Out on the bike again this morning and covered 16.07 miles. Had to fix a puncture before my ride as my tire was completely flat when I first looked this morning. Bit of a random route but was good to explore some different parts of Worcestershire.  It's another glorious day out there, the weather really has been amazing over this lockdown period which has made the cycling and running much easier, it wouldn't have been great in the rain! Back to work for me tomorrow as we welcome back 75 year 6 pupils, it will be good to see them again but will still be very strange being back in work full time. The school day has been set up differently with staggered start times, break time and lunchtimes and small pods of pupils designated to one teacher. I am playing golf again after work tomorrow too which I am really looking forward to. All the best, Ed

60 consecutive days of running or cycling and today I ran 7.53 miles in just over an hour. Really enjoyable run and felt good throughout even if it was absolutely boiling out there! Plenty of people outside enjoying the sunshine on the racecourse and around the river at Diglis so had to do plenty of dodging but covered a good distance. Like I said on a previous post I am now going to control the amount of miles I do so I leave myself just over 12 to do next Saturday morning. All things being well I will have completed my 'Road to Paris' challenge this time next week! Cheers, Ed

59th day of the challenge and I cycled a steady 12.05 miles through the Worcestershire countryside, another beautiful morning. I have just 89 miles to go. I have planned a route for the last day of my challenge, a 12-13 mile run from my flat in Worcester to Bromsgrove Rugby Club, I am planning to do it on the morning of Saturday 6th June. I am going to control the amount of miles I do this week and leave myself 13 to for that Saturday. This will be a really cool way to finish my challenge. Have a great weekend. Ed

Steady 6.32 mile run this morning, it's already very hot out there, even before 9am. As I have around about 100 miles to go I need to start thinking about how I am going to plan my last day. I am going to have a look online to see a suitable route from Worcester to BRFC, I think I could take on a 15-17 mile run which would be a good way to finish my challenge. Thanks for all the support, 58 days of cycling or running in a row has been a great way to keep me focussed in this strange time and I have really enjoyed it. I might think about doing a challenge each summer when rugby finishes to keep my fitness up. When lockdown ends I might see if there are any local triathlons I can enter as this is something I have wanted to do for a while! Cheers, Ed

700 MILES. Todays steady 7 mile cycle took me past the 700 mile mark in 'The Road to Paris' challenge which is a great achievement. I have covered over 700 miles in 57 days which is an average of over 12 miles a day of either running or cycling. I now have just over 100 miles to go to complete my journey! I am in the process of planning the last leg of the challenge which I think I am going to do as a longer run, but I still need to plan a good route to run so I end up at Finstall Park, the home of BRFC. There isn't pavement all the way from my flat to the club so I need to find a suitable route. The support I have received so far has been absolutely incredible and I am so appreciative of all the money that we have already raised. I know that both BRFC and the NHS will benefit greatly from the support. Thanks again, and don't forget you can donate here:  https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/the-road-to-paris 

Headed out for a run after a day at work and ran 5.86 miles at 8 minute 20 pace so pretty slow but it is still incredibly hot out there, serious amount of sweat! I am very close to the 700 mile mark now which is another amazing milestone to reach, I will then be into my last 110 miles to complete the challenge which is exciting. Thanks for all the continued support! Ed

55th day of the challenge and I cycled an easy 26.32 miles, absolutely amazing day out there. Another lock down bank holiday weekend and half term at school this week, however we remain open for the children of Key Workers. Johnsons press conference last night suggested that schools are due to open on June 1st. It is going to be a really different educational experience for pupils, parents and teachers but we will make the best of it.  Time for a round of golf! Ed

54th day of the challenge and I ran an easy 5.75 miles on the usual racecourse and Diglis route, loads of people out running and cycling. I think I am going to try and complete the challenge by running the last 14 miles in one go, which is the distance between my house and Finstall Park, I think it would be great to actually finish the challenge at the club. I've still got quite a way to go until I get down to the last 14 miles but I think it would be a good way to end the challenge. Going to do another longer bike ride tomorrow as well as starting to prepare for the potential of over 100 Year 6's starting back at school on June 1st, a lot to get my head around! Cheers, Ed

