Bradford College

Determined Ben 'Goes the Extra Mile' with End to End Cycle

Ben Snowden, Bradford College Placement Officer, will be raising money for charity by completing one of the most gruelling and difficult endurance tests in the UK- the Land's End to John O'Groats cycle ride in just 10 days.

As one of British cycling’s toughest challenges, the route stretches the length of the UK.  Starting out on the 12th May 2012, Ben Snowden (aged 36) accompanied by friend Chris Wilson (aged 36), intends to cycle 1017 miles to complete the ultimate challenge by 22nd May 2012.

In 2008 Ben Snowden finished the famous and notoriously difficult ‘Coast 2 Coast’ cycle route, cycling 190 miles in 3 days with Bradford College tutor Tony Gill.

Explaining more about his latest cycle ride, Ben said: “My friend Chris wanted to tick this off his list of ‘things to do before you die’.  He asked if I wanted to do it and I said yes!”  Ben laughed and added:  “That’s before I realised how many miles we’d be doing each day.” To complete the ride in 10 days Ben and Chris will cycle 90 to 125 miles each day. 

With just 6 weeks to prepare for the challenge, committed and focused Ben has begun a gruelling training schedule in preparation for the big ride, cycling mornings, evenings and weekends in a bid to get fit for the extremely demanding route.

In 2010 Ben raised money for charity when he participated in a sponsored walk across Morecambe Bay.  Explaining more about his latest charity initiative Ben said: “I’d like the funds raised to go towards a day out for children with Down syndrome.  It would be a break from the norm and a day out for everyone to have fun.”

“I’d also like to buy an ipad for my friend Amanda Courtman’s daughter Beth, who is also affected by Down syndrome.  It will allow Beth to learn a lot more using the interactive technology.”

Ben continued: “I’m a little nervous at the moment, but I think at the end it will feel amazing to know I’ve cycled from one end of the country to the other in 10 days whilst raising money for charity.”

Ben concluded: “I’ve started looking at the route and just trying to get through each day is going to be hard. The reason I wanted to do this for charity means I have something to aim for. Instead of getting halfway through and saying to myself ‘I don’t need to do this, it’s destroying me’ I’ve got something in the back of my mind to keep me going until the end of the trip!” Ben is hoping to raise thousands of pounds for children whose lives have been affected by Down syndrome.

If you would like to help Ben Snowdon raise money for children with Down syndrome, contact Ben at b.snowden.1@bradfordcollege.ac.uk

To follow Ben on Twitter: @benjamin0723