It’s been a very long time since I blogged last and that’s mainly because I’ve been trying to get the new website ready to go live, which it now is!

I make no apology for my first post in months being one that asks for your help.

Earlier this year I received a shocking phone call from my best mate in Yorkshire, as soon as I answered the phone I knew that there was something desperately and seriously wrong. He told me that his wife, Andrea had been diagnosed with breast cancer, not just any breast cancer, it was a particularly aggressive one that would almost certainly need urgent and life changing surgery.

Having moved down to Warwickshire in 2010 and so no longer ‘on the doorstep’ I wasn’t able to offer the practical help I would have liked to. So I resolved there and then that what I would do was to raise funds for breast cancer charities.

Fortunately for Andrea some of the best breast cancer specialists in the country work in Sheffield and so she received timely and appropriate treatment through the NHS. However despite the early treatment she still ended up having a double mastectomy. As a man it’s impossible for me to imagine how devastating this must be. Andrea dealt with it outwardly in a very matter of fact and brave way, and I am full of admiration for her strength and fortitude.

So, you may be thinking, why does he want my help? Well the title of the post may have given you a clue :0)……

Over the weekend of 22-25th September 2011 I and a team of 6 family and friends will be cycling the Coast to Coast (St Bees to Robin Hoods Bay); a total of 180 miles, through some of the hilliest terrain in the country. On day one alone we will climb a total of 4500 feet (5000ft  on day two!).  Those of you who know me will understand how much of a challenge this is….I’ve not really cycled for 10 years and some would argue I don’t look like I’ve done much but eat for 10 years (but they would be cruel haha). I’m investing a lot of time in training over the next few weeks to make sure that I don’t pass out on the first hill :0)

As a team we are raising money for Breast Cancer Care and Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research. Although we will fund raise as a team, my personal target is to raise £2000 for these very worthy charities that do such good work to help prevent diseases that any one of us could be struck down by.

This is what I would like you to do…I know at least 200 people and if each of those 200 people sponsor me just £10 I will reach my goal, I don’t really mind what your motivation is for sponsoring me….you can do it because you think I’m an ok bloke, you can do it because someone you know might have been affected by one of these diseases, you could do it for Andrea or do it for yourself, but *please* go to the sponsorship page now and pledge just £10 and help make all the training (and my sore backside) worthwhile. Thank you!!!!!!

Here’s the link to the fundraising page……..

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/johncleary

P.S. If you know someone else who knows me, please tell them about this page.

P.P.S. If you want to follow how my training is going you can follow me on Twitter and/or Facebook.