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Day 107 has seen 4 miles walked, 22 miles cycled and a fabulous meeting with Team Noble.

Today was wet but warmer so I was hoping for a thaw to aid my trip to Bridge of Allan on the bike. However initial investigations on the 3 mile dog walk this morning revealed sheet ice for as far as the eye could see on the cycle track from Doune. Decision made I was going to have to go via the roads to Dunblane and then Bridge of Allan for todays meeting. I could have taken the bus but I really needed the exercise. I wasn’t quite fizzing but was feeling a little heady.

Siobhan came to help with the house and Gary came to fit a new shower. It was lovely to see them both and to have a good chat about a wide variety of subjects while I made tea for Gary and tried to keep out of Siobhan’s way while at the same time trying to do an internet food shop. At times I felt as if I was almost doing Ballet as I danced around her and the kitchen as subtly as I could while trying to stay out the way. I pulled an Arabesque in order to try and make an entry for my internet shop on the computer while Siobhan hoovered underneath me and then while she was steam cleaning the kitchen floor I was almost pulling off Tours en L’air as I leapt from fridge to cupboard to cupboard to check what we had and then what we now needed. I do not for a second believe that I had the grace of a proper dancer but it makes for a nice image! Not me in a leotard. That wouldn’t be good!!

With both Gary and Siobhan finished they departed with a huge thank you from me for both of their time this morning and then I grabbed my kit and headed off to Bridge of Allan.

It was wet but not too cold and the roads were free of ice and not too busy. Overall pretty uneventful and without any problems arrived at Alan’s house where I was to meet he and Kris to catch up on the fundraising and training plan for Team Noble’s Row across the Atlantic. Alan was frantically busy so was unable to join us until later so Kris and I headed off to a wee café in Bridge of Allan called the Hideaway. It was charming. The service was very quick, the food very good and all at a great price. It was a good lunch as Kris brought me up to speed with the fundraising plans and dates, the development of the training plan and other ideas he had brewing away. As before I was delighted to be considered a part of the team as a reserve rower and was really looking forward to getting involved. Alan back at his house we went and joined him. Kris had to run to collect his children and I was getting a little concerned about the light levels although I was also quite pleased to see that the small country roads on the Carse where Alan lived were ice free and that meant that I could take a traffic free route up that really steep hill and back to Doune. I had my really powerful head torch as a lesson learnt after my 75 mile cycle to Glasgow which arrived with 14 miles still to do alongside the flooded canals in the dark. So thinking about it, as long as I left with a little light to orientate myself I could be adventurous and stay for a little longer. I brought Alan up to speed on how and why Kris first brought me on board for the training for the row in order to help me fight to beat the beast while also jointly raising the profile of the challenge and Team Noble. How I just couldn’t contain my excitement about the project and volunteered to become the reserve which was then agreed by the team. I then brought Alan up to speed on my treatment how I was managing it and how the training for the row might help. I found Alan to be hugely receptive and a delightful host as his girls skipped around the house back from school. It was time for me to go with the light fading fast. Alan told me about a member of his family whom he encouraged to fight back against his stark diagnosis of a high grade cancer that had spread through the body. It was a harrowing story and I pray that this chap wins the fight and hope that the challenge might provide him some ideas, hope, inspiration and encouragement to keep fighting. I suspect, however, that he might get that in bucket loads from Alan himself. What a brilliant guy.

It was a real pleasure seeing Kris again, catching up with each other and all the brilliant work he and the team is doing while getting a chance to meet Alan and his lovely family. I was cycling with a smile on my face as I pushed hard to get as many miles covered as I could in the fading light. I hit the hill and remembered it being hard as I tackled it on Day 11 of the challenge so determined to see if I had got fitter and stronger since then. Certainly I was breathing hard by the time I had got over the last false summit and finished the climb but I made it without even thinking I might have to stop. That was really pleasing. Hit the B Road in to Doune called the the ‘Hill o’Roo’, turned right a couple of hundred metres to hit the farm track route back to the cycle track and back in to Doune. Heavy compacted slush ice. Impassable. I had to finish the route along the Hill o’Roo. Beautiful in the sunshine. A little bumpy in the dark. But made it back in good order and in time to take Georgie for a 1 mile leg stretch and cook Mexican Sausage Tacos for the children and I. We decided to try them in wraps next time because we could fit in more salad!! Yet another positive from this disease. The children are eating better than ever and want to. More salad was their idea!!

A great day with a little less fizzing and some wonderful people met.

The challenge in numbers in total since the start:
Days completed: 107
Total Miles Cycled: 593
Total Miles Walked: 543.0
Total Miles Run: 30.3
Total Miles Paddled: 7
Total Distance Cycled, Skied, Ran and Rowed in the gym: 8.4
Total Distance Swum: 700 metres
Total Miles covered under own steam.1182.4
Total Height Gained under own steam: 31,973 feet
Mountains Climbed: 5
Hills Climbed: 18
Days of Voluntary Activity: 6.5
Organ tunes learnt and performed: 5
Salmon Caught: 0!
Curling Matches played in: 5
Curling stones placed on the button (the centre of the target): 1
Weight Training Sessions: 8
Aerobic Circuit Sessions: 4
Press Ups: 202
Pull Ups: 51
Sit Ups: 202
People Met and Hands Shaken: 344
Pots of tea shared: 22
Prayers joined on the top of a hill: 2
Prayers joined in the street!: 3
Prayers joined in a Train Station: 1
Pills popped: 470
Days until Driving Licence (lost to epilepsy) possibly Returned: 727 And most important of all – Money Raised as at Day 96 – £5,802.77.

Considering I started this challenge 20 weeks ago very quietly with no target beyond a fiver, thanks to the brilliant advice from a friend of mine, I am absolutely thrilled and again thank you all. So far that is £60.44 for each and every day that I have managed to find the will and energy to do something worthwhile and my goodness it has been worth it for my peace of mind, for my healing and for the five wonderful charities you are supporting through your generosity. Long may it continue. May I also ask however that if you are not sponsoring me to please consider it for as much or as little as you can afford. My rate of revenue raising has slowed from £70.00 a day to £60.00 a day so please sponsor me and encourage your friends to as well.

Thank you all for your incredible comments and support. Please continue to spread the word.

If you see me around do please give a cheery hello and shake my hand or toot your horn and give a cheery wave to show your support and encourage me on.
Thank you

Yours aye

Archie