards the charity. This story is very cool, and although I don’t see these things and only hear them, it does make every effort worth it. I suppose this phase of training, training, training with still months to go for the BIG one is a bit testing mentally for me, and patience is most definitely not one of my virtues. Wonder what is?

People ask me:

How am I going to ride 200 kms every day for 6 weeks ?

How am I going to ride this bike on a roller for 2 days nonstop?

The answer is I don’t know! But I do know I will - and there’s not much that’s going to stop me. Why? Because I really want to.

Thanks to everyone who has shown genuine support and kept up to date with the website and what’s happening. Your website messages and your Facebook support help more than you could ever know.

All my love and thanks,

Ben

Yeah baby, yeah – Dave’s training blog

Brr brr, brr brr……….I picked up the phone! It was late last Saturday night, it was Ben – his tone soft but with authority: ’I’ve got my mojo back, it’s time! Tomorrow at 10.00’

* * * * *

The day came. I was hot, flushed and excited, yet had a tinge of embarrassment as the senorita, unstable on her knees, gazed up at me with my nuts in her hand. My BIKE nuts thank you, what were you thinking?
Ben was in fits of laughter, we’d only peddled for 1km and my pedal and crank completely came off the bike and was left dangling off the end of my shoe. I thanked the old lady for picking up my nuts and we ‘limped’ back to the garage for repairs. It took some time and Ben was getting agitated: ‘Come on Einstein’! He was bored and wanted to be back on the bike.

It’s been tough for Ben recently – not just the sheer heat and volume of work on top of the training schedule, but the realisation of the task ahead. I always knew this event was 50% about training the body, 50% training the mind. With an event with such a long lead in time you have to be mentally tough because it’s an emotional rollercoaster. Ben is strapped into a rollercoaster that keeps going round and round in a continuous loop. He’s done the first loop – reaching the top after the amazing buzz of completing the 312, in fact he went round about 15 exciting corkscrews with the press and adulation he received. But when that dies down and it all goes quiet, you’re on your own, peddling for hour after hour, sweat, discomfort and isolation. Think about it: it’s tough, it’s mentally very tough and this is one of the hardest parts of Ben’s ride. I don’t think anyone can begin to imagine, it is THE RIDE OF HIS LIFE.

Ben's re-found his Mojo!!

I was so happy to hear he felt his mojo had come back, good on yer fella! This month was a massive hurdle you jumped over without realising.

So, back to the cycling, the pressure’s been on to reach the volume of km’s to keep on track with the schedule and Ben’s put in some impressive rides recently. Last weekend he completed two strong 80km rides in consecutive days at a good pace – around the 20km an hour mark – our target for the actual event. I rode with Ben on Sunday for 23km, the first time since May. How things have changed as he was training me, giving me technical tips on big descents. He’s come a long way in a very short time, he’s learning everyday and loving the technology behind the training and sharing his new found knowledge. I know that’s a fantastic part of the experience for him.

We’re back in the gym this week working on lower body strength, a really gruelling session on Monday after those big weekend rides. The legs were sore but was he complaining? Not at all! He‘s a bit sadistic – if he feels no pain he doesn’t believe there’s any gain.

Here’s a bit of trivia for you – no pain, no gain is a well used gym motto and was used by Jane Fonda who was the first celebrity actress to promote fitness videos. For those that can remember she used to wear hot pants, figure hugging tops and a sweatband – very eighties! Has anyone noticed Ben’s current attire cycling around Mallorca…? Hmmm… at the least the sweatband’s not pink, well for now… yeah baby, yeah!

Ben’s Blog by his mum

Big thanks to Jaime Schubert for doing the Spanish translation for the BENSMILES website. No small job. Jaime decided in the end not to charge Ben the 140€ she had originally asked for, and instead to do it for free.

What I can also tell you is that Ben paid the 140€ himself, but not to Jaime. He put it into the BENSMILES funds. Ben’s quite careful with his money, so I was particularly impressed. This boy never ceases to amaze me – and I’m his mum!
Margaret Whittaker

Claire's weekend challenge report!

Our ride from the top of Soller mountains back to Portals took us 3 hours, mainly due to the fact, I needed to take a few breaks and water my bits and pieces to calm the pain down, and its was 32.5 degrees in the shade!

Was given the chance to quit 3 times, and I refused each one! (And for the sceptics back in the UK, who think I just write this for fun and don't actually do it, here's the photographic evidence!)

