Whatever your reasons for taking up the London to Paris Bike Ride, one thing is certain, the more you put into it the more you’ll get back – in other words the fitter you are the more you’ll enjoy it! What could be more disappointing than not completing the challenge (after all your fund raising efforts) because you’ve not taken the time to train? So to avoid this happening, pull on your cycling shorts take the bike out of the garage and read on…

The majority of participants on this kind of event are not very experienced cyclists. You don’t need to be a professional cyclist to complete this challenge, but you do require a certain level of fitness. Some of you may already be training, for others it may be the first time you’ve done something like this - but whatever your level of fitness or ability you all need to be doing the same thing in this period. Simply - training! Some of you will have more time than others to train, but as you will see later there are plenty of exercises you can do throughout the day that will benefit you.

How often should I train?
As we already said, some people will want to train more than others will and some people will simply have more time than others. However to get the most out of the event ideally you should be training around 3 times a week. For the best results you should space these days evenly. So don’t do 3 days in a row and then take 4 off! If you haven’t done any cycling before or for a long time, start by doing a couple of half-hour rides a week and after 2 weeks, increase to a third slightly longer ride.

Training with a friend
Another good idea is to get yourself a training partner. They don’t have to be someone who is doing the event, although it would help if they were as they are more likely to be motivated and less likely to miss training sessions. You’ll find that training with a friend you’ll push each other to work that little bit harder.

Build up gradually and always exercise responsibly
Having said that ideally you want to be training 3 times a week it is also important to build up gradually. One of the most important things to remember is to warm up and warm down. You could start by running gently for a few minutes and then stretching all your major muscle groups, while keeping warm. After training, make sure that you decrease your activity level gently rather than suddenly and stretch all your muscle groups again. Listen to what your body is telling you - be honest with yourself. Yes you want to push yourself in training to gain the maximum benefit from each session; no you do not want to over do it and cause yourself harm.

Start with a session or two a week of perhaps 30-40 minutes and build on this over the next couple of months so that you can breeze through two or three rides a week of over 2 hours. Once you are comfortable with this and as the event approaches, you should plan days out where you cycle for 5 to 6 hours on hilly terrain. If you have the time then it is a good idea to have a couple of weekends where you ride for 4 to 5 hours both days.

You can train in the gym as well to increase your general fitness level but it is always better to train outside. As stated earlier, it is best to train regularly throughout the week for short rides, rather than once a week for a long ride.

As mentioned earlier everybody is different and therefore it is impossible to write a fitness plan that can be used by all. This is a general outline of things to be thinking about in months preceding the ride and is by no means a comprehensive guide. Should you have any questions, problems or queries about the fitness regime that you are undertaking do not hesitate to contact a relevant specialist such as a gym instructor, or local GP.

Things to practice and remember when cycling

• GEARS: are the essential thing that will make your life easier providing you know how to use them properly! Practice changing gears whilst going uphill and try to ensure that you achieve the correct balance with the gears. Lower gears are easier to peddle but you’ll have to peddle faster and with higher gears you’ll find the opposite.
• Try to cycle with some wind resistance as this will increase your fitness/strength and will prepare you for the event
• Practice drinking from your water bottle whilst cycling
• Practise cycling off roads and up hills as this will help to prepare you for the reality of cycling to Paris.
• Ensure that your saddle is at the right height (your feet should just miss the ground when you are sitting on it). If you find this difficult to begin with, increase the height gradually.
• You will need to carry certain items with you during the ride, so you might like to consider whether you prefer to have a rucksack or a ‘bum-bag’. You can consult your local bike shop to find out what your options are. Remember that you should always wear a helmet when cycling. It is also a good idea to carry a small first aid kit, a puncture repair kit and a mobile phone.

• For some of you, lack of time is going to be a real hindrance to the amount you can train, so why not walk or cycle to work? If you live too far away to do this and get the bus or tube into work then get off a stop early. For those of you that drive to work, don’t use the lift to get to your floor - take the stairs. Basically look at your lifestyle and see if there are opportunities to do things differently that will help improve your fitness – most of us will probably find there is.

