Zac Clayton's Round The World Bike Ride - The Final Leg

One of our 2012 PledgeLedge finalists, Zac Clayton, has spent the last 10 months cycling around the world for charity WaterAid. Last week he landed in Portugal to begin his final 2,500km home leg, and he' s due to arrive at the finish line in London this Saturday (23rd March).

We've loved reading about the adventure through his ZacPlusBike challenge page, but despite pedaling over 27,000km across 300+ days; he's still £1000 short of his fundraising target.

As you're probably aware, the weather in Europe isn't exactly pleasant at the moment, so Zac's last few thousand kilometers have been shaping up to be his hardest. Considering the massive effort he's made on this round-the-world expedition, please join us in supporting him - there's few people more deserving!

You can follow Zac on Twitter or via his blog; he'd love some support or a retweet if you can spare it!

 

 

 

 

Doug Stidolph 2012

Pledge Ledge 2013 - The Winners & Their Challenges

So, our 2013 Pledge Ledge competition has come to a close, and out of the dozens of challenges - some borderline certifiable - our 3 winners have emerged!

1st Place - £500
Name: Kris King
Charity Cause: Huntington's Disease Association
Challenges: Circumference Run & Coasthunting

Kris has actually lined up two challenges - one of which will take him into 2014, but the preparation required for it this year makes his entry more than valid! First-off, he has joined a group of 20 runners from across the globe in a 'Circumference Run'; where the group of 20 will - between them - aim to run 25,000 miles (the circumference of the Earth) in a year; per runner that averages out at just under a marathon a week!

Secondly - and more prolific - is the Coasthunting challenge. This will involve 31 consecutive days alternating between running a marathon and 100 mile cycle rides, without a single rest day. In the process, Kris will travel around the entire coastline of Britain; covering about 2000 miles under his own steam!

Visit Kris' fundraising page here

 

 

 

2nd Place - £400
Name: Alex Murray
Charity Cause: SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) Trust
Challenge: UK Perimeter Challenge

Alex is a keen road-cyclist, and as such will be taking on the UK Perimeter Challenge later in 2013. Along with fellow Aberystwyth athletes Sam Kania and Adam Gouha; he will be aiming to cycle 100 miles every day for 25 days; a total distance of 2500 miles!

Unfortunately last Friday we found out Alex had managed to break his ankle during training, so we're wishing him a speedy recovery and a quick route back to the bike!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3rd Place - £300
Name: Matt Rogerson
Charity Causes: Breakthro Llanelli, The Bobby Moore Fund & The British Heart Foundation
Challenge: The Premiere League-21 Run

University lecturer (and apparent football fanatic) Matt Rogerson has set himself a gruelling 25 day run across the UK, travelling via the 21 most successful Premier League Football Clubs of all-time. Starting from Newcastle United on March 28th, Matt will have to average 28 miles of running each day, in order to reach London in time to finish with the Virgin London Marathon on April 21st!

Visit Matt's fundraising page here

In an act of good sportsmanship and respect; Matt has requested we share his award with 4th place runner-up, Allan Rumbles; who has pledged to run an astonishing 66 miles a day for  2-and-a-half weeks in aid of The Children's Trust. If he achieves this, it will be a New World Record!

Visit Allan's fundraising page here

 

We wish Kris, Alex, Matt and Allan - along with everyone who took part in the competition - the very best of luck through 2013! Feel free to post or tweet stories/pictures/video of your training and challenges to us, and we might just share it out to spread the word!

Tell us your 2013 challenge for your chance to win £500! - SportPursuit Pledge Ledge 2013

 

With the arrival of Blue Monday, we're well and truly into 2013; and New Years Resolutions are at the make-or-break point - are those ambitions, challenges or escapades really feasible this year?

