Olympic gold medallist Alex Gregory: get training for The Big Green Bike Ride

Alex Gregory

27 February 2013

Training is tough at the very best of times. And never more than when the British weather is at its wintery worst. But there is very little that is more satisfying than achieving a goal you have set however big or small. That's why I want to encourage you to sign up to the Big Green Bike Ride and challenge yourself to ride from London to the New Forest to raise money for Friends of the Earth.

In recent weeks it has taken a huge mental effort for me to open the door in the morning and step out into the freezing, wet, windy darkness knowing that a couple of hours on the water three times a day is supposed to be good for me. But the satisfaction of getting warm again, having a deserving breakfast and ticking off a good training session far outweighs the short term discomfort. Looking back at the training diary a couple of months down the line, seeing the mileage you have covered, and feeling the physical improvement of being able to go further and faster, it all makes sense.

15 minutes before we were due to pick up our boat for the Olympic final at Eton Dorney, my crew and I were stretching and preparing in a tiny room at the back of the lake. The rain had started hammering heavily on the roof when something caught my eye through the glass door. It was one of our Aussie rivals running past with hunched shoulders looking distinctly miserable in the downpour. It dawned on me that we British rowers had spent most of our year in the rain, out on the water training for hours and hours in cold wet conditions. We were used to it, hardened to it, our rivals were not. This was our day and we weren't going to let anyone beat us on our water. It was just a small moment, but in Olympic finals the smallest confidence boost can make a huge difference.

You'll be challenging yourself on the Big Green Bike Ride but that makes training no less important. To help you get through the cold wintry days and the April showers I've contributed some top tips to the training guide, such as a training plan and advice for diet and hydration to maximise your efforts.

So do something amazing, sign up today, and challenge yourself to raise funds for Friends of the Earth by taking part in the Big Green Bike Ride.

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