James Cracknell launches yet another marathon challenge for Headway
30 September 2011
Olympian and adventurer James Cracknell will be joined by cyclist Jerone Walters for an attempt on the 45-year-old Lands End to John O'Groats (LEJOG) men's tandem record later this week.
The attempt will be run under Road Records Association (RRA) rules and is one of the oldest cycling records in the world. Cracknell & Walters will ride a Terry Dolan designed and built frame, Rocket 2, built this year for the David Harmon and Magnus Backstedt RRA 25-mile record, to be attempted later in Autumn. Another Dolan frame, Rocket 1, will act as back up if needed.
Cracknell & Walters are no newcomers to LEJOG and for this attempt James will be stoker to Jerone, a time trial specialist who rides with La Fuga Sigma Sport. In 2009 the pair helped set the 4-man relay team record with a time of 34:54:04.
The tandem attempt will take the pair up through Cornwall, skirting the edge of Dartmoor in Devon and to the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, heading north aiming to reach Lancaster 18 hours into the ride. They then travel towards Penrith in the Lakes and over the border into Scotland via Gretna Green before the last few hundred miles to John O'Groats.
James & Jerone will raise money on the ride for the Headway, which gave James and his family invaluable support and guidance following his well documented accident in 2010. James said: "Without Headway's support I would not be making this record attempt. They reach so many families and teach them how to understand and deal with the obvious, and more subtle, effects of brain injury. With their help, my family and I have been able to rebuild our lives together."
Donations to Headway can be made via the link: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/rocket2
The Project 7 Racing organising crew will only allow the ride to begin under perfect weather conditions, but expectations are for a 3am departure from the Land's End Hotel on Saturday 1 October on the first leg of nearly 900 miles of riding.
If conditions are favourable the duo will also aim to better the existing RRA tandem records for 12 and 24 hours - currently standing at 279.375 miles and 492 miles respectively. The LEJOG men's tandem record is currently held by P M Swinden & W J Withers whose time of 50 hours, 14 mins, 25 seconds stands from 1966.
A route map, further information and ideal places to watch the pair go by will be available from Saturday at 3am at http://rocket2.mapmytracks.com. You can also follow the attempt on Twitter via @Project7Racing or using the hashtag #Rocket2.