REASON TO RIDE
HONISTER 92’S STRATOSPHERIC TARGET
If you thought the 8,848 metres of vertical ascent required by an Everesting attempt sounded like a challenge, how about 2,600,000 metres? That is the task Honister 92 cycling club have set themselves collectively, inspired by the London Marathon appeal, which is based around the numbers 26 and 2.6.
It’s an astronomical target — literally: were the club’s riders actually able to ride up a continuous vertical ascent this big, it would take them well past the International Space Station.
Honister 92’s John Rea, who has helped organise the challenge, said the club was inspired by an appeal launched by the Marathon, which has been postponed till October. “The Marathon potentially lost millions in charitable donations,” he says. Being Lakes-based “a hilly climbing challenge was always on the cards. Only problem is, how high do you go? We crunched the numbers and it was either going to be too easy or too hard – we went for ‘too hard’ obviously,” Rea laughs.
Honister 92 are running their challenge from the Marathon’s original date (April 26) to its new date (Oct 4), and so far they have amassed an incredible 2,080,790 metres of vertical ascent. Between 40 and 60 riders have been collecting vertical ascent each week, with one rider, Andy Blair, putting in more than 10,000m almost every week since the challenge began. Rea says the gang are confident they’ll meet their target.
“I’m pretty sure we’ll finish before [October 4],” he says. “You know, it’s no longer a seven-figure number, it’s a six-figure number. What’s left is a lot less than what’s behind us. Psychologically that makes it easier.”
The club is raising money for NHS Charities Together, Kidney Research UK and the My Name’s Doddie foundation for motor neurone disease. Search Honister 92 at justgiving.com.