Saddle Up!
24 June 2010
Costain personnel are taking to two wheels to aid
charity this week.
The South Downs Randonée bike event on 26 June will test four
Costain staff from the Tesco store and tunnel site at Gerrards
Cross over a 65-mile (100km) course. The group (along with three
friends from outwith Costain) is tackling the gruelling ride to
benefit the British Heart Foundation. In total, around 200 cyclists
are expected to take part in the 65-mile ride.
What differentiates the Randonée from other cycle rides is that
it is all off-road, explains team leader and Project QS Richard
Freemantle. The Costain team will have to navigate the South Downs
Way from Winchester to Devils Dyke near Brighton along the longest
continuous bridleway, in the country, offering riders the ultimate
challenge in cross-country riding.
While not a 'technical' ride in mountain biking terms, the
degree of difficulty involved can be gauged from the fact that
Richard reckons it will take the team some 10 hours in the saddle
to tackle it. The route also involves a total climb, over its
65-mile length, of around 7,300 ft.
The rest of the group include Design Manager, Dave Mitchell; SHE
Advisor, Aimee Poole and Senior Agent, Stuart Glyde - all with
varying levels of cycling experience.
Richard is accustomed to off-road riding while Dave is usually a
road rider. Stuart, who tackled the London Marathon some years ago,
has used money from his recent accession to Costain's 21 Club to
buy himself a new bike specially for the event. Aimee, a beginner
to mountain biking, has purchased a new bike for the occasion.
To get everyone into shape, the group has been going out twice a
week on 2½-hour trips, as well as at individual training at
weekends.
"It will be a gruelling challenge and I am sure it will test the
team, but it's all for a good cause," comments Richard.
http://original.justgiving.com/richardfreemantle