Board Members Pushing Pedals to Keep Heart Pumping
Sir Stephen Redgrave is soon to tackle the world’s toughest endurance race from Oceanside, California to Annapolis, Maryland. That’s 3,000 miles in 8 days across the United States. The cycling challenge facing ISS Facility Services board members is not quite on the same scale, but then the UK’s greatest Olympian does not have to run a multi million pound integrated facility services business!
Four ISS Facility Services Executive Board members, who do run a multi million pound integrated facility services business, will be part of the 49 strong ISS Facilities Services team cycling from London to Brighton on 20th June in support of ISS’s charity of the year – the British Heart Foundation (BHF) .
Steve Workman, Head of Corporate Responsibility interviewed Board members, Henrik Andersen, Matt Brabin, Andrew Price and Ged Horn to see how they had been training for this gruelling event.
So how have the top team been training for the event and how long do they think they’ll be in the saddle? Henrik, Matt, Andrew and Ged have all been training 2-3 times a week usually a combination of road work and static cycling in the gym. For Henrik and Matt cycling is part of their normal exercise routine but for Andrew and Ged 54 miles in the saddle is not the normal way of spending a Sunday morning. This is reflected in the times they are aiming to achieve. Henrik and Matt are looking to complete the ride (the BHF stress it is not a race) in under 5 hours, or as Matt says ‘4 hours plus cake stops!’ whilst Andrew and Ged are looking to complete the course in under 6 hours.
So what are our Board members least looking forward to?
Matt is least looking forward to being at the bottom of the formidable Ditchling Beacon hill (the steepest hill on the ride and coming just a few miles before the finish) and looking up at the forthcoming ascent, while Ged’s low point is likely to be the half way stage knowing that there are still 27 miles to go including Ditchling Beacon! Andrew is least looking forward to 6 hours chaffing in the saddle while Henrik is hoping for fine weather rather than a typical English summer (rainy) day.
What are the Board most looking forward to?
This was easy to answer – sharing the company of the 49 strong ISS team, tacking the ride together in the ISS Way and spending time with ISS colleagues and their families at the end of the ride.
How much are Board members hoping to raise for the BHF?
Two Board members have individually raised over £500 to date and the other two are catching up rapidly but they could still do with your additional support. There is still plenty of time remaining for you to sponsor a main Board member or one of the other 45 ISS cyclists before they tackle the 54 miles from Clapham Common, London to Madeira Drive in Brighton.