23.88 miles on the bike today in pretty bad conditions. The wind was incredibly strong and it nearly knocked me off on a couple of occasions, still managed to cover a decent distance in just over 1 and a half hours. The next milestone of 700 miles is in sight. Not much else to report to today, another zoom quiz awaits tonight, I think that's the 10th in a row! All the best, Ed

52nd day of the challenge and I completed another half marathon, 13.65 miles in total! Pretty enjoyable run and I completed it in under 2 hours, 1 hour 55 minutes which I am really pleased with, I averaged 8:51 per mile which is good and I had pretty consistent splits too. I've also shared a picture of how I am recording my miles which a mate created for me, 176.73 miles to go! Going to try for a longer cycle ride tomorrow, maybe something between 20 and 30 miles, hopefully it is not as windy as today.  Thanks for all the support! Ed

Nice and steady 14.93 miles on the bike this evening, a slightly different route around Worcester which was a nice ride. The next milestone to reach is 700 miles and then I can start a 100 mile countdown to the finish, I am trying to think of how I can make the last day a bit more exciting, potentially try and do a duathlon, starting on the bike for a certain amount of miles and then straight into a run. I'm not too sure yet but it might be nice to finish the challenge with something a bit different, potentially ending up at the home of BRFC, Finstall Park. If you've got any ideas then let me know. Cheers, Ed

600 miles! The 50th day of 'The Road to Paris' challenge has seen me move past the 600 mile mark which is another awesome landmark reached in my challenge to cover a total distance of 810 miles.  Today's run was a very tough one, it was very hot and my legs felt very heavy after a walk up the malvern hills this morning (see picture below). I ran a different route around Worcester today and I felt like I had run a lot further than I actually did but I am still really pleased with another 10 miles knocked off my challenge. Thank you so much for all the support so far it really is awesome. With just over 200 miles to go in my challenge, I hope that I can keep raising more money for BRFC and the NHS.  You can donate here:  https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/the-road-to-paris

Steady 5K (3.19 miles) today with KP after a day in school. Weather was absolutely incredible today, boiling hot out there so managed to get out on the field with the kids in school which was great. I am now in the process of preparing for the potential return of Year 6 pupils on the 1st of June and delivering home learning, which is very interesting for my practical subject of PE, we are planning some activities that pupils can do from home. It really is an interesting time for education and I feel that this current situations is going to have lasting effects on how education is going to work. Very close to the 600 mile mark now which is great!

An easy 19.18 miles on the bike this morning through the Worcestershire countryside. Great to see Bromsgrove Rugby Club smashing the 'Round the World in 80 days' challenge with over 1000 miles covered yesterday and a total of 8172 miles. Hopefully we can raise loads of money for our great club and the NHS. On a personal note I am now closing in on the 600 mile mark which is a great achievement. It's crazy to think that this is our tenth week of being in lockdown now. In regards to my job as a teacher there has been lots of push back from the unions about the 1st of June return date for Year 6, it does seem a bit premature but we can only act upon what we are told. It doesn't seem like the other years aren't going to be back this academic year which is going to be very strange and I wonder if this is going to have any lasting effects and change the way education, among lots of other things, works in this country. Back in school for my 1 day a week tomorrow, so

47th day of the challenge and I ran a steady 6.09 miles, took it pretty easy but wanted to keep the legs ticking over. It was another really hot morning out there and both the racecourse and canal were very busy with people. Body still feeling good and got some weight off which is pleasing too. I've been watching some old game footage back from last season this afternoon, specifically our game against Bridgnorth from last season. It was one of our best performances of the year and makes me long for more days like that when we can get back to playing some rugby again. Just got to patient, we will get back there. Going to try and do an early cycle tomorrow followed by 9 holes of golf with a mate in the afternoon!

24.02 miles on the bike today which takes me to 565 miles in 46 days which is great. My bike is still performing brilliantly and making covering the miles really easy and without issue. On average that means I have covered just over 12 miles a day be that cycling or running for 46 consecutive days which is a great achievement. The time has gone really fast and I am still really enjoying the challenge. Thanks for the continued support!

