Cooking Up A Team!
Rob Spedding | Blog, Cycling Plus, Features | 21/03/2013 12:30pm
When we put a call out for a reader to join Team Specialized Cycling Plus on May’s Rat Race Road Trip we only expected a tiny number of you to get in touch. It’s a pretty daunting challenge – 400 miles between London and Edinburgh in just two days really isn’t for the faint-hearted. We were surprised, then, when more than 50 of you applied!
So, rather than one reader, we’ve decided to pick two to join our Michelin-starred team leader and recipe guru Alan Murchison. Step forward Andrew Deaner from London and Ken Ferguson from Norfolk. And to even things out Alan has recruited another cycling-chef, Hayden Groves, for the team.
Andrew Deaner
Andrew is the consultant cardiologist who famously ran on the pitch at White Hart Lane and assisted Bolton Wanderers’ Fabrice Muamba when he suffered a heart attack during a game with Tottenham Hotspur in March 2012. That’s mightily impressive, but so is his palmares.
“I’ve completed three Tour of Flanders sportives, 10 Etapes, three Paris-Brest-Paris and numerous other sportives including the Marmotte, ” explains Andrew.
We feel that Andrew’s long-distance cycling experience will stand him in good stead for the Rat Race Road Trip – he’s a regular participant in 200km audax rides and he’s also planning on riding this year’s epic 1400km London-Edinburgh-London (LEL) event.
“The Rat Race will be an excellent preliminary ride for LEL. I’ve ridden 600km at least eight times before so I know I can do it but every time is tough!
“The Rat Race is pretty intimidating and will test us all in terms of stamina and tenacity,” admits Andrew. “Long distances like this are all about pacing yourself and eating regularly, but the thought of completing this with the team is an exciting prospect. We will have to work as a team and bring our individual strengths together.”
Ken Ferguson
Ken Ferguson, who works for sports car maker Lotus in Norfolk, is also hugely experienced. “I’ve been a keen cyclist all my life, but have been more serious about riding since I got my first ‘cycle to work scheme’ bike in 2007,” he says. “I’ve completed the Norwich 100 three times and I love using the bike to explore new places.
Over the past few years I’ve organised a number of trips including 400 miles coast to coast, from St David’s in Wales to Lowestoft in four days; 270 miles around Norfolk’s border in three; and last year a 300-mile tour around Telford, Leominster and Stratford–upon-Avon.
“I think my toughest challenges on the bike are yet to come, though. As well as the Rat Race I’ve agreed to accompany some work colleagues and conquer some Alpine cols in June: the training programme has already started as I refuse to walk up mountains!
“I reckon I fit the average profile of a typical reader, but I don’t feel average! I’ve got tons of stamina and tenacity, and a strong will and, best of all, I still enjoy getting on my bike as much as I did when I was small. Oh, and I can also peel an orange whilst riding; this may not be great in terms of nutritional value but it does help to pass the time.”
The team will be guided towards the Rat Race by coach Ben Wilson (www.personalbestcycling.co.uk) and he’s confident they’ll be a success. “The old saying ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’ will be especially apt here, though,” he says. “There’ll be some tough training ahead, with several long back-to-back rides and intensive efforts on the menu! Andrew, Ken, Alan and Hayden will have to train harder than they have before but do that and come May getting to Edinburgh will be a mere formality!”
Team Specialized Cycling Plus will be ride bikes and kit provided by Specialized UK and will also be supported by Garmin and Science in Sport.
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