Chris Hocking Training Update 2

Winchester to Gorran Haven Cycle – 325km

Fundraising / Training update

In support of Gorran Haven Harbour Trust & selected community groups

Thurs 9th July 2020

Event update – part 2 (Weds 1st July – 1 week to go!)

Hello,

With a week to go, I hope you don’t mind if I take a moment to provide an update on progress with our fundraising efforts and preparations for the Winchester to Gorran Haven Cycle which now takes place in only a week’s time on Thurs 9^th July.

Fundraising
Again, may I firstly say a huge thank you for the incredible support to date. When I drafted last week’s update, donations stood at £580. With the pound for pound support of my employer, this took our total to a fantastic £1,160.

I’m thrilled to report that during this past week, and following many more generous donations, we’ve taken our overall total (including employers contribution) to a fantastic sum of £2,370!

Our ambitious target is to raise £10 for every Kilometre ridden, a total of £3,250. So, with a week to go we are over 237 Km of the way there. Or put another way, on the ride from Winchester to Gorran Haven, we have just about passed Oakhampton! Every possible support to achieve those final 100 Kilometers will be hugely appreciated.

Link to the Just Giving page is –
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/chrishocking?utm_term=a4qnJGwM4

If you would like to offer your support and have not yet done so, there are various way to contribute:

Via the Just Giving Page – Link Above
A verbal / email pledge to Steve Williams, Secretary GHHT – secretary.ghht@gmail.com
Tea & Cakes Thurs 9^th July – Why not join us at Beach Corner for Tea and Cakes (I SHOULD BE ARRIVING BY 7PM!)
Join the ride (from St Austell perhaps to Gorran Haven). It’d be great to have some support for the final few miles.

Training Update

Training continues to go well. I rode the first 80Km of the ride last Sunday, taking the opportunity to check the initial part of the route. It was a super ride, particularly from Wilton to just south of Warminster, travelling WNW following the river Wylye. The A36 effectively replaced this old country road some years ago and it proved to be a journey of discovery passing the old Farms, Farm Houses and country pubs (about one ever 3 miles!) I plan to return when time is less pressing and enjoy the opportunity for more regular refreshment stops!

Having returned home (by the reverse course) I manged to cover 170Km and felt pretty good. I have one more long ride (200km) in preparation (likely to be on Saturday) before I tapper the training and rest up for a couple of days before the ride.

The Route (Picture at the bottom of this page)

I’ve now finalised the route with a real focus on minimising climbing while keeping the overall distance down. As anticipated last week, as I approach the West Country, I’ll shape a course via Taunton, then work my way to the north of Dartmoor passing through Okehampton, then skirt south of Siblyback Lake, down past Dobwalls and follow the A390 to St Austell from there.

Again, should any hardy souls be keen to join me from St Austell, we’ll take the route via Pentewan valley, turn right at the top of Pentewan Hill and take the road past Heligan, through Gorran and down Bell Hill to Beach Corner. Job Done!

Please feel free to drop me a note on hockingchris@me.com if this is something you’d like to do.

Summary

That’s all for this week. I’ll drop a note again next Wednesday evening just ahead of the trip itself.
A huge and heartfelt “Thank you” for your interest and support in whatever form it takes. It’s great that together we’re able to make a small contribution in these most unusual and challenging times.
Best regards,

Chris

hockingchris@me.com