Considering I only got back on a bike 2 weeks ago, I'm so delighted that I didn't give up and I will continue with my training when I get home with my own bike when I go and buy one!

What all this has done is put into perspective what Ben has achieved so far and trains daily to keep on achieving! Remember back in June Ben competed in the 312km Mallorca race? Considering he'd only bought his bike in January and that everyone was telling him he was insane to even attempt (let alone in agony), Ben did the impossible in extreme pain and blistering heat!

We did a tenth of that yesterday and did the first 4km down a mountain, not the first 100km up the Tramuntana mountains!!

We all got back to Mood, totally exhausted and elated! Ben had the biggest grin on his face because his big sis didn't give up! Dan and Dave both had a little soreness of the nether regions too and put me to shame! Woodhouse better look out when we get back, the bikes will be out on a regular basis and training will continue!

D day is this Saturday!

Don't know if I'm brave or the sun's giving me delusions of grandeur, but Saturday afternoon sees three brave souls - Danny Colbert, Dave Mellon and me - setting out from Soller on our first 50Km following Ben!

Do we feel prepared? Nope!
Are we scared? Nope!
Are we mad?
Tell you after the weekend!

Spanish cycling continues for Claire…

After a long leisurely Sunday lunch with all the family, I got back on the saddle and followed the 5k route I did on day 5. I was impressed to find that I was 10 minutes faster - no struggling up hills this time… and I was punching out a much better pace!

I didn't get to ride Monday and Tuesday due to being busy… but I made up for it on Wednesday… Dave and I did a cracking 10k in an hour! Shaz, Dave’s Mrs, stayed back at the apartment, looked after our four kids and, God bless her, had a healthy dinner ready for us on our return!

The highlight of the ride was me pumping up Wellies hill – I made it to the top without stopping! Anyone who knows the area finds walking up that hill a killer, let alone cycling up it!

Ben’s chuffed to bits with my progress and reckons, if I maintain my pace, that I should in theory be able to do a 200km stint on the challenge next year!

Now who’s living in cloud cuckoo land?

Keep you posted! x

Claire's biking blog

My two-wheel training continues!

Day 4 saw a very swift 15 minute ride pulled into a busy day. The killer was the first 300 metres up a mountain road - only managed to cycle the first half of it and even walking whilst pushing the bike was hard work. However, at the top came a nice steady ride downhill, allowing my heart to return to normal!

Day 5: a good 5k from the port up to Magaluf and back. It's a steady climb most of the way out and I wasn't chasing anyone, the ride back was great, all downhill! Even had the strength to race a bus along the road.

Day 6: having a rest day due to the amount of pain my bits are in (!) but feeling very happy with my progress so far.

Claire’s blog – I’m back in the saddle!

Sunday saw me get back on a bike for the first time in well over 30 years! Twice round mum’s driveway and then an attempt at the steep slope – which I made on the first go! Brain pounding as hard as my heart I set off down the road, nice and steady, all downhill to the first bit of flat road and then the next steep incline. I almost made it to the top before I had to walk the last bit!

Down another incline to a one way system, a huge roundabout which I managed twice before heading back up the hill for mum’s! I made the entire round trip in 15 to 20 mins, it nearly killed me but I did it!


Day 2 - OMG it’s a killer!
Out of mum’s drive, down to the one way system and twice round. I then decided to head for the port! Blanes is a very steep mountain so the route down is very fast, and I was aware of the fast traffic as I approached the motorway bridge. On to the ring road, round a roundabout before another steep downhill to the port!

Called into Ben’s office but he was out and then I set off for Mood! A 5 minute break there and I turned round and set off for the office to get Ben to give me a lift back up the mountain!

Suspect I've covered around 4 - 5 km on day 2, in 40 degrees heat! Ben's mega impressed with his older big sis!

Stay tuned! Lol!


Day 3 and even I'm getting impressed with my progress!

A very steady day out on the boat, languishing in the Mediterranean sunshine, brought us back to terra firma having not managed my bike ride all day! Ben decided to take me into Palma and we cycled along the whole of Palma front from Porta Pi to very near the airport and back! I was nowhere close to Ben’s pace, although Ben said that at some points I was well on his standard pace!

A good 10k and chasing Ben was great fun and the only thing to suffer are my bits! God the saddle hurts a gal when it’s unused to being made to sit on a bike seat!

Oxygen mask not required - a truss, however, may be!

Stay tuned!