Well, we have no idea what your plans are, so we're going to be impulsive and say yes; they are feasible this year! Furthermore, we've brought back the SportPursuit Pledge Ledge; meaning one lucky SportPursuiter will be start their February with an extra £500 to put towards achieving their 2013 goal!*

Last year's winner was Paul Smith, who pledged to run 12 marathons/half-marathons through 2012, in aid of children's charity, 'When You Wish Upon A Star' (read more about Paul)

Your challenge can be as varied and ambitious as you deem sane; for example, here's a series of posts from one of last-year's finalists, Zac Clayton; who is currently still  in the midst of his 29,000km bike ride around the world! (alternatively, you can support Zac via his JustGiving page; what he's doing is genuinely awe-inspiring).

Head to our Facebook page before January 29th and add your pledge to our Pledge Ledge; voting is open until January 31st, at which point a winner will be chosen - so what are you waiting for!? Enter the SportPursuit Pledge Ledge here!

Good luck!

 

*Well, £400; £100 goes to the charity or cause of your choosing!

Andy Knight - Average Joe Challenge 2013

SportPursuit are regularly approached by groups and individuals requesting sponsorship or support for their adventures and endeavors; many of them with compelling stories behind them. We felt Andy Knight deserved a special mention, on account of the huge challenge he's set himself, and the very touching cause behind it. We're looking forward to following Andy through his 'Average Joe Challenge' next year, and wanted to share his story, as it's well-worth a read.

My name is Andy Knight; I’ve been working in the leisure industry for over 10 years now, and I don’t know about you but I have been truly inspired by the sporting events of this summer.

So if 2012 has been the year of the Olympian and elite athletes, 2013 should be about the Average Joe, the boy next door, the Tommy Try-hard as we try to inspire a generation!

Now I’m not your typical endurance athlete. I weigh-in at about 14 stone, and I have a few too many vices like alcohol and crisps...I tend to wobble a bit when I run. That said, I’ve not exactly been sat idle these past couple years; like many people I've decided to set myself some life challenges, and in the process raised money for some great causes. However, after completing my first Ultra Marathon in May this year - where I ran/walked 100km from London to Brighton in 17 hours - I thought that was going to be it for a while.

I've been blown away by the generosity of friends, family and corporate sponsors - especially considering money is tight and I keep coming back for more! Even more amazingly, everyone has asked me the same question (knowing full-well that it means I’ll come back hounding them again); “what next?!”.

Well, indeed, what next? What can possibly top cycling from Lands' End to John O'Groats, or completing 100km on foot?

This is when I had a brainwave. Why keep tackling these challenges as individual events? Instead, I thought, I could run more events closer together; and use the training from one to propel me into the next! I set my mind on tackling 12 challenges in 12 months, and the 'Average Joe Challenge' was born!.

Every month of 2013, I will be completing a major physical challenge; the list so-far looks like this:

• January - Country to Capital Ultra Marathon (44miles) - confirmed
• 
February - London Ultra Marathon (50k) - confirmed
• March - New Forest Ultra Marathon (50k) - confirmed
• 
April - 6 Marathons in 6 Days - confirmed
• 
May - Castle 100m Cycle sportive - confirmed
• 
June - Wiggle Dragon Ride Gran Fondo (206k) - confirmed
• 
July - TBC
• 
August - Coast to Coast in 1 Day (145m) - Confirmed
• 
September - London Duathlon (RunBikeRun) – waiting for entry to open
• October - Snowdonia Marathon – waiting for entry to open
• 
November - Winter 100 mile run – waiting for entry to open
• 
December - TBC

As you will see I’m aiming to push myself (and my marriage, come to think of it) to the limit, as I will have very little time to recover between challenges...so why am I doing this!?

Well I’m doing it for two reasons

1. To push myself physically and mentally, and more importantly...
2. To raise money for charity.

Previously, I have focused my fundraising efforts on large-scale children's charities; but this time I have a smaller, independent cause with a far more personal connection; raising money for the Springboard Opportunity Group.

