As I awoke this morning, a little weary after a busy few weeks, it suddenly occurred to me that in less than 3 days time our courageous (and some might say slightly mad) Peisey & Vallandry Resort Manager John Thomas starts his world record attempt to climb the most vertical metres in 48hrs. You can read the full story of his cycle challenge here, but essentially if he is to succeed he will need to ride almost non-stop for 48hrs, riding the same 1.6km stretch more than 258 times. No sleep. Very little rest. And a lot of lactic acid. This really is a phenomenal challenge which will push him to the limits both physically and mentally.
Imagine riding continually for 48hrs.... No me neither. I can't even image losing two full nights sleep!! Now imagine that this continual ride is up one steep hill, which you must continually lap, and you start to realise just how tough this is going to be.
When we checked in with John recently we asked him what was going to spur him on and keep him going during the toughest hours. John told us that the support of others there on the day will be crucial but what will really help is the thought that his pain will be benefiting others. John's ride is in aid of Medicins Sans Frontieres and he hopes to raise as much money as possible for this worthy cause. To date he has raised almost €2.5K but he hopes to double that. If you would like to support John's efforts and feel able to donate any amount to this worthy cause then John would be hugely grateful. To donate or find out more about his chosen charity you can see his fundraising page.
Alternatively, if you are in the Montchavin region (close to Les Arcs) from Monday at 10am until Wednesday at 10am and would like to help John in his challenge, either by joining him for a few laps, providing some encouragement or giving a few hours of your time to support the event logistics, then do please get in touch by emailing sara.fernie-jones@skinewgen.com or call +33 683530933.
Or if his challenge is inspiring you to take to the saddle then why not join us for our annual bike challenge in memory of our friend and founder Ali Rainback. This year's ride will take place in an around Annecy on 30th August and will be raising money for Medicins Sans Frontieres in support of John. For more info check out the Facebook page.
In the meantime, all the very best John. Rest up and get stuck into those carbs. We'll be thinking of you and look forward to seeing you smash out those laps. Bon courage!
