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PRESS RELEASE: CYCLIST CHRIS HALL IS ON THE VERGE OF COMPLETING 11,550KM ENDURANCE RIDE

Endurance cyclist Chris Hall is riding 107 kilometres every day for 107 days.

Chris has been cycling 107km each day since December 16th, battling snow, sickness and brutal storms… and is now less than two weeks away from completing his epic challenge.

A retail designer from East London and cycling’s answer to Forest Gump, Chris is set to cover more than 11,550km in just over three months to raise awareness of a vital school called the Pace centre.

Chris, 27, is no stranger to tough cycling challenges. Last summer he became the first person to cycle for 24 hours around London’s Richmond Park. This time he has gone even bigger - slogging it out for at least five hours on the bike every day alongside his full-time job.

THE REASON

Pace is a school in Aylesbury, Bucks, dedicated to transforming the lives of children up to the age of 18 with motor disorders such as cerebral palsy. The charity is founded on the belief that every child has the ability to learn and make progress, whatever physical or sensory challenges they face.  A group of specialist teachers and therapists create programmes to support each of the 107 pupils and their families, helping them to unlock their potential.

Chris explained: “I was first introduced to Pace through my cycling club, Ripcor. The club has been fundraising for the school for over ten years and some of the members have children who went there.

“Each of the 107 children at Pace face daily challenges. Whether it’s waking up, getting to and from school or inside the classroom, every element of their day requires complex planning. But seeing what Pace enables them to achieve, it’s just incredible. I want to make more people aware that schools like this exist and that they need funding to keep going.

“I knew I wanted take on an endurance challenge which also relies on careful daily planning. The number 107 has become special to me, I even wear it on my jersey. So riding for 107 days just seemed like a no-brainer!

“I’m on the home straight now and physically I’m all over the place, mentally I’m all over the place, but there’s never really a doubt in my head about whether I’ll be able to get up the next day and ride 107km again. I just tell myself I haven’t got a choice.”

Caroline Bennett, Head of Fundraising at Pace, said: “When we found out what Chris is doing we were just amazed. The school exists to give children with motor disorders the tools they need to develop communications skills, access their education and gain their independence. People like Chris are vital in helping us continue that work, through raising awareness and donations. We’re so honoured to have him supporting our children.”

HOW IS HE DOING IT?

With only so many hours in the day, planning is key. The majority of Chris’ days usually begin at 4.30am, when he heads out in and around London to start racking up kilometres before work. He then has to jump back on the bike after work and finish the distance - while somehow managing to fit sleeping, stretching and a whole lot of eating.

Managing fatigue is a constant battle. Chris’ coach, Ken Buckley, has been closely monitoring his daily heart rate, speed and power data to help him limit the effects of so much overtraining.

Chris explained: “A big part of being able to do this challenge is having the right tools in place. Having good tech and good kit I can rely on day in, day out has been essential to getting this far.

“But not getting a rest day is pretty brutal. It’s such a physical battle and Ken has been vital in helping to manage that. He can see when I’m getting tired, when I need to hold back and helps me work out how best to manage the distance each day, so I have the best chance possible of completing it.”

IT’S NOT BEEN AN EASY JOURNEY

Chris has faced plenty of hurdles during the challenge - isolation, a severe sickness bug, not to mention the typically terrible British weather.

He explained: “I’ve definitely had my low points. Those times when I’ve cycled through the rain and the snow, and freezing my fingers to the point I thought they were going to drop off. I was even out through Storm Doris! Having that headwind to battle was painful. I looked down and I was doing 500 watts and 15kph, it was pretty crippling.

“On Day 39 I got so sick I couldn’t even leave the house. I had to stay off work and I was going between the bike and the toilet for two days. All I wanted to do is curl up in bed, but I knew I still had to get the distance done. It took me 9 hours to complete the distance on the turbo one day, I physically had no energy to turn the pedals.

“It shows what a big mental battle this whole thing is. And getting through that was a stubbornness more than anything. It’s the worst my body’s ever felt. But hopefully there can’t be many days worse than that, so knowing that I got through that is a sort of personal boost.

“I’ve also had to do a lot of riding on my own, and there have been times when that’s felt isolating. One of the things getting me through this is the support from the cycling community, both friends and strangers. It’s been both amazing and humbling. Having random people show up to give me company out on rides, and sending encouraging messages online, it makes a big difference. It’s what makes the challenge doable for me.”

RIDE EVENT: COME RIDE WITH CHRIS ON DAY 103

Chris will be seeing in his 107th day of the challenge in Belgium, as he heads out with his clubmates for the Tour of Flanders. But we want to give him a proper send off before he goes.

Chris loves a chin wag, so we're organising a group ride to celebrate his final week of his challenge.

Join us on Tuesday, March 28th for laps with Chris around Regent's Park, Central London.

The group will meet at 6.55am at the Zoo entrance for 7am rollout and will lap counter clockwise until 8am. There’ll no doubt be time for a coffee afterward too.

Please be aware that this is a public road, and all riders are responsible for their own safety and equipment.

Chris’ Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/3159702?hl=en-GB

Chris’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrishallrides/?hl=en

For further media enquiries, hi-res images and interview requests, please contact Emily Childs on emily@attacus.cc