The Gazette's Lauren Hockney is part of a team of riders taking part in an epic seven-day 800km ride from Birmingham to Germany, raising money for leukaemia research. Read Lauren's daily updates from their incredible journey. You can support the team at www.justgiving.com/lauren-hockney1 or text Bpos01 £5 to 70070

WHEN my alarm went off at 5.15am on Saturday morning, I almost felt like I was dreaming, it certainly didn't feel like I was about to embark on a 500 mile bike ride, taking myself and five others from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Birmingham, to Hamelin - yep that's right, Hamelin as in the Pied Piper, Hamelin in North Germany!

I'm joining leukaemia survivor Jonjo Rooney, his girlfriend Danielle Morgan, tireless fundraiser and Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research Trustee, John Reeve, who lost his son Tim to acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in 2005, and two of Jonjo's friends Matt Gill and Andy Woodbridge.

Together with our drivers Ashley Ingram and Charlotte Vowden we are team Hero of Hamelin!

We are cycling to the German town in order to meet the man who helped to save Jonjo's life in 2007 through a stem cell transplant. It will be the first time the pair have met and is an incredible and inspirational source of motivation for us all.

Myself, John and his wife Sandra arrived in Birmingham just after 10am where we met the rest of our team to have a brilliant send off from the hospital from where Jonjo was not only born, but also had his life-saving treatment.

I was also boosted by a visit from an old and very dear school friend, Hannah Carter, who is now a GP in the city - how nice it was to see a friendly face and someone to joke with me about chaffing and the padding in my shorts, which is far from glam!

The first leg of our journey took us along the tow paths running alongside the canals in Birmingham, many of the views were like something you'd see on a postcard, the narrow boats painted in a variety of colours and the quaint gardens backing on to the water caught all our eyes and I couldn't help but hum the theme tune to Rosie and Jim as we pedalled along!

Gazette:

We couldn't go at a particularly fast pace due to the terrain going from gravel to tarmac and grass to stoney pathways. We all have road bikes too and it's safe to say they are not built to race along those routes, but it was so beautiful and kept us predominantly off the busy Saturday roads.

We passed many a pub garden, saying hello to those enjoying a pint and glass of wine (and feeling slightly jealous in equal measure!)

Those people on their narrow boats also waved and said hello, almost looking baffled at what this bunch of cyclists in their red, white and black strip were up to.

It was an amazing thought when I actually took the time to think about what it is we're doing, we weren't just out for a nice ride in the sun to while away our Saturday afternoon, we are doing something many people will never do in a lifetime and raising money for three great charities at the same time - Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, the Anthony Nolan Trust and Bpostive, a new charity launched by team mates John and Jonjo to support patients with acute leukaemia and their families.

Gazette:

After leaving Birmingham just before midday we were about two hours behind schedule so our day one final destination, Wellingborough, was not going to be within our reach until much later in the day.

It was actually 9pm before we got there and the last eight miles of our journey was done in darkness! We all had lights but it was a scary experience to say the least, mainly because I feared hitting a pesky pothole and either damaging myself or my bike! However, we made it one piece having covered just over 70 miles in the day and it was good to know we would start day two on track.

After a cold bath, hot bath and a quick bite to eat it felt so good to get into bed at our hotel and get some much needed rest.