The road to Cannes: a blog from Sam Leader

First time Knight Frank Cycle to MIPIM rider Sam Leader is a Real Estate Insurance Broker at team sponsor Lockton. Here, he documents his training progress and feelings of trepidation (probably shared by nearly every participant new to the event) as the departure day on 6th March draws closer...  

Training is well under way, with only four weeks to go before the cyclists leave London and embark on a journey through France. The cycle finishes at MIPIM in Cannes, the largest real estate conference in the world and takes on 1,445km in only six days. A mammoth challenge with an amazing group of riders raising money for three inspiring charities; Coram Adoption (transforming the lives of young people by helping them find their forever home), Cyclists Fighting Cancer (by getting them pedalling on their road to recovery) and Tom ap Rhys Pryce Memorial Trust (by helping disadvantaged young people in central London realise the potential of their own lives).

This is the first time I have ridden Cycle to MIPIM. As a keen runner who sometimes commutes on the bike (a self-proclaimed inexperienced cyclist), the thought of cycling an incredible distance and climbing thousands of metres in the French mountains whilst most people are après skiing at that time, is very daunting.

I have heard of some real horror stories from previous rides from starting each day on minimal sleep having burnt thousands of calories the day before to riding in -2 degrees conditions, and fighting wind and rain, only to have another four full days of cycling ahead of you. The road to Cannes seems so close yet so far away. Why would anyone ever sign up to this?!

Keeping focussed and goal orientated by training for these types of events, pushes me to perform across all areas of my personal and professional life. As a real estate insurance broker representing clients at a global level, I encounter challenges every day and it is my job to solve them and help protect my clients’ businesses. Through teamwork and unity with colleagues and clients, we solve these problems no matter how difficult we think they are to overcome.

Cycling is often seen as a solo sport, however it is very much the opposite. When you’re struggling up that mountain with no energy and another few hundred metres to go, it will only be your team who can help get you to the end. The challenge and the teamwork needed to get to that end goal is why I signed up, as well as getting the chance to raise a massive amount of cash for three amazing charities.

So when you’re packing your bags and boarding your flights to France, please think of all of us struggling up that last mountain before we begin our descent into Cannes. I look forward to meeting everyone at the finish line.

You can sponsor Sam and Team Lockton here.