Just over 12 months ago, two close friends of mine gave birth to a beautiful baby girl called Eva. Sadly, whilst I had been able to celebrate the birth of my own baby girl just 2 weeks earlier; they could only watch as Eva required a number of tests for something that they had not been expecting.

It was not confirmed straight away, but after several stressful days Eva was diagnosed with Downs Syndrome.

Now becoming parents for the first time brings its own challenges - and can be difficult enough to get your head around - so having to understand the complexities of Downs Syndrome on top of this put a huge emotional strain on Eva's family. Now one, Eva is developing well and is a very smiley and beautiful girl; thanks in no small part to the Springboard Opportunity Group - which Eva attends regularly.

Springboard are an independent local charity, dedicated to supporting parents and caring for children with special needs, through the key first five years of their lives. Find out more here.

I have been very fortunate that all of my entries to the events have been funded by Alliance Leisure, meaning all the sponsorship raised will go directly to the charity. I am aiming to raise £5,000 for charity and one way of doing this is by getting each of the challenges sponsored. Thus far I have sponsors signed up for four.

Of course any donation would be gratefully received, whether this is in monetary terms for the charity, or clothing, equipment and vital supplies that will get me through the training and challenges.

I'm sure you think I'm insane. That I'm over-compensating for something. That I'm going through a mid-life crisis or am trying to avoid being at home with my wife and kids. One thing is for certain; I’m never going to win a gold, silver or bronze medal at these evenets, or represent my country at any national sporting event. But I CAN make a difference to these families and children who really need it. After all, this is only one year of my life, compared to the years of support that these families and children need.

Thanks for taking the time to read this; If you would be willing to support me, or if you'd like to discuss some of the many ways you can help, please feel free to contact me at knightany1@gmail.com

(Details for my blog can be found at – http://averagejoechallenge2013.blogspot.com, and my Donation Page details can be found at – http://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/averagejoe)

Introducing: Liz 'Runnerstood' Goodchild

SportPursuit would like to welcome born-again marathon runner Liz Goodchild as our new running guest-blogger. Since starting Runnerstood in early-2011,  the wild-haired author has completed marathons, half-marathons and ultra-marathons across the globe. We look forward to feeling inspired...and unfit.

Four years ago, I got up from the couch where I had lazily dozed all day, put on a pair of old trainers and declared that I was going for a run.

I don’t really know why I suddenly decided to go for that run.

Running had never interested me before. In fact, exercise had never interested me before.

I stepped out of my front door and jogged ever so slowly for approximately half a kilometer down the road, before running out of breath and cramping up.

I limped back home, beaten yet invigorated.

I remember that run so very clearly. It is firmly etched in my mind amongst other life-changing events – the kind that roll in like a huge barrel wave, knocking you sideways, sucking you into their terrifying vastness, and then spitting you out the other side, spluttering and bewildered, yet enlightened.

Back home, standing in my kitchen, clutching the work-surface as I stretched my screaming calves, I felt something change within me – an almost inexplicable shift in how I identified with myself, like a magnetic organic pull.

A tiny seed had been planted. A tiny running seed that would quietly cultivate a flourishing new me.

The next day, I laced up my trainers again and went out for another run, this time venturing a little further. I think I ran about 5K in total – an uncomfortable walk-jog-walk combination, and yet despite the discomfort, I felt strong, capable and empowered. Once more, I returned home exhausted but elated.

Several months passed by and I slowly but surely managed to run 10 kilometers or so without stopping. One day, whilst running to work, I noticed a local half marathon advertised on a lamppost, and so I impulsively signed up for it, knowing that I would have to train hard. I scoured the Internet for half-marathon training plans, and bought myself a pair of proper running trainers, clothes and a Garmin GPS watch. My days were arranged around my running schedule, and I constantly read books and magazine articles to garner tips and advice on becoming a better runner.

