How Six Mums Went from First-Time Cyclists to Alpine Climbers.
A guest post by, Lea Helman.
If you'd told me five years ago that I'd be cycling over an Alpine mountain pass, I'd have laughed. Back then, my friends and I weren't cyclists - we were six busy mums from Muswell Hill juggling work, family life and 17 children between us. But one slightly crazy idea during the pandemic changed everything...
We were stuck indoors during Covid and watching our children's pre-school teeter on the edge of closure, one of us floated a slightly mad idea: what if we got on our bikes and did something about it? None of us had much cycling experience, but we took a leap of faith and decided to give it a go. We rode London to Brighton anyway, raised £35,000, and saved the school. We were hooked.
Five rides and around £90,000 later, we've pedalled through France, Germany, the
Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden. For our grand finale, we wanted our toughest
challenge yet: the Alps.
The route was a beast, three days from Geneva to the Italian border.
- Day one: 92km from Geneva to Albertville via Lake Annecy, in 37°C heat.
- Day two: 64km of relentless hills to Bourg-Saint-Maurice.
- Day three, the big one: 40km and 2,200m of climbing up to Col du Petit Saint-Bernard, then a white-knuckle descent into Courmayeur.
This time we rode for Breast Cancer UK and PCD Support UK, raising over
£10,000 between them. Almost all of us have a connection to breast cancer through a friend, colleague or loved one. And PCD (a rare genetic condition) is
something two of Helen's sons live with every day. These aren't abstract causes to
us; they're the people we love. When your legs are screaming on a 2,200m climb,
that's what gets you to the top.
Getting ready
We're semi-fit mums, not athletes, so training happened wherever we could squeeze it in. Our spin instructor Marta built us hill-climb classes to prep our legs. Ian from our local bike shop, Northern Heights, mapped our routes, checked our gear and has ridden every single one of our five adventures. Before setting off we were a nervous, excited mess, equal parts "we've got this" and "what have we done?"
This is also where Laka came in. They kindly sponsored our smart jerseys, so we
tackled the mountain in style and comfort. When you're facing 37°C heat and
thousands of metres of climbing, kit that actually works for you makes a real
difference and it meant we crossed that final line looking (almost) as good as we felt.
By the time we reached the Alps, we'd learned that the little things matter. Good kit, reliable bikes and people you trust make a huge difference when you're spending hours in the saddle.
Highs, lows and lifesavers
The views were unreal. The descents were terrifying and fabulous in equal measure. The climbs were, frankly, the worst part but crossing that final line together beat every view on the trip.
We were elated, shattered and so proud. Our couldn't-live-without kit: padded shorts (non-negotiable), electrolytes for the heat, and a support van driven by Helen's husband Phil and friend Sharon, keeping us fuelled and hydrated. Honestly, though, the real essential was each other. The camaraderie carried us through every meltdown.
What we've learned
The past five years has taught us that "semi-fit mums with busy lives" can do extraordinary things. When we first got on our bikes, none of us imagined we'd make it to Brighton - let alone over an Alpine mountain pass. But now we're here.
Our advice? Find a friend, choose a cause you care about, plan a route and just start. You never know where it might take you.
If you'd like to support us, you can still donate here.
Learn about Laka's award-winning Collective cover for cyclists
Discover what's covered and how much it costs to insure your bike with Laka by hitting the link below.
