Martin Rides 500 in 1

Note: If you have any problems donating, especially with a debit card, please drop me an email or DM.

I'm riding Festive 500 - that's 500km, 311 miles or 1112 laps of the 450m track -  in a single ride at Herne Hill Velodrome on 27/28 December. We start at 1pm and ride through the night, expecting to finish anywhere between 8am and 5pm the following day. 

This will be physically tough but I train quite a bit and think I can prepare for that. The mental elements of going round and round and round, through a cold winter night on minimal sleep, is more of an unknown and I think that is where the challenge is.

The money I raise will be split between the Friends of Herne Hill Velodrome and The Connection at St Martin's.

The Connection at St Martin’s works with people who are rough sleeping to help them move away from, and stay off, the streets of London. They see their job as being to help people change their lives in the way that they want to, at their own pace.

The Friends of Herne Hill Velodrome is an inclusive club and welcomes people of all ages and ability. The velodrome's sessions address key audiences including female, youth, veteran and disabled riders, and prioritise putting the community at the heart of everything they do to ensure these sessions are open, inclusive and available to all. 

I keep upping the target and you lovely lot keep helping me hit it! This page will be open until the end of January and I will keep nudging the target up if we keep exceeding the old one, which I very much hope we keep doing.

At £2000, we had already raised enough to fund a term and a half of weekly cycling sessions for a group of 15 children, and to fund 20 nights off the streets for homeless people. Onwards!

Current target is set at £2224 - that's £2 per lap covered. Donations keep coming in so thank you so much.

I have produced an audio diary of the event - please give it a listen by clicking this link!

Ride complete in 24 hours 20 mins and 16 seconds, at an average moving speed of 25.0 kph. Thanks to all those who took part, who organised, supported, paced, motivated, spectated and who sent messages. You all played a huge part in making it so doable and enjoyable. And thanks to those of you who donated - seeing the total click towards £2k while I was riding was a real boost. This link will be open until the end of January if anyone else wants to donate, and hopefully the debit card issue will be sorted sooner rather than later.

Thanks to everyone who has donated so far. The initial target was £1,000 and then £1,500. Next step £1,750. Happy Christmas!