Weeks of training went by and I started to feel so much better, I lost weight and began to pay better attention to the way I fuelled my body so that I could run faster and for longer. Most importantly, my attitude towards the way I viewed myself also started to change. I had always thought that I wasn’t capable of doing things; I’d spent so many years hiding in the shadows, too afraid to step up and challenge myself in life, and yet here I was, training for a half marathon on a whim and pushing my body and mind to places I’d never been before.

There were days when I wanted to give up.

I’ve lost count of the amount of times that I would sit under a tree in the local park, part of my running route, head in hands, crying with frustration.

Running challenges me in ways that I’ve never experienced – it pushes and prods and hurts and dares me to go further, faster, and harder. It would have been so easy to just bail, let myself be beaten, but I didn’t. I wouldn’t allow it.

Today I can look back on two completed marathons, 1 ultra-marathon and a hand-full of half marathons.

I am still running.

When I run, nothing matters. It’s just me and the sky and the ground beneath my feet. My day can be horrific, my shoulders stooped and burdened with the cumbersome bags of emotion I regularly heave upon them, and yet when I run, I shake myself free, my heart races and the furnace in my body burns with a fiery intensity.

Running is so much more to me than just exercise. Running provides me with a mental and spiritual strength that I just cannot channel from any other source. Running brings me home and help sme to deepen my relationship with myself. A 20 mile training run can kick-up a multitude of physical challenges; blisters, cramping, chafing, swollen feet and aching, and yet the mental hurdles are often the worst to contend with, specifically the all-encompassing desire to just STOP.

But I never do.

I keep on running. I keep on digging deep. Running unleashes my inner-badass and I stride purposefully, powered by a strength that resonates and rumbles loudly from within. Running challenges everything I think I am. I’ve never been one to stick at anything, I half-heartedly practice playing the guitar, I don’t write nearly enough as much as I intend to, I make plans and then break them, but I rarely miss a run. I am consistent and disciplined and I. Stick.  At. It.

Running is where I find my peace; my thoughts flow clearly, and I feel capable, content and passionate about my life.

Most of all, I run because I can.

Zac Clayton's Global Cycling Trip Update

 

On May 1st 2012 Zac Clayton, our Pledge Ledge Competition finalist, embarked on an 11 month circumnavigation of the globe, cycling 29,000 kilometres through 21 countries in order to raise money and awareness for Wateraid.

Halfway round, he shares his experience with us so far...

 

"Just over 5 months ago I left the UK on a mission to cycle around the world. I’m now halfway, having cycled more than 15,500km through 18 countries - from England to Hong Kong. It’s been far from plain sailing - challenges have been thrown up left, right and centre - but it’s been the adventure of a lifetime and deciding to take it on ranks as the best decision I’ve ever made!

 

After leaving the UK I cycled east through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, reaching Istanbul in Turkey after just short of 4 weeks on the bike. Europe was my settling in period - getting used to my gear, cutting out bits I didn’t want (even the labels from my clothes in one fit of weight-saving madness!) and finding a rhythm and routine. If my cycle through Europe stood alone I would complain about the hills in Bulgaria, the rain in Germany and the awful roads in Romania...but since then I’ve had far worse, so looking back now Europe seems almost a walk in the park!

 

Cycling through Turkey, at first following the coast of the Black Sea and then cutting southeast towards Iran, gave me a little perspective. The climbs along the Black Sea coast and up onto the Anatolian Plateau made the hills in Bulgaria look like speedbumps; thunderstorms in the east of Turkey made the rain in Germany seem like a light shower; and 5 minutes of cycling with the traffic in Istanbul made me dream of the empty potholed roads in Romania! I was getting into my stride though, so was never too fazed. After all, there’s only one way to go when you’re dodging in and out of 4 lanes of traffic, and that’s forward!