Claire x

Return of the Mack – Dave’s training diary

Not sure if you remember that song, one of my favourites. Now there's two reasons for the title:

1. I've just returned to the island


2. the singer was a bit of a dodgy fella and always pointing guns at people... that's why Mark Morrison wasn't on the music scene for too long!

‘Hold on’, I hear you saying... 'what's this got to do with Ben and his training?' Well, when I was in the UK I recall a telephone conversation with Ben where he was telling me that this Swiss ball is easy: ‘I've been doing hundreds and can't feel it doing a thing!’

Roll on last Monday, our first session back in the gym. What Ben didn't realise was that my stopwatch was in my mind a gun... ‘Oh you bugger... ohhh you bugger... ohhh you bugger – arhhh!’ His face was purple, sweat dripping down his temple, pupils bulging, his bum was twitching (because he had a Swiss ball jammed between his knees!). He was in the firing line and he knew he was in trouble. ‘Now Ben, were you doing a hundred of these?’ I blew the barrel of the smoking gun... I mean stopwatch! We're back on track.

It's currently a tough time for our caped crusader; it is seriously hot and very, very tough to train. Ben is so hard on himself, it's tough for me to keep him pegged back and get him to realise just how far he has come. For me the hardest part is to keep him focused on today, taking small steps towards the ultimate goal - I'm sure if the team hadn't set the dates and built the website he would have quietly just snuck off already on his own!

Please feel for Laura, Ben’s lovely wife, this week. I can't tell you how much Ben was badgering me to go on a ride with him on Saturday – and I just couldn't. So it was poor Laura's turn to feel the pain!

She arrived at the gym on Saturday morning to collect her bike, looking all dainty in nice heeled shoes. I could sense she was a bike virgin... soon to be taken... taken to a beautiful place, ridden hard ‘til exhaustion, yet at the same time to feel exhilarated... to wake up on Sunday morning in the arms of the caped crusader knowing that she was safe... until the next time!

Back to life, back to reality! - Ben's blog

It’s been a bit difficult not having Dave around for a few weeks, but I’ve got on with it and used my time wisely for training. My back is almost pain free thanks to not putting in so much time on the saddle and doing more core and gym work.

I had a brake problem and couldn’t fix it so I swapped an evening on the bike for a few hours in the gym and on the bike there.

I have also been getting in kms - I’m not timing myself now as the time on the bike isn’t that critical, all I’m doing is getting kms on it. (I have been listening Dave, see!!)

Saturday afternoon after work I got on the bike and just did a lovely round route through the mountains and small villages, really nice. I even stopped for a coffee in one village as the time just wasn’t that important and I thought instead of killing myself I can quite happily do the kms and enjoy it!

After my coffee I was racing a motorbike down a mountain (I’m getting quite good at that as I can do corners a lot quicker than those guys), came round a corner and there was a bloody pot hole in the road! I just missed it with my front wheel but my back tyre went in. I was doing about 60k at the time, stayed on and didn’t crash but once again I’ve got another flat.

I can ride a bike for as many hours as you want me to but I have no idea how to fix it!!!!

I’ve never changed a puncture in my life and the other day with the front brake - it’s just getting embarrassing, so I seriously need to learn the basics of bike repair. I forget that it was only January that I bought my bike and before then I knew nothing!

I’m now down to 70 kgs, which is brilliant. It was Cenk’s birthday on Sunday - the old git’s now 40!!! I did have a small piece of chocolate cake.... and of Laura and Joe’s too as he was running around with a paper aeroplane (can’t let good cake go in the bin)!

Spoke to Dave yesterday and hopefully he’ll be back out to Mallorca this week and we can crack on with some proper training again. I think I’ll just be glad for the company and a mate back around me. Dave is far more than just my trainer, he is a friend, a shoulder, a rock and a buddy all rolled into one and he’s also funny! If you haven’t read his diary on my blog, please find the time!

My biggest concern at the minute is that though I’ve proved I can do hours and kms on a bike, my recuperation is slow. I can do anything you want but the next day I’m stuffed, and I can’t do anything.

If I do anything over 50k I need a day of rest afterwards. I don’t rest as I get gym session in but I’m very lethargic and just have no energy.

This worries me for the target that I have for next year at 200k every day - at the minute I wouldn’t be able to do it.

Dave tells me not to worry and that my training is on track and I’m actually ahead of training and kms at the time being so just to relax. I am reassured!

