Ok I have never contemplated climbing up mount Everest amongst other things it is too high at 29,000 foot it is too high. However cycling the equivalent of twice up takes some thinking about. This is what I will be doing by cycling from John O Groats to Lands End this Saturday. All the hills I have to climb in the nine days amount to 73,187 foot. The schedule starting on the 12th June:

Stage number Stage name Distance - miles Climbing (feet)

Stage 1 John O'Groats to Kyle of Sutherland 104 6518

Stage 2 Kyle of Sutherland to Loch Linnhe 99 8537

Stage 3 Loch Linnhe to East Renfrewshire 129 10,691

Stage 4 East Renfrewshire to Ullswater 130 8154

Stage 5 Ullswater to Manchester 114 7139

Stage 6 Manchester to Ludlow 103 6370

Stage 7 Ludlow to Cheddar 110 8617

Stage 8 Cheddar to Launceston 116 9926

Stage 9 Launceston to Land’s End 95 7235

Total: 1000 miles distance and 73,187ft up

Now this is not to be taken likely and the stationary bike challenge has played its part in helping me to get ready. I will be among six hundred other riders who will pedalling through the UK there will be Olympians and Paralympians joining us as well.

The first time I wanted to do this ride my mum passed away from ovarian cancer in 2007. The second time in 2008 the support van broke down on the way to John O'Groats on the M40.

This is why when threshold sports offered this opportunity I took with both hands. Yesterday my bike was loaded onto the transport going up to John O Groats. On Thursday I get the sleeper train to Inverness and will keep you update right here.