Everest Challenge – RMCH

***We won the Many Hands Charity award. Read the Press Release here***

Mount Everest is 29,000ft high. As the world’s highest point, it is the ultimate achievement to scale it and reach the summit.

Starting at 6am on 26^th June 2016, I cycled Everest, supported by a team of friends, all of us strictly amateur cyclists, who also in relays scaled all 29,000ft, nearly five times. On road bikes. In Macclesfield.

We repeatedly cycled up the infamous Cat’n’Fiddle climb. Each climb/loop was over 1,500ft each and a distance of 7 miles.

Why?

We did this for the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, as part of the Many Hands campaign; another small way of repaying the gratitude to the nurses that saved my 5 day old daughter’s life.

RMCH is the largest children’s hospital in the UK and one I am proud to be a Charity Ambassador for. In the past I have cycled from London to Manchester, taken part in White Collar Boxing (and won!) and driven to the South of France dressed as a priest in a £500 banger.

This year we took it up another notch.

The event was raising money for a Heli-Pad at the Hospital. Barely believable, but the UK’s largest Children’s Hospital doesn’t have a Heli-Pad. Air Ambulances carrying critically injured children are forced to land up to 9 miles away in Barton, they face a 20-30min road journey to the hospital.

Sponsors

We were lucky to have several corporate sponsors. My eternal thanks to every one

This amazing array of leading businesses gave funds and prizes to our cause. Ryman, Haika, The Fragrance Shop,
Team Sky, Arighi Bianchi, Jet2.com,
The Savoy London, MyProtein, Oliver Sweeney,
John Abbott Flooring, Recruit VRX, Daffy’s Gin,
Hunters Gin, Hotel Gotham and Piccolino Alderley Edge.
Prizes included Two Free Flights, a Chris Froome signed jersey, a weekend away at the amazing Savoy, plus a host of others.

Prize Draw can be viewed here: PRIZE DRAW LIVE

Sponsorship is still open here: sponsor.RMCHeverest.com

Equal thanks to our Riders. We had 11 riders that joined me early on the day, some doing just one run, others 3 or 4, some staying just about all day plus a further 5 riders arriving later to replace some of those departing, the hill was never lonely.

All riders received a charity cycle jersey and other kit from both Team Sky and MyProtein, plus coaching/power session from an EIS/British Cycling coach, various elements of training, nutrition and general advice and input plus nutritional products & advice for the ride and more importantly, the weeks leading up to it.

The ride was tough. 1500ft is a lot, once. By the third run it really hurt. By the time we passed 10,000ft Anaerobic tanks were well drained and Aerobic tanks were heavily depleted. As for legs, even the downhill bits hurt.

The weather, initially wet, soon dried up and our downward descent got faster and faster at the same time our climbs got slower. Climbs gradually dropped from 32 minutes to near 50 minutes, but descents dipped under 14 minutes with top speeds over 40 mph.

Spirits picked up even more as the day went on and more and more supporters came to see us. Families, friends and then between 2 and 4pm, we set up a ‘Base Camp’ party with Chocolate-Making thanks to Oli the Choc, Face-Painting, Balloon making, refreshments, muffins from Cafe Bar Arighi, Everest Challenge cupcakes thanks to Cakes by Keri and of course a Gin Bar hosted by the amazing Bernie and thanks to Daffy’s Gin, Hunters Gin and Forest Gin, as well as Fever-Tree for providing the Tonic.

Few things pick spirits up better, and flush energy back into your legs than ~~Gin~~, the sight of you wife and daughter coming running up to you as you arrive back at Arighi Bianchi’s Base Camp. With over 100 people there at one point, the atmosphere at the bottom of the climb was fantastic, and humbling see so many people turn up to support us. And drink Gin!

Eventually, as darkness hit, the weather added to our woes, heavy rain soaked the run making brakes ineffective and low cloud making visibility dangerous (see earlier 40 mph comment…!). With me left as the sole rider, our course director and voice of safety (my dad), deemed it too dangerous for more than one rider and encouraged others to depart so that he could sit permanently behind me, but the collective team had already topped the day at 87 runs.

We’d climbed Everest 4.8 times…

Sponsorship

Fundraising has always been at the core of this ride, and I’m immensely grateful to everyone who donated. Our fundraising for the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital currently stands at nearly £10,000….and still climbing.

Huge thanks to everyone who took part, supported, sponsored and just gave words of encouragement.

The prize draw will be done after Sunday 10th July….last few days to get your name in the hat to win amazing prizes…. sponsor.RMCHeverest.com

Preparation/Training Diary

18th April
Training begins here. 5am start on the turbo:

24th April
Two months to go. Training run up the Alderley Edge Wizard, 7 times:

2nd May
Bank Holiday hill climbing. 38 miles, 3000ft climbs. Thats a fifth of the minimum I’ll do on the day:

4th May
Back on the Turbo for an evening session:

9th May
6th Corporate Sponsor on board, fundraising now close to £4,000 even before individual sponsorship starts

11th May
One last turbo session before resting to prepare for Three Peak Challenge:

19th May
First day back on the bike after the Three Peak Challenge, 60,000 steps, 45km and 3,000m of climbs on foot took it’s toll on legs and knees, but recovered now. Pleasant surprise to see 20w improvement in power on first 45mins turbo session.

23rd May
Surprise benefit of the training, BodyFat percentage lower than ‘Beach Fit’ target. Even more reason to get involved with the ride…! Email me for details of the ride/training

31st May
This week has seen an average of an hour per day on the bike, and now with a family holiday, a bike comes with us…

2nd June
Bike arrived safe (thanks to TeamSky sticker trick from the Bike Shop…). Time to find some Greek Hills to practice on.

3rd June
Increased training had marked impact on stats. An extra Kilogram down and body fat further reduced….. Added incentive for riders? Come and ride with us; Kick start your summer fitness campaign? Rider details HERE