The Road to Ventoux - Part 37

Road to ventoux part 37

A final word……

The Ventoux3 challenge is raising money for the Out of the Blues charity at https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/outoftheblues.

I can not end there. I wrote in an earlier blog about the team that I had supporting me. The whole team deserve further mention, because without them I am not sure that I could have completed the challenge. If I could have, it certainly would not have been as much fun!

Nicol (taking photo) and Viv (White T-shirt ad black helmet): They were there at the start to see me off and at the finish, cheering me on and being great support over the days before and after the event. Not only that, they both managed to do one ascent of Ventoux – up the toughest climb – despite being unsure whether they could manage it.

Mary (red top) – was a great companion to ride with for both the first and second climbs. I am sure she will be back to do all three in due course!

Richard (yellow top) and Sasha (cycling jersey and no helmet) provided invaluable advice prior to the event with them previously having ridden the Bedoin and Sault routes (on sperate days). Richard then rode with me and Mary on the second climb, and Sasha on the third. I am also most grateful to them for trying to help me with my cramp, and Richard walking the last km with me.

Adam (white T-shirt at the back) – “domestic extraordinaire”. He had changes of kit at the summit for the descents, and at the bottom for the next climb, and gels and jelly babies, water and isotonic tablets on hand for when needed. I think he ran enough times up and down the steps at the top to count as an entire ascent in itself!

Ailidh (white T-shirt with her hand in her hair) – chief cheer leader every time the support car stopped, waving the Ventoux3 flag and ringing a cow bell! Most touching of all giving me a head set cap with “Go on Dad, you have got this” written on it, that helped keep me going through the challenge. Ailidh also took loads of photos and video and posted this on Facebook and Twitter, raising awareness (and sponsorship) for the event.

Alison (far right holding my bike). Drove the support car negotiating bike, motorbike and car filled narrow mountain roads so that anything that might be needed would be on hand, and that she, Adam and Ailidh could cheer us on as we cycled up the mountain. Most of all, Alison has put up with my incessant chatter and planning for this challenge since the summer of 2019!

I can’t thank you all enough!

My sincerest gratitude also goes to all those who have sponsored me for this challenge. It has helped raise money for, and awareness of, Out of the Blues. With this, my hope is that we will not only learn more about mood disorders, but also help support the development of the next generation of researchers working in this important area.

Hamish McAllister-Williams