June taught me not all challenges can be planned. My dear friend Mo suffered a short and terrifying illness and died within 6 weeks at age 51. All else was abandoned as we spent our last moments with him. Mo was a great husband, father, son, friend and teacher. He was loving, smutty, sexy, anarchic,  faithful, loyal, weird, paranoid, adventurous....and much more. On the surface it seemed like we were supporting him on this last and viscerally painful journey but in the end we realised he lead us to acceptance of his and our fate. He lived and died through June with grace, dignity, charity, patience and deep love for the people who surrounded him. I hope these lessons stay with me as I face more of these challenges in the future. Miss you Mo!

So life goes on, lessened,  and my Challenges resume. My July challenge was really tough - partly because of reduced training in June and partly because I am sad. Anyway I set off on my 100km XSussex ride on my own and enjoyed most of it - but the last 25 km was a killer and I yearned for some cycling mates so I could sit in their slipstream. Got back to Eastbourne and was met by my ever patient husband who sent me into the sea to cool down and bought me an ice cream - my hero!