You’ve landed on the sponsorship page for my annual cycling odyssey, which grows and gets more challenging each time. I'm gearing up for a brutal yet exhilarating season, tackling a series of events that all lead up to Ride Across Britain (RAB) 2024 (1,577km and >16,000 metres climbing) over 9 days between September 7th and 15th. This year, I’ve been really fortunate (not sure if it's good or bad fortune yet) to be drafted into a crack team (plus me) called the Babble RABble, put together by Babble, this year's title sponsor of RAB – together, we're on a mission to conquer a monumental £250,000 fundraising goal for the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation!

This inspiring organization, founded by the legendary Scotland and British & Irish Lions rugby player Doddie Weir, fights tirelessly against the debilitating Motor Neurone Disease (MND). Being a linchpin of the Newcastle side when I was in my teens, I had the privilege of watching the giant of a man, once referred to as a “mad giraffe”, play on a weekly basis. His tragic passing from MND in 2022 at the young age of 52 was a stark reminder of this disease's cruelty. But even in his absence, the foundation's work continues to go from strength to strength, focussing on raising awareness, funding research and supporting those suffering from MND along with their families.

Join me in this fight against MND! Donate to the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation through this page.

No pain, no gain (right?) To prepare for this year's Ride Across Britain, I'm throwing myself into the fire with 6 brutal challenges beforehand. Etape Loch Ness, Etape Caledonia, Tour of the Peak, The Yorkshire Beast...the names alone sound intimidating! And then there's the Hadrian's Cycleway - a whopping 275km (170 miles) that most folks conquer in 3 days. But hey, why be sensible? I'm doing it in one! The majority of amateur cyclists target one or maybe 2 of these events as their landmark for the season, but by the end of the day on September 15th, I'm hoping to have completed 6 plus RAB!

These rides are more than just clocking up miles in the legs. They're designed to mimic the rollercoaster I experienced in the last RAB: killer climbs, sleep deprivation that would impress a zombie, and enough temperature swings to make your wardrobe cry (91 degrees Fahrenheit/32 degrees Celsius sunshine one day, 39 degrees Fahrenheit/4 degrees Celsius rain, sleet and wind the next!). By conquering these ‘mini-adventures’, I'm hoping to be ready to rock and roll come September 7th. Wish me luck!!

Once again, I'll sound out the need for support - Join me in this fight against MND! Donate to the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation.

Thank you,

Kris