There is so much being talked about at the min that the excitement is oozing from everyone on the team! I think everyone is just having a great time with this whole adventure, as it’s new territory for us all. The ideas are amazing, well done to everyone and it’s just nice to hear that people are enjoying themselves and having fun too, cos, believe it or not, so am I!

Thanks to everyone in the team, thanks for all the support and I’ll keep on pushing on the bike and speak to you soon.

Love Benj

From Batman to the Tasmanian devil - Dave's training diary

Well I’ve been in the UK for a couple of weeks so it's distance training for our caped crusader. You know I just can't get this bat thing off my mind. Sorry Ben, but when we spoke the other day I imagined you had a big red phone with a flashing light, dressed in tights, a cape and mask – that explains my initial sniggers! So glad my mother didn't name me Robin.......there's no way I could continue with this.

So, on to the training… After the punishing 312 success Ben had a recovery week – rest with some light stretches and swimming. I asked Ben to list how his body felt during and after the race before devising the next piece of action in the gym. His back is in agony and lower body weak, hardly surprising after the punishment. It's been a tough week mentally for Ben too, an emotional rollercoaster, the highs of such success followed by the reality of normal life. Taking everything in consideration, plus to keep Ben fresh and motivated, I devised a new 'home' gym plan along with the 300km (20% goal marker) bike time.

Ben was in Decathlon to pick his balls up - no he didn't leave them there after the race last week – I’m talking Swiss and medicine. I had mailed Ben the training plan just 10 minutes before! Seriously, his car must be as fast as a batbike! He phoned, he was confused and in an agitated state. I pictured him stood there, a massive light ball under one arm, a small heavy one under the other trying not to tip over due to the unbalanced weight, his phone wedged between his ear. “How’s this going to make me cycle better?" I think he was worried I was going to send him over the road to buy bits from the hardware superstore to make a "chopper bike". I'm sure he was looking at those balls as wheels for some kind of makeshift bike. I put his mind at ease "We're doing some work on your core, back and lower body - just read the bloody plan first".

That's the trouble with Ben, he wants to do everything now! It's actually a good quality – enthusiasm, energy and mental strength will take you a long way. If you were in Decathlon that day you would have seen just a whirl of smoke as Ben rushed round the store like the Tasmanian devil.

Ben has had a tough training week, struggling with the new plan and I really need to get back and train him, that's tough for him but I know he is putting himself through the paces. Lady luck is not on his side, his brakes seized earlier in the week, he called from a stationary bike in the gym, that shows a lot of strength to find a solution, continue, not be beaten and he's so self motivated. In fact he's so driven I can't wait to get back to Mallorca to put some kind of lead on him, if you can ever get a lead on the Tasmanian devil that keeps going at 100 miles an hour!

And I do worry! I was with Claire in Birmingham last Monday and we called Ben. He had only gone and done a 50km ride Sunday night – said he felt guilty as he hadn't done much; we went mad as hatters (one step down from the devil, that’s age for you!). Hadn't done much?!, that's the trouble when you have achieved so much in such a short time, you don't realise just how far you have come…

Ben’s post-race blog

Oh my God!!

Wow, wow, wow!!!

This is an amazing feeling....

I’m over the moon that I finished the ride. It nearly killed me, and there were a lot of ups and downs along the way.

I’ve never done a race before, I’ve never felt pain like it, I’ve never been so tired in my life. But I’ve never - and I mean never - felt so good in my life!!

The amount of support I’ve received is just amazing! Every comment means everything and helps so much. I could hear my phone binging every two minutes with another message. I couldn’t read them because I was riding but I could hear them coming in.

At 220kms I hit the ‘wall’ that endurance athletes talk about. I was thinking of reasons to quit, knowing that everyone would be proud of me for what I’d done anyway. Sitting at the side of the road, feeling exhausted and lonely in the middle of nowhere, I started to read some of the messages of support. Well... I couldn’t get back on my bike fast enough! I wasn’t alone out there, I had a load of support and people thinking of me.

Every message boosts you more than you can believe.

I didn’t want to let you – or myself - down. I wanted to prove to you and to me that I am man enough to take the pain, man enough to keep pushing, man enough to finish what I have started. The fear that I was all talk and no action scared me to death.

When I came through the finish line, if I’d had any water left in my body I would have cried!

IT WAS THE BEST FEELING IN THE WORLD!!!

Two days on, hearing all the congratulations, I can’t remember the pain. I just remember that I did the coolest thing I have ever done in my life. As my big sis Claire says: ‘Welcome to childbirth’!