The above gives you some ideas on ways to start going about training, but by no means is it comprehensive. Having read this you should be more focused and you should now have a clearer idea of what you need to do to get fit. Be honest with yourself – you know your own body and you know how fit you are…or not.

But remember although this is a challenge it is also meant to be fun, so enjoy yourself!

One of the biggest concerns for people getting involved with any of the Big Issue Foundation events is the sponsorship. This is particularly true with the London 2 Paris bike Ride, £1300 is a lot of money to raise but do not fear its not impossible, just ask any of the 2008 riders! You just have to go about it in the right way and you would be amazed where sponsorship can come from.

A great place to start is with the newly revamped Big Issue Foundation A – Z of fundraising, this is a great first stop on the ride to success!

For this or any of The Big Issue Foundation Events you can create your very own online sponsorship page, just click here, and start fundraising straight away. It’s an easy way to collect sponsorship from friends, family and colleagues and is safe, secure and instant.

Many companies will also run matched sponsorship schemes for employees where they will match your sponsorship, sometimes up to the level of £500! That’s almost half of your sponsorship covered.

Another great way to raise money is to put on your own events. Events are a fantastic and fun way to raise sponsorship and also get support for your own personal challenge and the organisation. But why should you take our word for it........

Ali Ashton was a key rider on the London 2 Paris 2008 Ride, and is an old hand when it comes to fundraising for challenge events. She has agreed to give up some of her closely guarded techniques to other London to Paris cyclists….but remember they’re top secret……

If you would like further information about the ways in which Alison raised her sponsorship and for more fundraising case studies please register for the London 2 Paris 2009.

Registered riders will also receive The Big Issue Foundations full Fundraising Advice booklet, packed with information, hints, tips advice and more to help you smash those targets.

But remember the most important thing is to give yourself enough time, so why not get a head start and register for London to Paris 2009 today!

“I am riding high after the experience” Graham 2008 Cyclist

“I'd recommend it to anybody and I had an amazing time.” James Hall 08

“A special thank you to the Big Issue staff who were always cheerful, helpful and approachable. I have taken part in a few other charity rides and found this to be the best organised yet. “ Ali, 2008 Cyclist

“An amazing experience” Jenna, 2008 Cyclist

“a great experience for me and hopefully the money I’ve raised will give some one somewhere a great experience too” Alistair, 2008 Cyclist

“Thank you so much for one of the most amazing experiences of my life.” Julie, 2008 Cyclist

“Great event, great guides, fun people, well organised and provided a real sense of achievement for all who took part.” Patrick, 2008 Cyclist

“It was bloody great! Thanks so much” Andrew, 2008 Cyclist

“Great fun, wonderful cause! Thankyou!” Tom, 2008 Cyclist

“It was bloody brilliant!” Guy, 2008 Cyclist

“great event, thank you” Richard, 2008 Cyclist

“It was one of the best experiences I have had. Everyone involved was just great. Thanks!” Geoff, 2008 Cyclist

“A fantastic memorable experience" - Mark, 2007 Cyclist

"This really was a life experience , the camaraderie was unbelievable I will definitely be back!" - Colin, 2007 Cyclist

"I never imagined I could have so much fun on 2 wheels and all for such a good cause" - Michael, 2007 Cyclist

"Its a fabulous feeling to start as a cyclist and finish in a team" - Susan, 2007 Cyclist

Do I need to be fit?
You have to have a basic level of fitness however you will be assessed and divided into a group suitable for your fitness and speed and therefore will be cycling at a pace comfortable to you. There will be plenty of stops en route and also a support vehicle following so you won’t get left behind.

How much do I need to raise?
To take part you need to pay a registration fee of £99 which is used solely for non-travel costs and is non-refundable. You must also pledge to raise a minimum of £1300 in sponsorship funds and donations for the Big Issue Foundation and pay it in by 23rd May 2009. In return everything for the challenge will be provided - travel, food, accommodation, guides, medical support etc.

