Alumni raise money for COVID-19 (Part 2)

Captain Tom Moore celebrated his 100th birthday, good old Yorkshire lad, and raised £31 million for the NHS. However, it does not pass by us lightly that almost at the same-time, the hundredth NHS/care worker lost their life to Covid-19. The Carnegie family continue to do their bit, not only across the UK but as far away as Australia. Last night the group reached the £3,000 mark. With the closing date for the fundraising page set at mid-night on the 10th June, there is still time left to get to, dare I say it - £5,000!

Pictured here is Bob Mitchell on his static bike enjoying his beautiful garden in Rutland pounding out the miles with his dodgy knees!

Weekly reports from the Carnegie family are great to read:

Around the rolling hills of Leeds Dave and Penny are out every day. They report:

"As you can see, we are determined to break all 3 challenges that we have set ourselves. We achieved the ascent equivalent of the British Three Peaks on Penny’s 61st birthday! At 12,350 ft we are still 5,000ft off Mt. Everest base camp, but after next week we hope to be more than 50% of hill walking Everest!”

Alan is out in gorgeous Northumberland on a regular basis. He reports:

“The walking weekend and daily cycling are progressing well. Milestones completed with 329.29 miles target achieved! This week 125. 36 miles. Great to be out walking. The countryside is alive with nature, wildlife and new-born animals - Spring is here on the Costa Del Berwick. No better illustration than Dolphin watch on Sunday.”

Overall - The LEJOG challenge has provided activity, daily routine, walking /cycling with Bose speaker music to the max!

Carnegie friendship and humour daily on social media is a real tonic at this difficult time.

Phil and Elaine make the most of Pudsey and the surrounding area – they report:

“Half-way through this challenge now.  The weather-beaten faces and the frozen fingers (and shoulder!!!) are enduring the Yorkshire weather.  A curious mixture of sun, wind, rain and hail have been constant companions.  Wish we had an exercise bike!

Our usual picturesque route along the Leeds/Liverpool canal has been locked down. The pork pies and ice creams in Skipton are on hold. Instead we have the delights of the multi-million-pound Leeds/Bradford Cycle Superhighway.

Travelling between Bradford and Armley Prison on a 10.5 daily route, the sights are truly amazing.

One of the highlights of the route is cycling past the Hovis bakery with its delicious aroma , knowing that they have got flour! We also pass regularly a Bradford taxi driver with a first aid kit in hand for geriatric cyclist falling gracefully. Toes pointed and landing like a 'Jumbo Jet' onto the Leeds/Bradford ring road 🤔

Putting all this aside, we are continuing with this challenge, as long as we can get Ibruprofen cocktails before, during and after exercise.

We all must support this excellent cause and keep donating."

Bernard, in Knaresborough, reports:

“On my exercise bike daily, notching up nine miles in half an hour each morning. Add on, our four-mile walk with Olive our Labradoodle in the afternoon. So, a half marathon a day with Sunday my day of rest. I’ve clocked up over 425 miles for the cause since March.”

OJ Rugins from all the way down under reports: -

“16 April to 1 May - all workouts were indoors, in the garage, influenced by Queensland State Government COVID-19 restrictions. Could have gone outdoors, but I felt it was more responsible not to. I don’t know how Geraint Thomas stuck out his three consecutive 12 hour stints replicating NHS shifts. Three good outcomes – sorted out a rear wheel sensor for my two Cateye computers (feedback made it less boring and I could methodically vary the workouts, e.g. upped the gears for kilometres 3,6,9,12 etc.), latched on to BBC Radio 5 late-evening programmes via Tune-In radio (getting the latest UK news and opinion, particularly enjoying Colin Murray’s virtual pub sessions - Monday to Wednesday from 10pm, 7am in Queensland) and shaped up well for riding outdoors once the restrictions were relaxed slightly on 2 May. Also losing weight, so thanks again for this Carnegie Challenge. Rain threatened today, so I stayed indoors again. Good to have the back-up in place. With our climate, everyone's a fair-weather cyclist or golfer!

My spreadsheet shows that I am up to 326km of my 700 target, after only two weeks.

The two rides on 2 and 4 May were out on the road, on routes that Gary Dodds will recognise from back in November. After the summer bushfires, then heavy rains with the COVID-19 lockdown, the bush is looking green and lush, and more alive with fauna. Instead of spotting the odd mother and Joey at the Noosa Tewantin Golf Club as might be expected, a whole mob of kangaroos were enjoying the 17th fairway undisturbed, as I rode by on Saturday. John Priestley and Mucker Wright played here in November 2018. The cry of longtailed black parrots was also to be heard.

10 May is our half-way mark, check in with distances so we shall see how many times we, as a group, have travelled from Land’s End to John O’Groats to Beckett Park and back to Land’s End.

As a side statistic, on the pledged mileage, we are 200 miles short of travelling from the ‘The Three Horseshoes’ Headingly, to the Sydney Opera House!!”