Glossop duo gear up for a 24-hour cycling fundraiser

Two local men are preparing to take on a mammoth bike ride in aid of mental health.

Johnny Rawlins, owner of Rawlife Recovery, and Danny Morris are a pair that are undertaking a huge task next month – a 24 hour bike ride along the Longendale trail, raising money and awareness for a local organization that helps men’s mental health.

Talking about the grand ride, Johnny said “the bike ride will be starting on the 20^th December from 5pm until 5pm on the 21^st,” Johnny said, “and we are doing it for a charity a friend of mine runs that deals with mens’ mental health. He is a good mate of mine so I thought I would support him.”

Johnny was originally going to be doing the 24 hour bike ride solo, but Danny joined him after hearing about it from one of Johnny’s friends at the gym. This will not only give Johnny company but will motivate him even more when taking on the gruelling ride – for reference, the trail they are riding is roughly 14 miles there and back, and over the 24 hours Johnny says they estimate to ride it “about 25 – 30 times.” This means that the duo will be covering over 300 miles at least.

A ride this challenging will not be an easy task to complete, and Johnny spoke about what training he has been through to ensure this. “I have been in the gym doing long three-hour sessions on the bike and the rowers. I like to keep myself in check, getting up at 4 or 5 in the morning either running or something else. It will be a challenge but I see it in four sections, as we start at 5pm we do the night first as it may be more difficult going into the night later into the 24 hours in this weather might be more difficult mentally and physically.”

The ride will take the pair through the night initially, where their strength and endurance in the dark will be tested to its limits. But for Johnny, at any tough points during the 24 hours his ride will be motivated by making his family and friends proud.  “Like anything I’ve done before, I’ll have my family and daughter there supporting. I like to be her superhero in a sense. I would feel like I am letting her down, myself down and the charity group down so I will be keeping that in the back of my mind.”

The ride has a fundraiser as well, which was initially set up with the goal of reaching £750, but as Johnny said this goal was “absolutely smashed.” The fundraiser is to help the men’s mental health group LETS set up in https://gofund.me/5c4ed3b9