Half Marathon number 3! 13.14 miles around Worcester today, to be honest I found it a bit of struggle. Didn't feel as if I had much energy and felt slow to get going. Still completed in 1.59 minutes which was pleasing! Really crazy to think that I have taken to this running and enjoyed it for some periods, today wasn't one of those days though. More miles ticked off and another cycle tomorrow! All the best.

44th day of the challenge and I cycled 23.91 miles today through Worcester, Kempsey, Upton and then back into Worcester. My longest ride of the challenge so far and it was nice to get out and not be limited to an hour. One of the BRFC boys, Hugh, cycled 128 miles yesterday which is amazing, some of the efforts are outstanding. All those miles are contributing towards the clubs challenge as I carry on with my personal challenge of 810 miles.  Less than 300 miles to go now, going to try a long run tomorrow! Ed

500 miles! On the 43rd day of my challenge I ran 6.17 miles to take me past the 500 mile mark in The Road to Paris challenge! In total I have ran or cycled for the last 43 consecutive days, covering a total distance of 504.55 miles with 305.45 miles to complete the challenge of 810! I was in work all day today so saved my run for after I got back, like I have said before, I much prefer to run in the morning before eating, but it was good to get out for 50 minutes and cover a nice steady 6.17 miles. Thank you so much for all the continued support, I am still a way off my new target of £2000 so please tell your friends and family about the challenge and the two great causes that I am raising money for: The NHS and Bromsgrove Rugby Football Club. You can donate by following this link:  https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/the-road-to-paris

42nd day of the challenge and I cycled 14.70 miles after a day at work. I would much rather get my running and cycling done in the morning, I feel a lot more comfortable that way for some reason. I was in school all day today which was a nice change, however being in a school with only 15 pupils when there is usually 500+ is very strange. I think it is going to be this way for quite a while, with Year 6 potentially being back from June 1st and normality not fully restored for a long time! I am getting very close to the 500 mile mark now which is my next big landmark, hopefully will get there with a run tomorrow! All the best, Ed

Another Half Marathon today, 13.2 miles! That is my second half marathon in three days and I really enjoyed it. I was a bit anxious about running as my legs were quite sore yesterday and this morning but I felt really good whilst running, the best I have felt so far. I think I could have gone on for quite a while but need to make sure I don't overdo it, especially with over 300 miles to go. One year ago today a group of the lads from BRFC went to Newcastle for the weekend to watch the Challenge Cup and Heineken Cup finals. I really look forward to when we can get back to doing things like that again, heres a picture below of the boys in fancy dress with former England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster who we bumped into before we went into St James' Park! Cheers, Ed

40 consecutive days of cycling and running! The 40th day of the challenge saw me do a nice 10 mile recovery ride with my girlfriend Kathleen. It was nice to get out and keep the legs ticking over even if the wind was pretty chilly and the weather wasn't great. I'm sure lots of people will have tuned into The Prime Ministers announcement this evening, looks like nothing much is going to change for a while, so I guess I will have to keep getting the bike out and the running trainers on until I complete my challenge. I will continue to add my miles up till I get to 810 and also continue to support BRFC in our quest to circumnavigate the world.  After running a half marathon on Saturday I am a bit tentative about running another long distance tomorrow but will see how I am feeling after a few miles tomorrow. I've got 2 days at work this week which I am looking forward to and some more miles to cover! All the best, Ed

Half Marathon!  Day 39 of the challenge, I didn't set out to run 13.1 miles but achieved it in 1 hour and 56 minutes. I had a bit of an issue that I forgot to start to my timer. I first checked my Strava at 8 miles and was feeling pretty good so thought I might as well carry on and try to run a half marathon. My route was very random and I got a bit lost. It included long stretches of road running, some trails and fields and sections of the Worcester to Birmingham canal. At one stage of my run, I found myself running with someone who competes regularly in Iron Man Triathlons, we had a chat whilst running and I ran behind her for a couple of miles along the canal, she was a great runner and really dragged me along with her. I have a massive sense of achievement and complete admiration for people who can complete a marathon distance. Kipchoge ran twice as far as me in the same time to break the marathon record which is absolutely incredible! Time to refuel and rest up before

