Help for Heroes are a charity supporting men and women of the Armed Forces who have been wounded in conflict. For 2013, they're turning to cycling to help them reach a £1 million fundraising target in a huge Hero Ride.
On 2 June 2013, thousands of riders will meet on Blackheath Common in London, UK, before cycling 10 miles en masse to the Cenotaph. After laying a wreath at the war memorial they'll make their way past Buckingham Palace and finish at Horse Guards Parade.
How you get to Blackheath is up to you – Help for Heroes are organising a Big Battlefield Bike Ride from Paris, and although that's now full they're also putting on a Dawn Raid Sportive, leaving military recovery centre Tedworth House between 2am and 3am on 2 June. Registration costs just £50.
If you're less of an early bird you can organise your own Hero Ride, leaving on any date as long as you arrive at Blackheath on time. You can start from anywhere in the country and involve as many people as you like, with registration costing £35.
The charity suggest that you raise at least £1 a mile, and Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged his support for the event, saying "I wish Help for Heroes every success in meeting their target of raising £1 million, which will help continue the excellent work that is done at Tedworth House and elsewhere, ensuring our veterans get the support they need and deserve."
Getting in shape
Once you've registered for the Hero Ride, you'll need to start thinking about preparing for the event. BikeRadar Training is designed to help you prepare for charity events just like this one, so we've created a specific group for the Dawn Raid Sportive. You can sign up for free and get in touch with other riders taking part, as well as sharing training tips and monitoring your progress.
And if you're organising your own route to Blackheath you can still use the site to record and analyse your training, log your training routes, get yourself tailored training plans and set goals. Good luck!
