Laura Siddall Raises Funds For The Challenged Athlete Foundation.

On the 6^th of June, our Aloe Up Ambassador Laura Siddall along with British Ultraman world champ Jordan Byden plus anyone else who felt up to the challenge, took part in the 12-Hour Stay Relentless Challenge to raise funds for the Challenged Athlete Foundation all while being stuck in self isolation due to COVID-19.

The event was simple. Using the online cycle training programme called Zwift, competitors had to cycle the Tempus Fugit loop (or at least keep cycling for 40 minutes) once an hour, every hour, for 12 hours in a row.

Here’s what Laura Siddall had to say about the event:

“The current situation is affecting us all. I for one find myself now entering my 10th week in the UK. That’s the longest time I’ve been in the UK (and to be fair, probably in one place), since 2007!

“We are seeing people respond and act in so many different ways…and the virtual world of training has certainly been a sanity saver for many of us. I used to always be so anti indoor riding and platforms (ask me about my first exposure to Zwift at their launch in San Francisco when I lived there)! I never thought I’d be so reliant on Zwift, but it’s been my go-to and I’ve been relishing the training and community that it’s brought, not just during the last few months, but really this last 12-months since I broke my collar bone in May 2019.

“As we know, one of the casualties of Covid-19 has been event organisers, and particularly the small, independent race organisers. So when a good buddy and training partner, Jordan Bryden, and a race organiser himself, (who lost all of his  income through event cancelations), decided to put on an event that may appeal to all of us crazies at this time… I wanted to support it, and I guess feed my inner crazy too.

“Ok, so it wasn’t quite a jump right in, it did take a little cajoling from my coach (Julie Dibens) and other training partners who had already stepped up. But for me, it’s not necessarily about completing the challenge (although of course that’s part of it), as that frankly scares the s*&t out of me, but about supporting an independent event organiser at this time. When I saw that the event was also supporting the Challenged Athlete Foundation, an organisation that I’m very fond of, it helped seal the deal (and perhaps a few gin and tonics).