What is included?
The ferry crossing to Caen and the Eurostar from Paris to London on the last day
All food from lunch on Day 1 through to breakfast on Day 4 inclusive.
Snacks are also provided on the riding days.
3 nights shared room accommodation is provided.

What is excluded?
Travel and bike insurance – compulsory!
Travel to the start of the ride
Day 1 breakfast
Day 4 lunch and evening meal and personal spending money
You will also need to bring your own bike on the trip

Do I need Insurance?
Yes, it is compulsory that all participants on the event have travel insurance. You will need to provide proof to us a minimum of 8 weeks prior to departure.

Can I extend my stay?
Yes, however if you wish to extend your trip either before or after the event you will need to give as much notice as possible (normally a minimum of 8 weeks prior to the travel date).

Can my friends and family join me?
Yes, you can invite friends and family to meet you at the finishing point, for the last night. The rate will include the celebration evening meal and accommodation on a B&B basis. We are also able to book the Eurostar, all bookings and prices will be subject to availability, and prices cannot be confirmed until time of booking.

Terms and Conditions, Cancellation Charges and Privacy Policy
We are a trading division of Sportsworld Group Limited and these terms and conditions apply when you use our travel services. When used, the word “trip” means at least two or more of the following services when the services are taken together and also either cover a period of more than 24 hours or include overnight accommodation:- (a) transport; (b) accommodation; and (c) other tourist services not ancillary to transport or accommodation which account for a significant part of the arrangements.  The arrangements must have been charged by us at an inclusive price.  In all other arrangements we act as an agent for the supplier of your travel arrangements. By asking us to confirm your booking, you are accepting that the terms of this agreement (and the conditions of any contract made with your suppliers) applies to your booking and your travel arrangements.  You also consent to our processing personal information about you and other members of your party (see our Privacy Policy). If you booked your holiday in any jurisdiction other than in Scotland or Northern Ireland (including any booking via the Internet), this Agreement, and any claim or dispute arising from or related to this Agreement, will be governed by English law and the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any claim arising out of it. If you booked your holiday in Scotland, this Agreement, and any claim or dispute arising from or related to this Agreement, will be governed by Scottish law and the courts of Scotland shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any claim arising out of it. If you booked your holiday in Northern Ireland, this Agreement, and any claim or dispute arising from or related to this Agreement, will be governed by Northern Irish law and the courts of Northern Ireland shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any claim arising out of it

When you buy an ATOL protected air package or flight from us you will receive a confirmation invoice from us (or via our authorised agent through which you booked) confirming your arrangements and your protection under our Air Travel Organiser’s Licence number 2336. In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking. For further information visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk. The price of your trip includes the amount of £1 per person as part of the ATOL Protection Contribution (APC) we pay to the CAA.. ATOL protection does not apply to all trips. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking.
We are a member of  ABTA, membership number F637X .  We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct.  We can also offer you an arbitration scheme for the resolution of disputes arising out of, or in connection with this contract.  Further information on the Code and arbitration can be found at http:www.abta.com.

1. Your Travel Booking
You must be 18 years old to book with us unless we have given specific consent. Whether you book alone or as a group, we will only deal with the lead booking name in all correspondence, including payments, changes, amendments and cancellations. As you have booked through a charity or are part of a corporate group then we will treat that entity as the lead name and all payment requests will come from them to you and they will pay on your behalf subject to any arrangements they have with you.

2. If we cancel your booking
We aim to provide your trip as booked.  But if, for example, there are not enough people booked on your trip or you do not pay the balance of the trip price on time, we may cancel it.  We reserve the right to cancel your trip in any circumstances but if we cancel your trip you can either have a refund of the price of your trip or accept a replacement trip from us of equivalent or closely similar standard and price (if one is available).  In either case, we will pay you compensation (unless we cancel your trip because you do not pay us the balance of the trip price or because of one of the events listed in the ‘Important note – events beyond our control’) and we will always refund the difference in price if the replacement trip is of a lower standard and price. We will not cancel your trip less than eight weeks before you go, or such other number of weeks as agreed between us, unless this is the result of non-payment of the balance of the trip price by you or one of the events in the ‘Important note – events beyond our control’.

