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Challenge to support Grass Track project in Ghana.

Here are the details of a 3 Stage Challenge I am taking on in September to support my friend Vida and her Cycling Project in Ghana.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/markschallengeforvida?utm_id=1&utm_term=v3rNY52PZ

Friday 2nd September will see me take on the 123 mile CC Ashwell Club cycle ride to Wells-Next-the-Sea and then Kings Lynn to get the train home.

Saturday 3rd September is a 22km (half marathon) off-road run in the Surrey Hills with 512m of climbing. The furthest I have ever run in one session so far is 8 miles so this stage will be a challenge on it's own!

Sunday 4th September is the Tour of the Cornfields (an event I started organising many years ago) 65 mile Cycling Sportive with 70% off-road. I then need to be back in work on the Monday to cycle round Cambridge delivering parcels.

Vida Juliete Vivie is an inspiring leader for a cycling project in Ghana designed to develop aspiring young female cyclists. I want to raise some money to help her continue to build her programme.

Vide said “My passionate is to promote cycling as a healthy lifestyle, to offer various programmes for young female with the goal to engage and empower young female to become excited about grass track cycling sport, transport, bike mechanic and feel confident about themselves and learn new and exciting skills that will help with long term development grass track cycling sport and involve the community. My dream was to become a Cycling Star taking part in international events but never come true but I am happy that I ended up to be a cycling instructor, bicycle mechanic and cycling advocator.”

The Vida Cycling Programme is set on a 12 Acre site generously donated by a woman named Benedicta Ameyafo Ahovi, witnessed by the Chief of the Community. Grasstrack races of up to 1,000m take place every month at the Velodrome, Frandkadua in the Asuogyaman district of Eastern Region. Here the value of Cycling Sports for the younger generation, especially girls, in Ghana can be displayed. Young children in the community are encouraged to take active part from an incredibly youthful age. The bikes are supplied for all by Vida Juliet Vivie who conducts the maintenance of the bikes with Scott Darku.

Comments

  • Wow, this is a monster of a weekend Mark- rather you than me! (Particularly the running bit of it!!!) definitely worth some sponsorship...
  • £110.60 collected from Biggleswade Grass Track. Training going ok but need to do some more running. Had nearly 3 weeks off running whilst on holiday and the latest run really made my calves sore. Need to start doing some hilly runs as well to prepare for the climbing. Will probably do a session on Therfield Heath this week. Not been doing any speed work so hopeless prep for the CX season but it will all be worth it.
  • Day 1 done. Great ride to Wells and Kings Lynn. Lovely weather, great company and excellent lunch. A big thanks to Graham for piloting me back to Kings Lynn when things got a bit frisky.
  • Day 2/Stage 2 completed. A very tough 14 mile run in the Surrey Hills with 561m of climbing. All the course was either up or down with gulleys, brambles, rocks, roots, low branches and sand to contend with. Just one trip resulting in a slightly cut knee but otherwise got round ok in 2 hours 45 minutes.
  • Well done Mark!
  • Stage 3 - Tour of the Cornfields completed. A big thanks to Daniel, Richard and Pete for guiding, dragging and cajoling me round. Thanks to Dan as well for joining us for a bit to help out. Having such great company made the miles fly by. Great route as usual.

    Brilliant to see Robert and Logan Ayers at the top of Green Lane. They came out to give us some encouragement and much needed cold water.

    Having a rest now as I need to go to work tomorrow to pedal round Cambridge. Those parcels won't deliver themselves and we don't have drones yet!
  • Well done Mark. Awesome effort and great cause.
  • Well done Mark. Bet your legs were sore after all of that.
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