The Challenge

In November 2017 I tore my Achilles tendon when I made my return to rugby after 3 years, the recovery has been long and frustrating but I am now in a position to set my sights on a challenge.

On the 25th May, I aim to ride 176 miles across national cycle route 72 from Ravensglass on the West Coast of England to Tynemouth on the East Coast of England over the course of 3 days to improve research, education and awareness of Motor Neurone Disease (MND). I have recently seen the reality of this condition and I want to help.

Route Description

National Route 72 of the National Cycle Network will start in Kendal and makes its way around the Cumbrian coast via Barrow-in-Furness and Whitehaven to Silloth. From Silloth the route heads along the Solway Firth to Carlisle and across Northumberland to South Shields via Haltwhistle, roughly following Hadrian's Wall.

MY NAME'5 DODDIE

Doddie Weir is one of rugby’s most recognizable personalities. He earned 61 caps for Scotland during a successful playing career, represented the British and Irish Lions on their successful tour to South Africa in 1997, and won championships with his two club sides, Melrose and Newcastle Falcons.

A talented, committed and athletic lock forward, Doddie is now facing his biggest challenge. In June 2017 the Scot revealed he was suffering from Motor Neurone Disease. From the outset, Doddie has been driven to help fellow sufferers and seek ways to further research into this, as yet, incurable disease. In November 2017 Doddie and his Trustees launched the registered charity My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. Its aims are simple:

- To raise funds to aid research into the causes of Motor Neurone Disease and investigate potential cures.

- To make grants to individuals suffering from MND, to enable them to live as fulfilled a life as possible.

More information available here