3. If we change your booking details
We hope that we will not have to make any change to your trip but, because our trips are planned many months in advance, we sometimes do need to make changes. We reserve the right to do this at any time. We will let you know about any important changes when you book. If you have already booked, we will let you know as soon as we can, if there is time before your departure.

4. Major changes to your trip
Occasionally, we have to make major changes to the flight or accommodation making up your trip.  If we tell you about any of these changes after we have confirmed your trip booking, you may accept the new arrangements offered by us; or accept a replacement trip from us of equivalent or closely similar standard and price, if one is available; or cancel your trip with us and receive a full refund of all monies paid to us. Either way, we will pay you compensation, unless the change is because there are not enough people booked or for reasons beyond our control (see the ‘Important Note - events beyond our control’) and we will always refund the difference in price if the replacement trip is of a lower standard and price.

5. What happens to trip complaints
We can usually sort out any complaints you may have. Disputes about your trip which we cannot settle can be referred to arbitration under a special scheme administered by IDRS part of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.  Details and application forms are available from ABTA, 68-71 Newman Street, London, W1T 3AH, www.abta.com.  The scheme provides for a simple and cheap method of arbitration based on documents alone. The scheme does not apply to claims over £5,000 per person or £25,000 per booking form. Where a claim includes, in part, a claim for personal injury or illness, a limit of £1,000 per person applies to that part of the claim. The rules of the scheme state that the application for arbitration must be made within nine months of the date of your return from trip. Information regarding complaints may be shared with other tour operators.  If you prefer, you can take your complaint to a suitable court.

6. Our responsibility for your trip
We will arrange for you to receive the services that make up your trip that we confirm. These services will be provided either directly by us or through independent suppliers contracted by us. We are responsible for making sure that each part of the trip is provided to a reasonable standard and as was advertised by us (or as changed and accepted by you). If any part of your trip is not provided as described and this spoils your trip, we will pay you appropriate compensation (see the ‘Important note – events beyond our control’). We have taken all reasonable care to make sure that all the services which make up our trips are provided by efficient and reputable businesses which should follow the local and national laws and regulations of the country where they are provided. However, overseas safety standards are generally lower than in the UK, for example few hotels yet meet EC fire safety recommendations even in Europe.

7. Personal Injury 1
This section covers injury, illness or death while you are using the services that we have arranged for you as part of your trip. We have no direct control over the way our suppliers provide their services but everyone employed or contracted by us or by our suppliers is expected to carry out their duties properly. If they do not and that fault results in your injury, illness or death, we may make a payment to you. We will not make any payment if your injury, illness or death was caused by an event or circumstances which the person who caused it could not have predicted or avoided even if they had taken all necessary and due care or if it is due to your own fault. If we do make a payment, it will be similar to one you would receive under English law in an English court except that any payments we make may be limited in accordance with international conventions.

8. Personal Injury 2
This section covers damages, injury, illness or death which is not connected with the arrangements made by us. If you or someone on your trip booking is injured, falls ill or dies while taking part in an activity which is not part of the trip, or you need to incur unpredictable extra expenses for which we are not liable (see ‘Important note – events beyond our control’) we will try to help if we can.

9. Paying for your travel arrangements
Please note that although your payment arrangements are made through your chosen charity or your corporate organiser, if you ask us to make any other arrangements for you there may be a charge payable for some accommodation, events or flight bookings or insurance where it is necessary to secure specific facilities with full payment at the time of booking e.g. specific types of airline tickets. Once confirmed, those additional charges paid and insurance premiums will not be refunded in the event of cancellation except in the circumstances specified in Sections  2, 3 or 4 (which means that your arrangements must form part of a trip with us) or as otherwise required by law. If payment for these arrangements is made by credit card a handling fee of 2.0% per transaction is made. No charge is made for payments made by Debit Card or cheque.

