Cyclist pedals across Scotland twice for Cash for Kids

William MacLennan from Evanton is cycling the Lang Way Doon from Tongue to the Scottish Borders and then back again over the next 48 hours.

Published 3rd May 2019
Last updated 3rd May 2019

He is setting off from the very North of Scotland at 5am on 3 May 2019 for the Scottish Borders, and will repeat the trip finishing up back in Tongue.

William will leave Tongue early in the morning and hopes to get to Coldstream in the Borders after 22 hours.

Over the two-day cycle William will cover more than 1,000 kilometres.

But it is actually endurance training for him ahead of an event in August he's competing in called the Race Around Ireland.

For the Race Around Ireland, William is fundraising for two charities, MFR's Cash for Kids and Macmillan Cancer Care.

He told MFR News: 'I've done a lot of endurance sports in the past, all my life I've done that and all my life, sport has been quite important to me. I was ill as a kid and had had colitis and thankfully disappeared when I was 16 or 17.

'Training has been quite intense, we've put in a build up phase through the winter time with my coach to build up my strength and power in my legs. Through the winter time a lot of the session have been on the turbo due to the conditions outside.

'I have to go through Braemar, so I have to go over the Lecht and Glenshee ski centres so there are good climbs there. The route you can choose so long as you go through Braemar.

'For me to get down there is around 315 miles, and most people do it in 24 hours. The plan is to get down to Coldstream and turn back again. Ideally I will do it in 48 hours but it is weather-dependent.'