Challenge yourself

Challenge yourself to do something you’ve always wanted to, like skydiving, walking across hot coals, doing a sponsored shave or completing an endurance trek. Read how one of our supporters rode from Land's End to John O'Groats in his Mum's memory.

Case study: From Land's End to John O'Groats

John Bunting lost his Mum to lung cancer in April 2008. Having seen the way she was cared for in her final days by St Columba's Hospice, John decided to embark on a fundraising cycle from Land's End to John O'Groats, training on the bike his Mum had given him when he was a teenager. John raised an incredible £7,000 for his ride. Following is a personal account of his remarkable journey.

"My Mum passed away in April 2008 having been diagnosed with lung cancer just a few short months earlier. She was cared for in her final days by the wonderful staff and volunteers at St Columba's Hospice in Edinburgh. Having seen the way they operate and knowing that two thirds of the money they need every year is provided by voluntary donations, I decided to do something to raise some money.

On 28 June I got a train to Penzance, cycled to Lands End and turned around and headed North. I reached John O'Groats in ten days, having covered 952 miles. I did this alone, with no support vehicle, no accommodation pre-booked and no route planned. I simply took a small rucksack and cycled until it was time for the three B's - bath, beer and bed, (in that order!).

It was an amazing experience, physically and emotionally. Doing around 100 miles a day, every day for ten days was as tough as I expected. I went from being sun burned and care free in Cornwall to exhausted, soaked through and freezing cold in Scotland - a tail wind in England and a strong head wind in Scotland - it rained so hard it hurt my face when I went too fast. The scenery went from dire industrial areas to sublime mountains, lakes and lochs. I met some people along the way who inspired me, including one guy doing it in four weeks, whilst also climbing the three peaks, which is no big deal, until he told me he had a broken back and could only walk with crutches. Arriving at John O'Groats was an emotional experience I will never forget."

John's next adventure will be doing 10 triathlons this year, including one in London and one in Barcelona, and a cycle across America in 2011. As John says: "Who knows where after that, but something else will be ticked off the list. The only failure is not trying."