10. If you change your booking
Name change, and or departure details such as date and time changes are not always allowed by airlines and other transport providers whenever they are made. Whilst we will do our best to change the details of the booking, please bear in mind that most airlines and other transport providers treat name and departure detail changes as a cancellation and charge accordingly.

11. If you cancel your booking
If you want to cancel your booking or part of it, you must advise the lead name on your booking and (if you have booked any arrangements direct with us) us in writing at the address given in section 15 below. To cover the cost of processing your cancellation and to compensate us for the risk that we may not be able to resell your travel arrangements, we make a cancellation charge.  The below scale of cancellation charges will apply. The size of the charge depends on when we receive your letter but usually where arrangements have been made that required full payment in advance this is because there is a 100% cancellation fee applied by the supplier of the arrangements and therefore no refund can be made.  Any refund due will be paid by us to your charity organiser who will hold the refund on trust on your behalf. Any queries or questions regarding the refund procedure should be taken up with your charity organiser.

12. Conduct and Fitness Whilst on the Trip
We reserve the right to refuse to accept you as a customer or continue dealing with you if your behaviour is disruptive or affects other travellers or is threatening or abusive towards our staff or agents in the UK or overseas. If the Captain of your flight or ship or a member of our staff believes that you could be disruptive, they can also refuse to let you proceed with your travel arrangements. If this means you are not allowed to board the flight outbound from the UK, we will treat your booking as cancelled by you from that moment, and you will have to pay full cancellation charges. You are responsible for the cost of any damage caused to your accommodation or its contents during your stay.

13. The conditions of your ticket
When you travel by air or by sea, your journey may be subject to certain international conventions such as the Warsaw Convention, Montreal Convention or Athens Convention. You agree that the transport company’s own ‘Conditions of Carriage’ will apply to you on that journey. When arranging this transportation for you, we rely on the terms and conditions contained within these international conventions and those ‘Conditions of Carriage'. You acknowledge that all of these terms and conditions form part of your contract with us as well as with the transport company. You can ask us to provide you with a copy of any of the conditions applicable to your journey. The air carriers that we used or are likely to use are BMI, Easyjet, British Airways among others and you will be advised of the actual identity of the air carrier when you book with us and if it is not known at that time or subsequently changes we will inform you as soon as possible and no later than at check-in for your flight (or boarding if it is a connecting flight without check-in).

14. Important note – events beyond our control
Events beyond our control include, without limitation : war, threat of war, riots, civil disturbances, terrorist activity, industrial disputes, natural and nuclear disasters, fire, epidemics, health risks, technical problems with transport including changes due to rescheduling or cancellation of flights by an airline or alteration of the airline or aircraft type for reasons beyond our control or that of our suppliers; closed or congested airports or ports, hurricanes and other actual or potential severe weather conditions, and any other similar events. Under European law air passengers have rights including in certain circumstances the right to cancel their flight and receive reimbursement of the cost of the flight from their airline. Full details of these rights is publicised at EU airports and is also available from airlines. However, you should note that reimbursement of the cost of a flight that forms part of your trip is the responsibility of your airline and will not automatically entitle you to reimbursement of the cost of your trip.

15 Passport and Visa Information
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct and valid documentation for the travel arrangements. We cannot accept responsibility for any failure to comply with any passport, visa or immigration requirements and you will be responsible for any costs or fines incurred. We advise you to check with your passport office or the consulate in question if you have any queries.
All adults and children of 16 years and over who are British Citizens must travel on a full valid British ten-year passport unless otherwise specified.  Clients who are not British Citizens must check with the appropriate consulate for individual visa requirements.
Clients travelling overland to certain European destinations may need to also pass through controls of other countries enroute so this should be allowed for with any passport/visa applications.