I am now on nitrous oxide overdrive to get better and ready for the Gibraltar to Nordkapp ride next year. I’m going to train like no one has ever trained before! (Hope Dave doesn’t read that bit!)

I have the best team in the world, all based on the standards set by my family, Slimming World and Dave Bladon. We have the foundations and the building blocks to go all the way and take Europe by storm.

So we now need to get serious and remember why we’re putting massive effort into all of this, the reason why ‘The Ride of My Life’ started. The reason I’m going to train like I’ve never done before to pump out 200km a day for 6 weeks and ride the full length of Europe! We want to impress the socks off everyone, of course - but most of all so that we can raise some serious money for kids.

Everyone in the team is doing this for free. It’s costing me not just a fortune but also a year and half of my life. My wife is taking care of me and the baby - very one-sided and not fair for her but she’s doing it because she knows this is a once in a lifetime push, to raise as much money as we can.

If you donate £1 or £10, you know that every penny of your money is going to the kids, not to me, not to the bike or any support. We are paying for that so your money goes to the right place.


The team are still working like demons on this and the donations link isn’t live on the website yet - it will be soon. Keep coming back, keep reading what I’m up to, how the training is going, what Dave Bladon my trainer has written in his diary on my blog and I’ll keep posting words from my heart too!

So come one everyone, please support me in every way you can. Tell your friends, family, colleagues and anyone you know AND LET’S ABOLISH CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT FOR EVER!!!!

Thank you to everyone from the bottom of my heart.

I love you all.

Benj

Ben's got bats in the...belfry - Dave's training diary

Well it's been a while since my last blog, mainly as Ben's a unique 'specimen' from a trainer’s angle. He doesn't need a Mr Motivator breathing down his neck, just give him a bit of direction, wind him up like a kids toy and he's off ten to the dozen!

Hold that thought – his energy & determination push him around training like a mad dog chasing his tail - get the picture now? Seriously it's like that, and he's like a big kid too – egging me on trying to prove a point. I'll give you an example telephone conversation:

‘So how did you do last night?’
‘75km’
‘Hold on, you were only supposed to do 50km!’
‘Well it means if you join me on Saturday then there's 25km less to do!'

So Ben's just had his head tucked down, following the plan and tapering the last week for the "312" which I'll tell you about in a mo.

Mind you he had a shock a couple of weeks ago that really made me laugh. Superman (recall the last blog?) was on a 100km evening ride. It was pitch black (apart from his meagre bike lights) and cycling through very quiet, wooded country lanes – and when I say mean quiet, you can literally hear a pin drop - that's a scary, lonely place to be!

All Ben heard was ‘Shwooooosh’ and he felt a warm sensation on his… let’s just call it his "neither regions"! He looked down and there was a large bat! You can imagine his surprise and shock as he took a few swipes to remove the winged menace!

His legs have never moved so fast - it was the best performance he has put in to date. So our superhero must now be re-named BATMAN. In Ben's interest (and in the name of health and safety) I checked the diet of this Mallorcan breed of Bat and apparently they only eat maggots… so you'll be ok won't you, Ben!

So let's get down to the 312 race from a trainer’s angle and let's pull no punches – there's no way he should have done it. 312km around the coastline of Mallorca, with the first 150km comprising huge mountain terrain. When I took on the challenge to train Ben he threw this in at the last minute – I just laughed because it just wasn’t realistic.

In those short weeks not only did he do it, he finished 30 out of 200 – with the other 170 not even finishing the punishing ride (and they were all fitter, stronger and better equipped than Ben) What they didn't have is Ben's massive heart – the heart of a Lion.

I spoke to Ben the night before and asked him how he felt. ‘A bit scared and excited, but I've decided that the most important thing is just to enjoy it’, he told me. We discussed breaking the race down into manageable chunks, focussing on sections of the race, achieving that, taking stock and moving onto the next section. We discussed that this was not a race, it was part of the journey – it's just part of the marathon training to get ready for the 6,000km challenge. It didn't matter whether he finished, I just wanted him to train hard and push himself to the limits – but safely.

Do you know what – I think he sort of listened to me… but he also had his own agenda! He was going to finish. He told me: ‘I don't care if it's midnight, I'm going to do it!’ I tried to keep his feet on the ground but when you have the heart of a lion..!

I waited at Palma Nova roundabout at the halfway mark, expecting him to be pushing hard but making up numbers at the back. Cenk texted to say he was on his way and I waited and waited, watching groups of hardened racers pass by. I waited for nearly 90 minutes and phoned Cenk who told me he’d passed Mood Beach over 20 minutes ago. Do you know I thought I’d seen him, head down, focused, in a small group of serious riders! Well, when you have the heart of a lion!