 

After Turkey came Iran - unquestionably the most fascinating and enjoyable country I’ve ever cycled through. After all the media reports in the West part of me had expected the pictures they painted of Islamic extremism and danger to be borne out in reality - but the truth couldn’t have been further from that as I came face-to-face with the most friendly, hospitable and knowledgeable people I’ve ever come across. Practically every night I was invited into someone’s home, to meet their family, be treated to a meal and offered a bed for the night - experiencing the sort of openness towards strangers that you simply don’t come across in the West. The cycling was getting tough though - as I moved east temperatures eased over 40C, pushing towards 50C at times. In the desert I was forced to cycle at night to avoid being completely cooked in the day, as well as having to carry vast quantities of water as the distances between towns increased.

 

After Iran came the ‘Stans - Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kygyzstan - a part of the world that never makes the headlines at home, still with one foot stuck in recent Soviet history. Turkmenistan was the toughest, beyond a doubt, due to the decision by the Turkmen authorities to only grant me a 3 day transit visa to cross the country - over 500km of empty and inhospitable desert (I still, despite enquiries, have failed to find out why I wasn’t given the standard 5 day visa!). In normal conditions this would have been a brutal cycle, but I was unfortunate enough to encounter a 40km/h headwind and the worst roads I’ve ever seen, and after a day and a half of grinding into it had no choice but to take a train for a section, to make sure I exited the country on time and wasn’t deported!

Next came Uzbekistan, which while still posing the headwind/heat/bad road challenges, was tackled off the clock and allowed me to recover somewhat! The next section of the cycle was originally meant to be tackling the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan - the second highest road in the world, and a long-term dream of mine - but a week before I got there war broke out between rebels and government forces (many people died) and the government closed off the entire region to foreigners, forcing me to find an alternative route. I eventually settled for a little-used border crossing with Kyrgyzstan that avoided the war zone, even though accurate information on its state of openness was impossible to come by. In the event some smooth talking got me through, although there were one or two hairy moments! Kyrgyzstan proved to be a gem of unspoiled, high altitude (continuously cycling above 3,000m, peaking at 3,800m) wilderness cycling - utterly fantastic.

From Kyrgyzstan I entered China, which deserves an article all to itself for its size and variety! For the first 2,000km or so I crossed the enormous Taklamakan Desert, locally known as ‘the Desert of Death’, pumping in some big days - including many over 200km, no mean feat on a fully loaded touring bike - to get out of it quickly. After the desert I made the choice to continue cycling southeast towards Hong Kong, rather than Beijing which had been my original goal - an addition of 1,400km, partly to make up for not doing the Pamirs. I stuck with my original departure date from China though, so kept the pace up - hitting a high of 306km in one day - as I crossed the Tibetan Plateau and a new high of 3,900m. To put that in perspective, the highest mountain in the UK is only 1,344m above sea level! The last part of China - 2,500km or so - was much more densely populated, and learning how to navigate mega-cities of 10 million people or more became second nature. The task wasn’t made any easier by my gears breaking, meaning the last 2,000km to Hong Kong had to be cycled in 1 gear. Not much fun up the hills, trust me!

 

All in all, it has been an immensely rewarding experience...and I’m only halfway! Australia is beckoning, and New Zealand, the USA and more of Europe after that. I’m expecting more tough moments - but equally, many more high points. You can follow the journey on my website at www.zacplusbike.com, as well as find out more about the stories I’ve touched on here and what possessed me to get on the bike in the first place!"

 

Help Zac reach his fundraising target of £10,000 for WaterAid

Have you been Bitten by the Triathlon Bug?

SportPursuit member, Charlie Duff, talks about how she got bitten by the triathlon bug and the journey she took to transform her life. Well done Charlie, we salute you!

"I suppose it started in Paris. Five days of craziness. We had a great time. A huge amount of sight seeing. We didn't stop except to eat. We went to all kinds of amazing interesting vegetarian places and really went off the beaten track. We took a ton of photos. And when we had chance to upload them to Facebook, it was clear. I was really very fat. Turning into a ball. I'm about 5ft so I'm really short and it's not difficult to become that wide. Or so it seemed. I was certainly heading that way.

