Everesting for Derby Mountain Rescue

What I'm doing:

I am aiming to cycle the equivalent height of Mount Everest, 8849m (29,035 ft), in a single day, by repeatedly cycling up and down the same hill.

I have chosen Loads Road in Holymoorside, Derbyshire. The road climbs 190m over 2.7km, so I will need to repeat the climb 47 times in order to complete my challenge. By the time I have finished I will have ridden 255km (160 miles).

Why I am doing this:

I am an operational member of Derby Mountain Rescue Team. We currently operate from a base near Derby which is unfortunately not suitable for the modern team's needs. Following heavy rain the base often floods, causing costly damage and requiring a lot of clean up work. We are raising money to build a new, purpose built team base that will suit the team's needs. Building work for the base is starting in early 2024, but we are a long way short of the budget required to complete the build.

What is involved in my challenge:

I am a keen cyclist but I am a long way off being in condition for this challenge. In order to prepare I am cycling approximately 100 miles per week, starting in January 2024. Given the nature of cycling uphill it will be a great help if I am as lightweight as possible, so I aim to lose at least 6kg (approx 1 stone) in time for the event.

On the day, in early June 2024, I will start cycling at 4am and continue repeating climbs and descents of the same hill until I have finished 47 repetitions. I expect this to take until after 6pm on the same day.

More information about Derby Mountain Rescue Team: We are a voluntary emergency service who attend callouts in response to requests from Derbyshire Police, East Midlands Ambulance Service, and West Midlands Ambulance Service. Derby Mountain Rescue Team is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and consists entirely of highly skilled unpaid volunteers.