I underestimated him - more faith and I wouldn't have a big burnt nose!

Well the big day is tomorrow – I’m taking part in the Mallorca 312 1st International Cycletourist Tour of Mallorca - and I’m really nervous.

I have my number and everything is ready to go. I’m downloading some more music for my MP3 player tonight and cleaning and checking the bike. I am in a real state though, I have strained my sciatic nerve!! I can hardly walk and driving my car is painful. I’m very worried.

I will start tomorrow but I’m so scared of the pain I know I’m going to feel, I’m also scared if the pain is too much and I quit!

There’s no way I’m going to finish in14 hours so I have Cenk on standby for about 8pm to support me the rest of the way. I don’t want to let anyone down and this is so important to me, I don’t want to let myself down.

I will give it my all tomorrow and hold the pain as long as possible, I just hope I can bear it till the end.

I have spoken to Dave and I am keeping the goals small so I can mentally hold it.

Wish me luck,

Love

Benj...

...the boy from Woodhouse - I feel I have the whole of Mansfield behind me, feels really good, it helps a lot to see the messages!

Lots of emails have been flying backwards and forwards so let me start by thanking you all for your hard work and effort in to this web site and challenge, I don't know if it is because you love me, love the idea or your just scared of my sister, but thank you.

I am really excited and nervous all at the same time. This started with just a wacky idea and now it's more real than I can believe!! Every day when I train in the gym or on the bike I'm thinking of you all and the emails that you had sent that day. The effort going into the smallest detail to make this whole challenge work is an inspiration to me to push harder and go faster.

Just to let you know that this Saturday I have my first race coming up, this will be my first competitive race in my life!!

This week I am taking it very easy with no or very little training, I am resting completely and having lots of physio work as I have strained my back, left knee and right tricep. This is not through accident, it's just from lots of kms on the bike over the last 4 weeks. Now I have stopped for a few days all the aches and pains are coming out, so I have a real big push to get ready for Saturday.

The race on Saturday is for 14 hours. I guess that I will be disqualified for not finishing on time, but that's not important, I just want to finish. I will have Cenk on standby in the afternoon to continue the support once the race has finished and also to drive me home afterwards. I think my time will be more like 17 - 18 hours. The Tramauntana mountain range is just a killer, it will spit me out at the end and I will be destroyed, I will then have another 200kms to do!!!

Wish me luck for Saturday, and once again thank you all so so much, with such a good team behind me, I feel we are going to do really well with charities and raising some really good money too.

Love

Benj

Dave's training diary

Dave's my trainer, who is inspired and excited about helping me achieve the end result. Not content with whipping me into shape - he's also keeping a diary of my progress!..

Monday 10th May
Thought I'd better get on the bike with Ben and check out his progress, so off we went on a 50km training ride which we squeezed into 2 hours. This was my first chance to see Ben in the 'saddle', boy did he shock me. He dictated the pace, smooth rhythm and made light of the hill climbs. He is in better shape then he lets on and i'm impressed - he has put some serious hard work already.

Tuesday 11th May
Ben calls me and asks if I'm 'saddle sore' , I tell him 'No!'. I know that annoys him as he pushed me last night and was proving a point. I'm pulling his leg, yes i'm a bit saddle sore - good job Ben, that ride is 25% of your daily target 12 months out. I draw the positives out of his progress but he keeps saying 'yes, but i have to do 200Km', every day'. He needs to just focus on each stage goal and that's where my work starts.

Wednesday 12th
It's 19.45 and Ben's on the phone. He's been tied up looking after his new baby. 'What time's the gym open till?' 'Only till 22.00'. 'Right, I'm off now.' He fit's in a hard session - that's dedication.

Friday 14th May
Just been thinking about Ben's 312km race, it's 3 weeks away, if I'm being honest i think he's crazy. Totally not at the level to compete this milage, especially with the inclines which i can tell you are tough. Physiologically, this is as tough as you get - the first 100km is virtually climb after climb. Not sure if he is mentally fit, defiantly not at the fitness levels to compete. The important thing is he is safe, he will push hard and see where this takes him. I will be surprised if he finishes in the allocated time. If he does he is SUPERMAN - then nothing about Ben surprises me - let's see...

Visit Dave's website at: vivasportsevents.com