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The Fred Whitton Challenge is something of a cycling legend. 112 miles and 4000m of climbing including every hill they can link together in the Lake District makes this a serious event.

That's where my brother comes in. Julian. He's 4 years older than me. When he was around my age now, basically his doctor told him- you're properly unfit. You're overweight, you smoke, you drink. You might not see your children grow up.

Sobering stuff.

So he bought a bike and started cycling. I imagine quite slowly at first. 

Gradually increasing his distance, he started entering local sportive events and even joined a cycling club. I clearly remember overtaking him struggling up Carlton Bank in Cleveland around 3 years ago.... That wasn't to continue.

He has always been an obstinate, annoyingly persistent person. So he stuck at it. 

In 2014 he did this very same event- that's him after 100miles in my picture on this site. Seated, grinning, and topping out on the Hardknott pass (33% gradient in places) in the pouring rain. You'll see others on foot behind him. 

Not content with doing it once, he carried on training for the 2015 edition. But got knocked off his bike in training (by a man who wrote a "poor mans Dan Brown style Vatican conspiracy" book....) and smashed his leg to bits. Proper bad break...

Now most people would take this as a sign to take up eating and smoking again (he won't mind me saying he never really stopped drinking!). Doctors said he might not walk, let alone cycle again.

Guess what? Wrong. He volunteered on the 2015 Fred Whitton as a Marshall as this guaranteed a place for 2016. Nutter.

And so he returned to the bike, perhaps not the climber he once was, but still covering thousands of miles in the last year.

It was during a training ride in Teesdale on January 16th this year that all this changed. I might say forever but with Julian, who knows for sure.

He fell from his bike on a cattle grid. He suffered very serious facial injuries. Despite losing most of his teeth (sorry for the gory details) and having huge bleeding, he cycled back to a local pub (about 3 miles) where he was helped to safety by a passing motorist. 

The ambulance was called but due to the remote location and his condition, the air ambulance was sent. It took just 9 minutes to fly him to Newcastle RVI. It's a 2 hour drive........

So far, so bad. 

While in accident and emergency, he then suffered a major stroke due to damage to his neck sustained in the accident. Immediate treatment was given but the stroke was bad.

Over the next days in intensive care, he had two emergency operations to remove parts of his skull to relieve swelling to his brain  (again, sorry for that detail- it matters) to save his life.

Without the combined efforts of the whole medical team, he would not be alive now. As it stands he is now at Walkergate Park rehab centre in Newcastle with very significant challenges ahead.

It's shocking to see anyone suffer these injuries. Even more so when you know what they've changed in their lives. 

It would be even more shocking though  if Julian's wife Jayne had to bring up my niece and nephew alone. Who knows what would have happened in a road ambulance.

So here I come in.......

I've always been fit. Rowing for nearly 25 years sees to that. I've also done a fair bit of cycling. But not to this level....

So during the first week after his injury, when checking Julian's phone, the email confirming his 2016 place came in. He clearly wasn't going to be doing it and it seemed something I could do to "help". Top marks to the organisers for letting me take his place.

No turning back now. I will be doing this. It won't kill me. Not while I've got legs!

And I'll smile at the camera for Julian after 100 miles.... 

So if you could spare a donation to this great cause, I would be so grateful. I've no idea what helicopters cost. But it's a lot, and so are fuel and pilots!

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