Paris 2007                                                                                                               Charlie 2010

I hadn't been near a set of scales in a long time but I got on the first pair I found. I was almost 12 stone.  And let's face it. That's too much. My BMI was over 30, and my waist was expanding - 34 inches and only set to get bigger at this rate.  I was also really unhappy with how I looked. I was trying to hide it, forget it, ignore it. And it wasn't like I was gorging on fast food, greasy kebabs and takeaways. I had been a vegan for six years and was just eating too much for my activity level and height. I knew it was getting too much. I was walking into high street shops, squeezing into size 16 or 18 clothes. It was a fight, not fun and I had resigned myself to a lifetime of shopping in larger lady stores.

Fed up with my figure, I had started running in January 2007. I bought some cheap trainers and went out and ran for 20 minutes straight and I hurt so much the next day. I 'ran' a few times a week and did the Race for Life in Cardiff that summer. I have no idea how long it took me but I was slower than all my friends. I was also having knee pain and trouble with my arches. So that was shelved for the time being.

I hadn't caught the running bug in any shape or form, but I decided that once I had a job there was no excuse. After I left university I was lucky enough to get a job straightaway on a magazine. I remember now what I wore to the interview: the brown skirt, top and jacket I'd worn to my step brother's wedding. It was from Principles and was size 14. I gave myself a few weeks to settle into the job. I continued to eat ice cream, crisps and drank wine daily. When I got home I played scrabble online, had dinner and went to bed. My confidence was low and I felt out of place next to other journalists. They all looked so glamorous and thin. The time had come to join the gym.

Again I was lucky. The local leisure centre had an amazing, high tech gym, and a pool onsite. That was really where it all started. I was persuaded by the swimming instructor to join his Master's class. And he promised me I'd get fit if I could just get through the door.
I became a regular, swimming with the Masters twice a week and working out at the gym four times a week. The staff became friends and helped me with my weight loss goal. I cut down my portions, cut down on sugar and started relying less on carbs to keep me going through the day.

Gradually the pounds fell off. I dropped from a size 16-14 to a size 8-10. I ditched all my old clothes. My bra size went from a 38C to a 30E, and my measurements went from 44-34-44 to a 33-25-35. More importantly, my BMI was finally in the healthy range, and my blood pressure, which had been hypertensive, was textbook perfect. I even went down a shoe size!

It had taken me 18 months. At the same time I began my first real job, commuted for two hours each day and led a full life. I had put on lots of confidence, and I needed a new challenge. Sure, I was working out a lot. But some of the awesome men and women I swam with were doing these multisport events - triathlons. Crazy idea, but strangely compelling. Swim, then bike, then run. I quizzed them about it. They encouraged me to enter. I decided that next season I would be the one doing them too. There were only a few things standing in my way - I didn't have a bike, I wasn't fit enough and I hated running. But I felt if I could overcome these, then I'd have proof that I'd changed, that I was fit - for the first time in my life.

I researched what would be a good beginner triathlon. I decided upon a sprint nearby in Wales. A 400m pool swim would save me having to tackle open water and buy a wetsuit. Followed by a 19km bike ride, then a 5km run on a flat, grassy field. I only really began training properly in May for the event in July. By this point I'd moved jobs and homes and I forced myself out after work to train. I had trainers properly fitted to help me run without pain. Swimming went well and I started brick training once a week as well. I raced up hills on my bike in the spring sunshine and ran in the park.

I also joined a club - badTri - and they helped me train. I bought my first tri suit - club branded - and proudly trained in my red and black onesie.

I cajoled friends, workmates and family (who all thought I was insane) into sponsoring me for my first endeavour and raised over £600 for my charity, Against Malaria.

On the day I was fired up and ready to go. I had my box packed, transitions practiced and race number drawn on.

