Aidy and I are cycling the 198 mile Coast to Coast in three days then running back 167 miles to the start point in five days (daily runs of 25-40 miles) over high, challenging terrain.

The Coast to Coast to Coast is the Grand Daddy of the Fierce FIVE Challenges. Joined by my good friend Adrian Massey, we are cycling the longer, more difficult Wainrights Coast to Coast route from St. Bees to Robin Hoods Bay and looking to complete this in three days, which is in itself a very tough challenge as this is usually only attempted over four or five days.
Then, on day four we are going to run BACK to St. Bees doing a marathon a day for five days over the mountainous terrain of the North Yorkshire Moors, Yorkshire Dales and Lake District National Park. EIGHT days of mixing pure, physical hell with the best views in the UK..

These are pretty much the two routes that we will be taking, averaging over 50 miles a day for both cycling and running. We’ll be looking to make good ground every day, cycling for on average 7 hours and 7 hours running. Being realistic, this is going to take a lot longer every day due to some horrific inclines we will have to ascent, we are just going off Google Navigation cycling/running approximations.

Elevation Profile – St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay – 3 Day Cycle

Elevation Profile – Robin Hood’s Bay to St Bees – 5 Day Run

Aidy and I will be doing lots of training up towards the challenge, including 90 mile cycles and 40 mile runs. A significant investment will also go towards paying for B&Bs, cycle hire, energy supplements, equipment and daily food costs.

The money raised for completing this challenge will go towards the charitable fund for The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (RJAH) who have been instrumental in not only saving my dad’s life, but also giving him the hope and optimum care which has given him a new lease of life.

Last year was a very difficult and testing time for my dad and our family after he discovered he had cancer and a tumour the size of a rubgy ball had grown under his right hip. Unfortunately, amputation of his right leg and part of his hip was the only option available to give my dad the chance of a full life, but even the operation itself was extremely life risking, supposedly more complicated to complete than a triple heart bypass. Thankfully, the operation was a complete success, thanks to not only the shear determination of my dad but the incredible care, professionalism of EVERY member of staff from the surgeons to the cleaning staff.

Our family owe so much thanks to the RJAH NHS Foundation Trust and I thought that raising money for them would be the perfect way of saying thank you. We will be hoping to complete this extreme test of endurance, having to go through extreme tests of pain and suffering, having to will ourselves on every mile. Regardless of how hard it will get, this challenge will be dedicated and a testament to my father who did all of this when he had no other option, doing so without (many) complaints, remaining positive for himself and the whole family.

Please please please give a little of what you can to this unbelievable Trust. Every penny raised will go to them, none of our personal funds will be reimbursed.

The RJAH Foundation Trust website says:

Your donation can make a difference. Help us to:

• support research and develop new treatments
• provide state of the art equipment and facilities
• provide extra comfort to our patients

I have set up a JustGiving donations page which you can donate to by clicking this link. Please give whatever you can, whether it’s big or small, even if it’s just a £1 – it will all help and be very well spent by the Trust on people like my dad who need to be given the optimum care to survive cancer and other life threatening problems.

Hills……………….