Written by Balfour Beatty Rail’s ‘man in the saddle’ – Arthur Broadberry
Hola! A courageous team made up of Peter Anderson, Steve Farmer, Tony Di Rosa, Arthur Broadberry, Dave & Ali Swinburne, Simon & Sue Park, Ben Redgate, James Piesse and Lee Gregory, commenced the ‘Summit to Sea’ endurance challenge yesterday.
The Balfour Beatty Rail sponsored cycle team are undertaking the three day event in the Sierra Nevada mountains of Spain.
This first day saw the team of colleagues attacking steep gradients with guts and gusto.
Peter Anderson and Steve Farmer (MD of BB Workplace Corporate Services) have been leading from the front by putting themselves through the pain of unforgiving inclines, followed by glorious vistas of azure lakes.
Other highlights have been Team-Tonbridge with James Piesse racing ahead of everyone and Lee Gregory suffering serious cramps but still completing the sections.
Meanwhile Ben Redgate (Electrification Engineer, Three Bridges) demonstrated heat exhaustion (36C) followed by a full recovery after lunch!
Even I have been demonstrating how to reach the top while looking serene and Dave Swinburne has been cycling extra mileage ‘just for fun’ and ‘because he can’.
The views are superb but the heat is arduous and the gradients worse – on the first day we completed a total of 72 miles (114km) and nearly 5017ft (1500m) of climb.
By the time you read this we will have completed the second day which promises to be the toughest with steeper hills and higher climbs.
Our target is to raise over £13,000 for the Railway Children charity.
Their work supports runaway children in the UK and homeless children in Kenya & India.
Currently, as we pedal the fund stands at £10,500. It would be great if you would support our efforts by donation through the website.