When I got into the water I knew what I had to do. I swam the 400m in 7.35 minutes, faster than I'd ever done it before. Jogging into transition I went over the bike course in my mind. I crammed on my helmet, pinned on my race number and put on my trainers. The cycle took me less than 45 minutes and I parked back up and set off for the run. I got a bad stitch almost immediately. I really struggled to get going at all. I had to walk for a short time and just had to breathe through the pain. I thought about stopping. I gave up on a good time. I decided stopping wasn't an option. Finally I got into it and crossed the line with a time of more than 33 minutes.

I came 20th, but it wasn't about placement for me. It was about finishing. And that was it. I'd done it. I had proved it. I was a triathlete!"

 

Zac sets off on his Cycle Challenge

The 1st May saw Pledge Ledge runner up Zac Clayton embark on his incredible journey...to hop on his bike and cycle around the world. Zac took to the time to update us at the beginning on the road, on the train down to Dover.

 

"The world cycle is practically upon me now (merely a matter of hours!) so I thought now would be a good time to bring you all up-to-date. Thankfully everything is in order and I feel that I’ve covered all the bases in my preparation - and as I’m sitting on a train down to Dover with all my gear as I write this, it’s a bit late if I haven’t! The last few weeks have been a bit of a mad rush and I’ve had to keep a lot of plates spinning at once, so its quite a relief to actually feel that the adventure has begun - that its time to stop worrying about the ‘what ifs’ and start focusing on dealing with whatever the world has to throw at me and my bike!

Of course, I have put some considerable time and effort into erasing some of the more worrying what-ifs - things like visas, insurance, good quality equipment and most of my flights have been received or bought, and plenty of training has left me feeling in pretty good shape. I did a 370km ride down to London over 3 days with all of my equipment towards the beginning of April to test things out and see where I was at, which thankfully went off without a hitch. I covered the average distance of 120-130km (about the world cycle average) pretty easily, finishing up by 3pm or so every day - so certainly room to fit some longer days of 160km+ into the mix.

I have however, cut down on some of my gear since the trial run - I set off loaded up with everything and the kitchen sink, which made going up hills somewhat snail-like! When I got back I made a few tough decisions and have taken around 8-10kg of gear out, with the result that I have around 22kg strapped to the bike - certainly not light by any means, but better than it was!

I have also organized a few hosts for my first month on the road, with the result that I should get a shower at least once every 3 days - something which I’m sure will please any locals I meet! I’ve done this using the WarmShowers network, which is similar to CouchSurfing in that generous hosts offer you a bed (and shower!) for the night, but is run entirely for cyclists. Hosts are usually cyclists themselves, so generally have a good understanding of what you need after a long day on the road - and of course, it’s a great way to meet new, like-minded people. It’s a global network so I’m hoping to make use of it fairly often - and I’d recommend it highly to any touring cyclist looking for an occasional break from camping!

It’s time to stop worrying about things like that now though, and purely focus on the cycling, as the next month will be a tough one as I shoot through Europe to Istanbul in Turkey. I plan to have 5 days off there to pick up my Iranian visa and do a bit more planning, among other things. Before that though, I’m planning on 28 days (25 cycling) to cover Europe which, although comparatively easy in terms of terrain, will be among the biggest in the entire cycle in terms of daily distance covered. My body will also be acclimatizing to the new demands I’ll be putting it under, so I’m certainly expecting a challenge!

It’s one that excites me though, and I cannot wait to hit the tarmac (not literally, I hope!) tomorrow morning and start getting miles under my belt. I’ve been dreaming of this moment for years so for it finally to be here is both pretty emotional and, of course, utterly fantastic!

I hope you enjoy following the challenge over the next 11 months - you can follow my live (GPS) progress on my website, as well as getting updates via Facebook and Twitter. Finally and most importantly, you can make a donation to WaterAid, the charity I’m fundraising for, at http://www.justgiving.com/zacsworldcycle. They do unbelievable work and I want to raise £10,000 for them - something which would really add true meaning to my cycle.

 

Enjoy the ride and wish me luck!

 

Around the world in 29,000km...on a bike.

