Remembering Margaret: taking on the four peaks challenge in memory of my wife

Our amazing supporter, Gerard, sadly lost his wife Margaret to bronchiectasis in October 2023. This year he took on a special challenge to remember her and raise awareness of this condition. Here he tells us all about the challenge and what it meant to him.

My wife, Margaret, died in October 2023 from bronchiectasis.

Not many people have heard of Bronchiectasis yet 1-in-200 adults in the UK will have this debilitating condition.

Bronchiectasis is a long-term lung condition that affects the airways in our lungs. The airways become wider and inflamed with thick phlegm. Too much phlegm causes bacterial infection which can lead to chest infections.

There is no cure for bronchiectasis so I aimed to bring awareness of the need to finance research by Asthma + Lung UK into this lung condition.

Resolving to challenge myself

In April I became aware that 1 July 2024 was World Bronchiectasis Day and that the World Bronchiectasis Conference would be held in Dundee from 4-6 July 2024. I resolved to challenge myself to cycle the height of the four highest mountain peaks in Scotland, Wales, Ireland and England. The combined height of the four peaks is 4,446 metres (14,583 feet) and I aimed to reach this height in 3 days, commencing at 9.00 am on World Bronchiectasis Day.

My training began on 01 May 2024 with cycle rides around the minor roads of West Cumbria and included the hills of Dent and Kirkland, Dean Cross and Tut Hill. I continued through May and June riding most days and accumulated a total height gain of 9,161 metres or 30,025 feet - greater than the height of Mount Everest.

Reaching new heights

The four peaks selected for the challenge were the four highest peaks in:

Scotland, Ben Nevis at 1,345 metres
Wales, Mount Snowdon at 1,085 metres
Ireland, Carrauntoohil at 1,038 metres
England, Scafell at 978 metres

My challenge was to ride a 168 metres circuit which would take me no further than 50 metres from my front door on Balmoral Road, Whitehaven. On each circuit I would make a height gain of 5.875 metres which my neighbour had measured for me using a calibrated laser theodolite. The calculated gradient of the 70 metres slope is 8% (1-in-12).

The combined height of the four peaks is 4,446 metres and I calculated I needed to complete 757 circuits which would take 12 hours 36 min approximately. I opted to ride over 3 days for 2 x 2.25 hour session per day (4.5 hours per day).

I was delighted to have the support of Cumbrian Mike Cowley, the 1964 Tokyo Olympian, 4 times World Championship representative for Great Britain and 4 years a professional racing cyclist. Mike was present on each of the 3 days to give support and encouragement during the challenge.

Day 1 of the challenge

Morning Session

Conditions for the start of the challenge were almost perfect, dry and warm with a following breeze on the climb.

I started at 9 am and began the circuit aiming to keep a modest schedule of riding each lap in one minute. I was climbing comfortably and progressed through the morning session without too much stress.

I ended the morning session after 2hr:1min:14sec.

My heart rate, recorded during the morning session, shows my effort was even throughout the 2 hours with an average of 104 bpm and a peak rate of 113 bpm. This was well within my estimated maximum heart rate of 135 bpm (220-85)

Afternoon Session

The afternoon session began on schedule (1 pm) and continued as before, steady at a good even pace of 1 lap per minute. The weather continued to be favourable with a following breeze on the climb. However, as the third hour of riding moved on my legs were beginning to hurt. I needed to draw on some degree of determination and decided I would be better served by taking a break and stopped when the third hour ended.

After a break for a couple of hours I resumed riding at 1600 and completed the 4th hour of riding at 5 pm. I was happy to have completed 113 circuits and 1:55:20 of riding. My totals for the day were: Number of circuits 240, time 3:56:34 and height gained 1410 m. I had reached the summit of Scafell and on the climb of Carrauntoohil.

Day 2 of the challenge

Tuesday morning my legs had stiffened but soon relaxed as I continued the unrelenting climb and rest, climb and rest and I completed my 2-hour morning session. However, I had to attend to personal matters and returned some 4 hours later to resume my challenge.

My legs had now truly stiffened and I had struggled through 10 minutes of the session when the rain came lashing down. I took shelter and used the break to have something to eat and refuel.

I resumed the struggle at 4 pm and continued to complete my 7th hour of riding. But I was getting slower and I decided to end my 2nd day of riding one hour short of my daily target in 3:09:34.

My totals for the day were 187 circuits and a height gain of 1098m. I had reached the peak of Carrauntoohil and on my way up Snowdon.

Day 3 of the challenge

Following my failure to keep to my schedule on Tuesday I decided to change strategy. I had to recover the hour I had lost on Tuesday and I was obviously struggling to ride for two hours in one session.

I decided to split the day into 5 one-hour sessions and rest for one hour between sessions. I also opted to ride my grandson’s road machine which allowed me to use a lower gear on the climb.

As the day progressed, what had been a boon on the climb with the lower gear, the unfamiliar machine was now causing some discomfort in my thighs. I struggled to pass the eleventh hour of riding and took another rest period.

I returned on my own familiar machine and had the luxury of a rest. I completed my 12th hour of riding at 8 pm in 5:07:30 and had completed 297 circuits and a height gain of 1745 m. I had conquered the height of three peaks including Snowdon.

The result after 3 days was 4,253 metres of height gained and 724 circuits. I WAS SHORT OF MY TARGET. To reach the top of Ben Nevis I had needed to ride another 33 circuits and gain my target height of 4,446 metres.

Day 4 of the challenge

During the night I wrestled with the thought that I had failed my challenge until I had an idea, ‘3 days is 72 hours’.

My challenge had commenced on 01 July 2024 at 9 am. Seventy-two hours later it would end on Thursday 04 July 2024 at 9 am.

I was up and ready by 7 am and began the final leg at 7:20.

Thirty-six laps and thirty-six minutes later I had completed my challenge on top of Ben Nevis with one hour to spare.

Throughout my challenge I had great support from Asthma + Lung UK, neighbours, friends and family, and Mike J Cowley, Olympic and World Championship Racing Cyclist.

I was able to raise £1391.25 in donations. THANK YOU. You are all magnificent

If you’re inspired to take on your own challenge to raise money to support our work, we’d love to support you. Whether it’s in memory of a loved one or you simply want a new challenge, there are lots of ways to support us. Check out our fundraising ideas on our website or get in touch with your ideas.

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