15. If you need to write to us
Please address all correspondence to Tall Stories, King’s Place, 12-42 Wood Street, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, KT1 1SG.

PRIVACY POLICY

Sportsworld Group Limited trading as Tall Stories is committed to protecting your privacy and this Privacy Policy sets out what information we collect, how we collect it, and what we do with it.

INFORMATION ABOUT YOU 

Your Information

This refers to information such as your name, contact details, travel preferences and special needs/disabilities/dietary requirements that you supply us or is supplied to us, including any information about other persons on your booking relating to the same (“your information”). Your information is collected when you request information from us, contact us (and vice versa) or make a booking with us. You are responsible for ensuring that other members of your party are aware of the content of our Privacy Policy and consent to your acting on their behalf in all your dealings with us.

We will update your information whenever we get the opportunity to keep it current, accurate and complete.

Our Use of Your Information

(1) We may disclose your information to our service providers (who could be located outside the UK/EEA) for the purpose of providing you with our services, including your flight, trip or insurance, etc. Only information necessary for this purpose will be disclosed to them. For overseas travel, it may be a mandatory requirement (imposed on airlines, etc. by governments at the point(s) of departure and/or destination) to disclose your information for security and anti-terrorism purposes, or any other purposes which they determine appropriate. Even if not mandatory, we may also exercise our discretion to assist where appropriate.

(2) We may collect and use your information for the purposes set out in our data protection registration with the Office of the Information Commissioner, and disclose the same to our “group companies” (i.e. our holding companies and all group companies of our holding companies, some of whom are outside the UK/EEA) for business purposes. We may also disclose your information to companies who act as “data processors” on our behalf, or to our service providers operating systems or business functions on our behalf, some of whom are outside the UK/EEA. These purposes include administration, providing services (and contacting you where necessary), customer care, improving our service, business management and operation, re-organisation/structuring/sale of our business (or our group companies), risk assessment, security and crime prevention/detection, research and analysis, marketing, monitoring, measuring and assessing customer purchasing preferences and trends , dispute resolution, credit checking and debt collection. If we search against the files of credit reference agencies, they will record the search and hence the way in which you conduct your account with us may be shared with other lenders and credit agencies.

(3) Some of your information may be considered “sensitive personal data” under the Data Protection Act 1998. (For example, information relating to health or religion.) We collect it to cater to your needs or act in your interest, and we are only prepared to accept sensitive personal data from you on the condition that we have your positive consent. By booking your trip with us you also agree for your insurers, their agents and medical staff to disclose relevant information (which may contain sensitive personal data) to us in circumstances where we need to act in the interest of everyone in the group you are travelling with. For example, if your illness at resort is infectious we may need to make special arrangements for you and also ensure that you do not return with the group immediately.

Your Rights

(1) You have the rights to ask in writing by completing our Data Subject Access Request Form for a copy of the information we hold about you (for which we may charge a fee) and to correct any inaccuracies in your information.

(2) You have the right to ask in writing not to receive direct marketing material about our products and services. 

Our registered address is at TUI Travel House, Crawley Business Quarter, Fleming Way, Crawley, RH10 9QL.  Please address your correspondence to the Group Company Secretary.

Foreign Controls
Outside the European Economic Area (EEA), note that controls on data protection in such countries may not be as strong as the legal requirements in this country.

MONITORING
To ensure that we carry out your instructions accurately, to help improve our service and in the interest of security, we may monitor and/or record: (1) your telephone calls; (2) customer activities using CCTV recording equipment in and around our premises; and (3) customer activities on our website. All recordings are and shall remain our sole property.

SECURITY STATEMENT
We have taken all reasonable steps to have in place appropriate security measures to protect your information.

CHANGES TO THIS POLICY
Any changes to this Policy will be either posted on our website, brochure and/or made available on request. We will strive to ensure our practices comply with the most current available version of this Policy.

This Privacy Policy was last updated: October 2008