Why I’m spending 29 hours in a spin class on my 40th birthday – and why I want you to join me

I thought that if I shut my eyes at night, the cancer would take me. And, when treatment was over, I was acutely aware of time slipping away, like grains of sand in an hourglass.

But, thanks to exercise and movement and a diary packed with little life achievements, I have found a way to live with the shadow of serious illness and turn my face to the sunshine.

Seven years on, I'm still here. Healthy, happy and grateful to be alive. 

I didn’t want my 40th year to be forgettable, even with the backdrop of uncertainty caused by the global pandemic. So, I started a list of the 40 things I want to achieve before the big day. It’s a list of quick wins and big goals. It’s a list that has seen me make the most pitiful amount of homemade cheese, stay in a treehouse on the stormiest night of the year and nurture a sourdough starter called Dave. But, it’s also a list that has seen me sponsor a woman out of poverty and become a coach. It’s a list that makes me smile every single day.

With the big day now just six months away, I am determined to not just celebrate my birthday, but do it in a way that shows just how grateful I am. 

So, on my actual birthday, 4th December, I will be attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the longest static cycling class in the world. The record stands at 28 hours. I am going for 29.

And if that's not enough, the 40 days leading up to the big attempt are going to be a mass fundraiser where I’m going to encourage people to join me by contributing their exercise KMs to a 40,000KM goal, which is one turn round the world. 

The aim? Raise £40,000 and a lot of awareness for the incredible child exercise and mental health charity Mintridge, breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel!, Mind and NHS Charities Together. 

Why exercise and endurance? If having my pelvis rebuilt in my 20s and facing breast cancer in my 30s have taught me anything, it is that exercise changes lives. It’s something I'm determined to share with others. I know I will never be a speedy athlete. But, in the constant search for my edges, I have discovered that it is only when you go looking for the impossible, you find out what is actually possible. And you can go a long way when you have the right people by your side. When we have exercise and movement, we can find the strength and the confidence to move forward positively in our lives. And, as a trustee of Mintridge, a charity that sends Olympians/athletes to schools to inspire children to move and build resilience, I’ve seen just how powerful exercise can be for everyone, not just me. 

Before cancer, I thought I’d always be the woman with the dodgy legs. Then, I ran my first 10k on chemo, followed by a half marathon. Since then, I have gone on to complete marathons, a half ironman, an ultramarathon and C2C cycle challenge. I’ve raised 50k for charity and pledged to raise 100k before my 10-year anniversary.  

My body says none of this is possible. My mind has other ideas. 

After getting married and running the London Marathon on my wedding day in 2017 (before trekking the Great Wall of China for honeymoon), I have form in this ‘why not make a big event even bigger and combine a bit of sport?’ area.

But, this time, I need your help. 

I am now on the search for a static cycling team, a group of people willing to join my party with a purpose. Thanks to the amazing BOOM cycle, we have a studio in London with tunes to keep us all going. I have 30 covid safe bikes. 25 will be put towards the challenge and 5 will be reserved for fun bike cheerleaders, booking a bike for a class or two so that people can join the fun. 

If you'd like to join me, there are lots of ways you can get involved:

1) Apply for a challenge place by 30 June. You will need to commit to attempting the challenge and fundraising.

2) Register your interest in reserving a fun bike for a class.

3) Contribute KMs towards the 40,000KM world tour. 

4) Donate to all of the antics.

5) Sponsor the antics.

I will need helpers and cheerleaders too.

40 is one birthday I never want to forget. 

I know I am lucky to be here. I know that too many of my friends will never see that day. But, while I can’t stop those I love from dying, I can help them live. This is my commitment to cherishing the life in my days, not the days in my life. I’m committed to taking on this challenge to show it’s possible for anyone to push themselves. Combining endurance and speed, it’s hard. But, I know with the right team and a big enough ‘why’, we will get there.  

My story has recently been featured on the This Girl Can Stories section and you can read that just here.

Thank you to Naga Munchetty for speaking to me on BBC 5 Live at lunchtime on the launch of our 40 day challenge. You can listen to it here from 2:23:11.

Thank you Jeanette Kwakye for speaking to me on BBC London on 3rd November. You can listen to it just here from approximately 1:35:00.

Thank you to the Metro for publishing my story, just here.

Thank you to Wheel Women Podcast for interviewing me. You can listen and watch just here.

Thank you to the Westomoreland Gazette for interviewing Claire. You can read about that just here.

I hope you’ll join me. 

#PARTYWITHAPURPOSE

If you would like to join the Party with Purpose, we would love to hear from you with a registration of initial interest below. Alternatively, if you would like to find out more, please email us here.

The Mintridge Foundation is a registered charity dedicated to enhancing life skills in young people through sport. We provide a support network for young people by harnessing the power of positive sporting role models. The Mintridge Foundation assists young people of all ages, abilities and physical capabilities to develop confidence and resilience, and creates awareness of the importance of mental and physical wellbeing through sport. 

Our team of Ambassadors  - Olympians, Paralympians and other professional sports stars from over 20 sports, both team and individual - work with young people in schools, clubs and academies across the UK. Starting with visits including assemblies, coaching clinics and classroom sessions tailored to each organisation’s requirements, our ambassadors can then provide one- on- one remote mentoring in a safeguarded environment, delivered via technology such as Fitswarm and Playwaze to build a lasting legacy for individuals.

The Mintridge Foundation’s successes demonstrate the incredible power of sport; from a mentee’s selection to represent Great Britain in their chosen field to enabling disabled children to find confidence and happiness just through participation. Understanding life after sport, we also support our Ambassadors in their transition from active sport to the next stage of their careers.

The Mintridge Foundation

Unit 4, Shieling Court

Northfolds Road

Corby

Northants

NN18 9QD

Tel: +44 (0) 1536 447106

info@mintridge.org.uk 

www.mintridgefoundation.org.uk

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