how this all started (for me at least)

I've never been sporty really aside from riding and competing horses in various disciplines since I was small. I had always worked with horses and found what I thought would be a long term job in 2005 working for an Olympic dressage rider in Staffordshire. To cut a long story short, the people I worked with were awful so when my trial finished, I came home. 

I drifted around for a year or so before deciding to join the police. whilst going through the process,  realised my maths was pretty shoddy so signed up for an evening class. I wasn't doing any exercise at this point aside from dog walks and had got quite fat. One day I was struggling to revise and decided to dig my old mountain bike out from the garage to get some fresh air. I think I probably only rode for about 20 minutes, most likely in tracksuit bottoms, trainers and a body warmer but it was the start of a massive change in my life. (I never joined the police, I realised it wasn't all 1970s 'life on mars' and would be less driving round in a Ford Cortina and more sitting around doing paperwork). *see bottom for link

I kept on with it and started going a bit further each time. I remember quite clearly the time I made it up one of the hills in Richmond park, I felt incredibly pleased but had to stop for a breather. 

I'm not sure what prompted me to join the gym but I started going 5 days a week and doing spin classes. I heard my spin teacher had a road bike and having been getting quite frustrated at never being able to keep up with people in the park, I asked if  could borrow it. Half an hour on it and I decided I had to have one, this would have been mid 2008. I got my first road bike and that was it really... got really into cycling, joined Kingston Wheelers and started working in a bike shop.

I started road racing and at one of the races, got chatting to one of the owners of sigma sport. I moved there in September 2009. 

Through the mechanics at the shop, I got into cyclocross and raced that along side road. June 2010 saw me break my collar bone (racing) and also signified the end of my racing on the road.

At the end of the cross season in jan 2011 I decided that I didn't want to ride on the road any more so bought my first proper mountain bike, my beloved gold monstrosity Trek 8500.

I knew I'd never get anywhere without racing (being a bit of a wimp) so did my first race (a round of welsh xc in builth wells) in march of that year.

I raced as much as I could in 2011 and 2012 until one day; specifically July the 4th (I checked) I got this message on the Kingston wheelers forum:

"

From:	Richard R
To:	leona
Posted:	Wed Jul 04, 2012 11:22
Subject:	Cape Epic 2013
Hi Leona, I don't think I've ever met you but I get the impression you are a very regular MTB rider. From what I can tell you prefer the MTB marathon type stuff? Have you ever considered doing the Cape Epic in SA? Is it your thing? Cheers Richard Read (aka Richard R)"

That brings us to now.. 26 days, 9 hours to go! Can't wait!!

Leona

*life on mars was a fantastic program, I defy anyone to not want to join the police after watching it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZOzsIhCPgs