MOST folk tend to use their weekends as a rare chance to relax, take time to ‘smell the roses ‘and generally recharge themselves for the coming week.
Not cycle up and down the infamously harsh and brutal Anglezarke Hill in Lancashire riding up 39,000 feet in 36 hours.
But for Mark Brocklehurst, Director of Warrington-based document management company the Sharples Group, this was a chance for a practice ride for his up-coming quest to beat the world record in May next year, which currently stands at 95,000 feet in 48 hours.
It may have only been a practice run but 54 years old Mark’s effort has only been beaten by six others and only one of those was over 50 years of age!
Mark, who lives in Standish, near Wigan, with wife Tracey and their 11 year old son, Tom, is a sponsored athlete for Bolton University and is undergoing a strict training programme to ensure he is at peak fitness, both physically and mentally, to face the challenge next year.
He was supported on part of his practice ride by keen cyclist Colin Barnes who is not only a riding buddy but also the Service Director at Sharples and has been at the company for over 20 years.
Born in Bolton, Mark is aiming to raise £50,000 next May towards Bolton Lads and Girls Club’s new Westhoughton Centre which he campaigned to get off the ground.
When prolific fundraiser Mark was asked what keeps him going when things get tough, he replied: “I always put something out there so that people know what I am currently doing to raise money. Once you tell people, you never want to fail and you just have to make it happen!”
