In August 2014, Alison took part in Ride the North but suffered a bad fall on the first day of cycling. Despite her accident, Alison was determined to push through the pain and complete the two-day event. Two years later, Alison is ready to take part in Ride the North again, eager as ever to raise as much money and awareness as possible for her chosen charity, Maggie’s.
I took part in Ride the North on Friday 29th and Saturday 30th August 2014 in aid of Maggie’s. Despite being a keen cyclist and going through months of training, I thought my Ride the North experience would be cut short when I suffered a bad fall around 50 miles into the 88 miles we had to complete on the first day. I came around a sharp corner, hit the gravel and was on the ground before I knew it.
Despite managing to get up, the accident resulted in me cracking my helmet, ripping my cycling top and sustaining serious cuts to my arms and legs. Paramedics advised me to pull out of the event but to me that wasn’t an option, I forced myself to cycle through the pain for the remainder of the event, keeping in mind the amazing funds I’d raised for such a worthy charity. After completing the two-day cycle, I went to A&E where it was identified I was suffering from mild concussion, severe cuts and a small fracture in my knee. The pain was so severe that I had to take time off work following the cycle.
My fall hasn’t discouraged my determination to do it again or my thoughts towards Ride the North. The organisation of the event was brilliant and could not be faulted in anyway, the atmosphere and support throughout the cycle was great motivation and the beautiful Scottish scenery made it even more memorable. Despite my painful mishap, the fact I managed to donate a considerable amount to Maggie’s thanks to the support of family and friends, only makes me more excited to do it again in 2016, fingers crossed with no injuries this time.
I will be participating in Ride the North in aid of Maggie’s for the second time. Maggie's offers free practical, emotional and social support to anyone affected by cancer. There are a number of Maggie's centres across the UK which allows those affected by cancer to drop in at any time to seek the comfort they need in a relaxed environment. Maggie’s Centres are built on the grounds of NHS cancer hospitals and have professional staff on hand to offer the support people need. Maggie’s has grown over the years with 17 centres across the UK, online and abroad.
Please visit my JustGiving page to find out more or make a donation: https://www.justgiving.com/AlisonSellar1