Zac came to our attention when he entered the SportPursuit Pledge Ledge Competition earlier this year. His Pledge is to cycle 29,000 km around the world where his travels will take him through Turkmenistan, Australia and beyond. We caught up with Zac to find out how such a crazy idea came into his head and how he is preparing for his set off date in May. Zac's chosen charity throughout his challenge is WaterAid. If you are as moved by his challenge as we are, you can donate to the cause here.

 

"On May 1st I leave my home in the UK to travel 29,000km around the world by bicycle. The challenge will take me under 11 months to complete as I cycle through 21 countries and some of the toughest environments and conditions the world has to offer, completely solo and unsupported. My route has it all - multiple, blisteringly hot deserts, high altitude passes in excess of 15,000 feet, subzero temperatures and some of the most unpredictable and unforgiving weather you can imagine. I’ll tackle it at an average of 120-130km a day - more on flat ground and less in the mountain sections. Take into account a robust (read heavy!) trekking bike, 25-30kg of equipment and up to a further 12 litres of water and the scale of the task starts to become clear (and I start to question my sanity in taking it on!).

Of course, I won’t be putting foot to pedal in May entirely unprepared. Since graduating university in 2010 my sole focus has been the world cycle; dreaming, planning and preparing to the point where (on paper!) I am ready to go. However, to fund the cycle I have been working about 100 hours a week as a carer for adults with learning difficulties, which has made finding the time to physically prepare for the cycle extremely difficult. I have tried to be creative in finding workout time and committed in dredging up the motivation to get out and exercise whenever I have a moment - no mean feat in mid-winter in the middle of Snowdonia where I live!

 

My main exercise is (surprisingly!) cycling - I’ve cycled the 25-60km a day to wherever I have had to work over the last 18 months, and over the last few months have squeezed in a longer ride of 80-145km once a week - all done at a high intensity. I’m also a keen runner and try and fit in a couple of 5-10ks every week, along with a daily core and back strength workout to prepare my body for the long hours in the saddle. A couple of months ago my physio, while green-lighting my general fitness, informed me that my core has a natural consistency similar to that of custard through a lazy posture so I’m also making a real effort to sit up straight!

At times all the exercise has been thoroughly depressing - who in their right mind actually wants to finish a 48 hour shift at work, cycle 30km home and then head back out into the night for a run?! The key for me has been keeping an eye on the big picture - there’s little else like imagining the feeling of crossing the finish line on the world cycle for a quick burst of adrenaline. Especially when I cycle, I tend to zone out and daydream about it (apologies motorists) and I find the kilometres can blur by. I also tend to listen to music when I run or cycle and if I feel the energy ebbing away I keep an emergency playlist of tunes guaranteed to get me pumped up - even though I regret it when I’m laid out on the living room floor 30 minutes later! Finally, a massive factor is that I’m using the cycle to fundraise for the charity WaterAid; I only need to think of the great things they could do with some of the money I could raise for an instant shot of motivation and renewed self-belief.

Of course, no amount of training can replicate some of the challenges I’ll face on the world cycle. When the mercury nudges at 50C in Turkmenistan, the Taklamakan or the Nullarbor, when the headwind up the West Coast of New Zealand is pushing me backwards or when I’m halfway up the second-highest road in the world (and seriously considering jettisoning half my gear down a glacier) I’ll have to call on reserves of endurance and motivation no sane person should have to. Hopefully though, my training has laid the groundwork and when it comes down to it, those reserves will be there when I need them!

You can follow Zac’s challenge at www.zacplusbike.com, or make a donation to WaterAid at www.justgiving.com/zacsworldcycle.

 

Guest Blogger: Marathon Runner, Paul Smith

Paul outlasted his competitors and became the winner of the SportPursuit 2012 Pledge Ledge challenge we recently ran on our Facebook Page. We've invited Paul to share with us what he has committed to achieve in 2012 and he'll be keeping us updated on his journey throughout the year.