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From Pie to Pizza - The Next Slice
 As the mammoth bicycle ride being
undertaken by Assistant ICT Manager John McMahon from Wigan to Pisa
looms ever closer, we can now report on the progress of the venture.
NEW BLOOD
The first and possibly most notable thing to report is the news that
John will be joined on his quest to Pisa by ICT Support Officer, Kieron
Jolliffe. Whether Kieron's decision came about because of some personal
challenge, or whether he was forcefully cajoled into the role is open to
debate!
Kieron says, "I
started doing a bit of running back in early April to get fit. I don’t
enjoy running so I got a bike and went out on it regularly. I increased
the distance over a couple of weeks and John, who was already in
training for the Pisa ride at the time, asked if I wanted to give a 40
miler a go. I did this and John’s wife asked if I had considered doing
the bike ride to Italy. I hadn’t actually considered it, but that
planted the seed and I thought it would be a very interesting journey
and a great challenge. It’s also a good incentive to continue with
training and improving my fitness."
 TRAINING, TRAINING, TRAINING
So the ICT boys have each other for company and support on the
journey, but what about training? As well as cycling to work, playing
five-a-side football and attending the gym, the boys have been
concentrating on ever-longer stints at weekends. They are currently
managing 120-mile jaunts in little over 6-and-a-half hours (an average
speed of over 17 mph). The pictures to the right show their journey to
Hull on one particular ride. Hull is where John and Kieron will board a
ferry which will take them to Zeebrugge in Belgium.
DIARY (Part Two)
| May 2003 |
John picks up his
rebuilt racing bike from Rick Green Cycles. Halfords recalibrate
gearing for mountainous terrain and fast road use. |
| June 2003 |
Kieron pledges to join the
quest. Training regime is adjusted accordingly. |
| July 2003 |
Training intensifies
once more. Longer trips begin, culminating in 100+ mile trips
every weekend. Only 8 weeks to go... |
 AND FINALLY...
When asked what they are looking forward to most, both John and
Kieron said getting back to family and friends and actually
arriving at the Tower of Pisa at the end of the journey. Worryingly,
though, John commented that he also couldn't wait for the San Gotthard
pass leg of the journey over the Swiss Alps. Valleys
and mountains and cliffs, oh my!
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