DONE!

So - the 2010 Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour has been and gone - and I'm still alive to tell the tale! I got to the start (late as usual!) so did not get to the front of group NH with the other hand cycles - instead lolled at the back. The 1st 3 kms nearly killed me: uphill onto the highway with a mean wind pumping straight into our faces. My heart dropped into the seat of my pants when I saw "106kms to go" and I was already huffing and puffing! Hospital Bend was fabulous and I was delighted to scream past bikes as Firefly sniffed the downhill. Wynberg Hill was a butt-breaker of note and I'd like to thank the angels of mercy (there were a few of them) who took the initiative and pushed me for a few metres - just the kind of help that I needed at that point. Seeing Big Mike at the top of the hill was a delight and then on to the Blue Route.

I loved Ladies Mile bridge. From a distance I could see our huge Chaeli Campaign banner and I knew that Erin, Chaeli, Russ and a whole group of our friends would be there cheering wildy. I wasn't disappointed. Hard work to Simonstown (having chewed on the beach that visited my mouth from Fish Hoek onwards) and I disembarked for the first time. This is where I nearly gave in to the temptation that my arm muscles were shrieking at me to stop. I decided to have a rest and took out my cell phone - a message from Erin: "Mom, I am soooo proud of you!" How could I disappoint my child by throwing in the towel after a mere 25km? So onward and outward I went.

Having now experienced, first hand, the toughness of hand cycling I hold my differently-abled friends who practise hand cycling as a sport up as absolute heroes. Firefly (as I named my faithful steed – called The Flying Custard by its previous owner) has done the Argus before, but I’m sorry to say we did not complete the course yesterday. After 9hrs and 10min on the road I was stopped at the top of Chapman’s Peak – 82km completed and 27km from the end. I started the race at 7:07 am and finished at 4:20pm. I’m chuffed though, especially as my furthest training session was 32km and the biggest ‘hills’ I climbed in training were a few bridges (I was terrified of training out on the road). It was a long, hard day but a good one!

This experience has truly changed my perception of what is possible and has made me realise how many challenges our differently-abled children face every day in just trying to get through the day to succeed in living normal lives. My 82 km was a slow hard grind, and I salute our children who live with grit and determination every day in their quest to claim their place in their schools and in their communities. It was tough, but all in all a good day that left me with a smile on my face (even though my body ached like crazy)!!

Thank you to the angels who helped push me up various hills - from Grant at Smitswinkel to the young boys at Ocean View. The shouts of encouragement from fellow cyclists was amazing and having some of them know why I was doing it was awesome. Thank you to the man in the BoE outfit who called out as he passed me: "Chaeli would be very proud of you!" All this helped to get me pumped up enough to keep going. And lastly, a HUGE shout out to all the people who sponsored me and gave me the added incentive to keep on keeping on. Our differently-abled children will benefit greatly from your generosity - thank you!