Over the last decade, Britain has become a nation of cycling enthusiasts, spurred on to take to two wheels for environmental reasons, and the success of Brits at the Olympics and in the Tour de France. Our love of the bike has led to a huge surge in cycling holidays, which can offer an opportunity to unearth hidden corners of our chosen destination, a chance to meet others (as cycling is so often a group activity) and an excuse to drag the kids away from their iPads.

A 29-year-old man from Banbury is taking part in the Morrisons Great Birmingham Run on Sunday 18^th October in an effort to complete a 333.05 mile running challenge, and raise money for SANDS, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity. Tom Venner, an automotive executive, will run the last of his 17 half marathons on 18^th October, and the penultimate running event of a total of 25. 

A 27-year-old man from Birmingham is attempting to break four world records, for the fastest half marathon times wearing a variety of fancy dress costumes. James Drakeford, a magazine editor who lives in central Birmingham, has already set a new world record time for a half marathon wearing a graduation gown, which he set in June at the Liverpool Rock n Roll Marathon.

Commonwealth Games Federation [CGF] Presidential candidate Louise Martin CBE has unveiled her election Manifesto and vision called 'Unlocking Our Potential.'   Martin, who is a CGF Executive Board Member and Honorary Secretary, promises a new era of leadership in order to deliver enhanced revenues to all 71 Commonwealth Games Associations [CGAs] and grow the status and profile of the Games.  

A champion of public health is making sure a holiday doesn't get in the way of fundraising efforts by taking part in the Carvers Wolverhampton Cycle Marathon two weeks early. Councillor Sandra Samuels, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, is not available when the Carvers Marathon events take place in Wolverhampton on Sunday 6 September, 2015 – so she is getting in the saddle and riding 20km around West Park this Friday (21 August, 2015).

After his backing from, and nominated by, UK Athletics, Lord Sebastian Coe is now the new IAAF President at the global governing body’s Congress in Beijing. The 1980 and 1984 Olympic 1500m champion defeated Ukrainian pole vault legend Sergey Bubka by 115 votes to 92. Coe’s election was part of a clean sweep for candidates nominated by UK Athletics at the Congress, with all five British candidates being elected to various positions.