Martyn's race against time - and Le Tour!

Martyn Jones, from Hertford, is riding the gruelling route of Le Tour de France ahead of the professional racers.

He set off three days before the event and hopes they won’t catch him up!

The money he raises will be split between ourselves and the Association of Young People with ME.

Always active as a youngster, Martyn loved most sports, however, in his late-teens he was diagnosed with M.E. For a very energetic person, this was extremely debilitating.

Martyn says: “You feel like a living dead person so to speak. Imagine having a really hard bout of flu, but for years and years.”

Fortunately, at 34 Martyn is now well over his M.E. and it was cycling that got him fit.

“I wanted to donate half of the money I raise to a charity that promotes sport and especially my passion – cycling. The BHF organise so many fantastic rides including London to Brighton, Oxford to Cambridge and the Norwich Ride, so they were an obvious choice.

"Plus, both my grandparents died of heart disease. I didn’t even get the chance to meet my granddad as he died in his fifties.”

Martyn is riding the exact same course as Le Tour de France participants, staying in the same towns along the way.

He is paying for the event out of his own savings. He hopes to raise £30,000 to split between both charities. Visit Martyn’s site at www.justgiving.com/letour4good

100 mile battle of the Ride of the Roses

If Martyn's Tour de France challenge whetted your apetite to get into the saddle and take on the hills, you may want to consider our August Ride of the Roses as a closer to home and slightly less taxing option.

This 100 mile bike ride sets off from Lancaster University and follows the varied and breathtaking landscapes of Northern England, including the stunning Trough of Bowland, Gisburn Forest and the rugged unspoilt scenery of the Yorkshire Dales.

The severity of the climbs is not quite up there with the French Alps but, with the majority of the route taking place on rural roads, there are some steep gradients and challenging hills to overcome before reaching the finish line in historic York.

Find out more and register for the 2008 BHF Ride of the Roses.

Martyn Jones gets in the saddle to help hearts

Hertford man, Martyn Jones, plans to ride the gruelling route of the Tour de France, just three days before the event, to raise money for the BHF and the Association of Young People with ME (AYME).

Martyn has first hand experience of both diseases as he was diagnosed with ME in his late-teens and lost both grandparents to heart disease. Fortunately, at 34, Martin is now well over his ME and it was cycling that got him fit again.

“I wanted to donate half of the money I raise to a charity that promotes sport and especially my passion – cycling. The BHF do so many fantastic rides including London to Brighton, Oxford to Cambridge and the Norwich Ride, so they were an obvious choice. Plus both my grandparents died of heart disease.”

Esther Rantzen also has experience of both diseases: “The impact of ME on young people is especially damaging because it hits them at a crucial stage of their lives. My late husband, Des Wilcox, died far too young, aged 69, from heart disease, so both these charities are very near to my own heart.”

Martyn does six hours a day of hard cycling in perparation for the 3,500km endurance event. “It will be three weeks of mind-numbing distance riding in the toughest terrain in Europe, but I’m up for the challenge.”

Martyn is paying for the event out of his own savings and hopes to raise £30,000 to split between both charities.

Support Martyn at his Just Giving page and help the BHF fight heart disease, the UK’s single biggest killer, and help the AYME support young people with ME.

If you'd like to help support our lifesaving work, then why not take part in one of our events.