38th day of the challenge and I cycled 16.48 miles, again another hot day out there! Load of the lads from the club are continuing to smash the 'Round the World in 80 Days' challenge with Hugh cycling 80 miles, Jay with 40 miles on a mountain bike, Greek running back to back half marathons and Will with a casual 20 mile run this morning, really is amazing to see everyone coming together for this challenge. Thanks for all the continued support! Ed

Ran another 7.48 miles this morning around Worcester, awesome morning and it's already pretty warm out there. Amazingly I have surpassed my original fundraising amount of £1000 so I have put it up to £2000 to see if we can raise even more money for BRFC and the NHS, so please tell your friends and family. I have also now started contributing my miles to the 'BRFC Around the World in 80 Days' challenge in which the club are trying to circumnavigate the globe by running, cycling or swimming. The club had an amazing first day of the challenge with over 500 miles covered and we even got a shout out from England Head Coach Eddie Jones. It's amazing to see what everyone is doing to raise money and how much the club means to so many people. Thanks, Ed

17.07 miles on the bike today, absolutely amazing day out there, sun shining, not much wind so perfect for cycling. Cycled past another one of the Bromsgrove boys who looked to be on a long run. The clubs 'Round the World in 80 days' challenge kicked off today so lots of the lads will be out cycling and running to contribute towards the miles. So many great things going on to raise money for our club as well as the NHS. Thanks for the fundraising support so far, £950 raised, so hoping we can get passed the target of £1000! Cheers, Ed

HALF WAY MARK! I ran 7.42 miles today which takes me over the half way mark. I have run or cycled for an hour for 35 consecutive days so effectively covered 406.35 miles in 35 hours with a total of 403.65 miles to complete my challenge! I have really enjoyed the challenge, it has given me a good focus in these crazy times, my running has really improved and I feel much more comfortable running now and have even enjoyed it which I never thought I would say. The cycling gives me a good opportunity to switch off and get some miles done! Thanks so much for all the support with my challenge so far, it has been absolutely incredible. It is going to really support Bromsgrove Rugby Club and the NHS. If you still want to donate please follow this link: https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/the-road-to-paris

Day 34 of The Road to Paris challenge and I cycled 16.84 miles. A really nice ride through Worcester City, Ombersley, Holt Heath and Hallow, think this is my favourite route to do, it allows me to cover decent milage and is an enjoyable ride. I am getting very close to the half way point and if I can run 7 miles tomorrow then I will be there which would be great. Thanks for all the continued support!

A really steady 3.20 miles today with KP, total moving time was about 35 minutes which both of us were really pleased with. She has run a half marathon before but has not run properly in over a year, so was good to get out and do a continuous 5K. One of the Bromsgrove lads decided to run a marathon today after not doing to much running training, he managed to do it in under 5 hours which is an absolutely incredible effort. I think we are going to be pretty fit as a team before the start of next season, whenever that is going to be! I can't see myself running a marathon any time soon but would like to try and do some longer distances when I have completed my challenge. Roast dinner in the oven, Rugby World Cup Semi final repeat on the TV, beer in hand. Back on the bike tomorrow, all the best. Ed 

32nd day of The Road to Paris challenge and I cycled 16.39 miles. Pretty cool to think that I have either ran or cycled for an hour for 32 consecutive days now, I wonder how many days it will take me to finish! 70-80 maybe? Much better weather today and was great to be out in the Worcestershire countryside, I have loved the cycling so far. I am riding an Eastway road bike that used to belong to my dad which is absolutely awesome, it has been brilliant for me. I am going to treat it to a service after I reach the half way mark as it hasn't been used much before this challenge. Have a great weekend all. Ed

7.23 miles on foot this morning. My legs felt a bit heavy and I have a bit of tightness in my calves but still feeling really good and nearing the half way mark. Today puts my total distance at 362.5 miles meaning I have the small matter of 447.5 miles to go. My fundraising is also going really well with £900 raised already, I have a cheque to cash and further support from my main sponsor DHC services which is absolutely amazing. Please tell you friends and family and I will share my pages even more when I get to the half way stage! All the best, Ed