LEJOG (Lands End to John O’Groats) has recently come into the news with certain celebrities taking up the challenge for charity. But, without taking anything away from them, they are sharing the miles between 7 of them. There are a few other individuals, crazy enough to do this journey on their own, for the whole distance!
Welna is one of these people. She is raising money for the Alzheimer's Research Trust. She has a blog all of her own which is well worth a read - http://welna-lejog.blogspot.com/. I’m a subscriber to her blog and thought it would be nice to ask her some questions…
I see you're planning to do the Lands End to John O' Groats journey. What made you decide to do this crazy challenge?
My other half did the Land’s End to John O’Groats (or LEJOG as people call it) unsupported in June 2007 and wanted to do it again before he turns 50. One lovely autumn day, when we were sitting outside with a glass of wine, he said he really shouldn’t wait and would like to do it sooner. We cycled a week in Holland in April 2009 (with two 12 yr old girls in tow) covering 235 miles and that gave me a good taste of how it is to live out of panniers.
It was such a brilliant holiday! So relaxed and all you need to do is enjoy the scenery and make sure you get from point A to point B every day. It was one of the most relaxing holidays I’ve ever had. I also did the Coast to Coast (C2C – from Whitehaven to Newcastle) last year on the first weekend in June. That took me three days to complete.
Anyway, I decided to join him on LEJOG in June 2010 but only from Carlisle up north. I didn’t really think I will make the whole journey. However, when I sat down and mulled it over, I thought:
So what will I tell people? I did half a LEJOG? No, that is no good! I should do it properly or not at all!!
So here we are today where everything has been booked and paid for. We leave Chester on 11 June and start our challenge on the morning of 12 June. Hubby promised not to get angry or annoyed with me and be supportive along the ride J .
How long do you think its going to take you? Do you have any kind of support team or is it solo?
We aim to start on 12 June (in the morning) and finish on 26 June in John O’Groats so a total of 15 days, averaging about 70 miles a day. We will both be carrying panniers with no mechanical support. The biggest issue at the moment is how to get back! We will sleep in John O’Groats on the evening of the 26th and will have to cycle back to Thurso (22 miles) the next morning to get the train which will take approximately 11h30 and five (5) changes back to Chester! Awful!
What kind of bike will you be riding? And is that your normal bike?
I bought a Specialized Vita Sport in October 2009. It is a lovely hybrid bike which is great for touring. I think the wheel rims are too thin so I'm considering replacing them with slightly wider rims and tyres especially as I will be carrying my own luggage. I also own a Specialized Dolce road bike and bought a Brompton folding bike this week which I’m very excited about.
How long have you been cycling for and what made you get into it in the first place?
I’ve cycled since I can remember. I stopped for a while when I was in my late 20’s and 30’s. I was living in South Africa at that time and road traffic is less bike friendly there. When I moved to the UK, I took up cycling again and became totally addicted. My other half is a keen leisure cyclist so his enthusiasm for cycling quickly rubbed off. I've gradually bought all the gear that I should have and enjoy a day out on my bike. My best day is usually when I take my bike on an unplanned route and just cycle where ever it takes me. I’m the proud owner of a Garmin Edge 705 which is my best bike friend. She always tells me where I am and how far I’ve been. There is a button called ‘back to start’ which does what it says on the tin!
We live on the North Wales border and have absolutely fantastic country lanes to explore. Cheshire is also glorious and I often cycle out with my local CTC (Cycling Touring Club) group.
During October 2009, the ladies in the local CTC urged me to stand for Councillor when the North West elections were held. I was very fortunate to win one of the two seats and now represent the North West CTC on the National Council for a three year term starting 1 January 2010. Getting involved on this level has also exposed me to the other sides of cycling like campaigning for safer routes and lobbying government for the rights of cyclists. It is an ongoing battle to make sure our voice is heard!
What do you love about cycling?
I love the wind through my hair and the freedom it gives me. Cycling enables me to travel independently and see the environment in a total different light. When I cycle, I'm very aware of what is going on around me and appreciates the beauty of our countryside. You hear and see birds and other animals you would never have noticed if you were in a car. And after each uphill you get your downhill which can be quite exhilarating!
What do you dislike about cycling?
I dislike that cyclists are often made out as the bad elements on roads. If we were to be given enough space (cycling lanes) to cycle without always having to negotiate bad drivers it would be wonderful! Few cars give you the car-wide berth that they are supposed to when overtaking and often drive as close to you as they are able to. Often when approaching a junction or traffic light, they deliberately close the gap between the car and the pavement so that you can't pass.
I want to see many more cyclists on the roads as there is safety in numbers.
What do you do when you're not cycling?
I work for the Improvement and Development Agency as an Advisor, primarily with Elected Members and focus on their leadership development. I recently completed an MSc in Human Resource Management (in my spare time) through the Open University Business School which supports my role as Human Resource Specialist.
Any more cycling related challenges in the pipeline?
Oh I’m sure I will find something! Cycling has become a necessary criterion when we plan our holidays. I would love to do more cycling in Holland (if you haven’t yet experienced Holland cycling you’ve missed a wonderful experience) and complete the North Sea Cycle Route. Belgium is also an option and I've been told that there are lovely cycling routes there.
I've done quite a number of charity bike rides since my arrival in the UK. I've raised funds for the British Heart Foundation and completed the London to Brighton Bike ride three times, also raising funds for Christie’s Cancer Hospital in Manchester through the Manchester 100K, Manchester to Liverpool and Manchester to Blackpool rides.
I'm supporting the Alzheimer’s Society through my Land’s End to John O’Groats bike ride and hope to raise in excess of £1,000. Dementia is a very progressive and debilitating disease which has no cure. More than 820,000 people are suffering from dementia in the UK, higher than previously thought. The cost to the economy is £23bn a year, greater than the cost of cancer, according to the Alzheimer's Research Trust. Any funding raised will support their research and hopefully a cure would be found one day.
Thank you for this opportunity to tell my cycling story. You can follow my blog at The Land's End to John O'Groats Journey and can sponsor me through the Justgiving link on that page.