Judith Catherwood - Judith must have completely lost her mind when she suggested doing Lejog. She's not got any experience cycling long distances and only got on a bike in March last year, after a gap of about 25 years from cycling. But having signed up for marathons before doing anything more than a couple of miles of running, this is nothing new! Lejog will be the biggest challenge yet not least in coordinating the team which is hard enough work before we get to Lands End in the first place!

Jamie Mackay - Jamie is a keen cyclist competing recently in the Etape du Tour and Marmotte races in France. Last year he cycled from Paris to Marseille in 6 days, and is looking forward to Mediterranean weather on this year’s LE JOG.

 

Honor Lindsay - Honor is relatively new to cycling, but overcomes her inexperience with determination and enthusiasm. A qualified fitness instructor and nurse she is just the person to whip the team into shape and deal with any tumbles!

 

 

Alan McDiarmid - Alan is an enthusiastic, if somewhat irregular, cyclist who has toured in Italy and France; last year shadowing two stages of the tour in the Alps. Really looking forward to LEJOG, the only similar thing he has done before was as part of a local lifeboat team who cycled from Inverness to Glasgow then ran the West Highland Way to Fort William and canoed the Caledonian Canal back to Inverness. Hopefully we will be going at a more gentle pace in July!

  

Hugh Kelly - Hugh has completed in running, cycling, and triathlon events for the last fifteen years since starting to exercise at the age of forty. Now fifty five he believes you are never too old and is looking forward to his biggest callenge yet.

 

 

Alison Graham - Ali is the youngest member of the team. She caught the cycling bug having spent many hours on a spinning bike and is now discovering that, although she really enjoys outdoor cycling, it’s infinitely easier to fall off a road bike! Ali is a team worker at SNAP, one of the team’s two chosen charities, and raising money for such a good cause is her main reason for getting involved. She also wants to prove to herself that Type 1 diabetes can’t stop her achieving extreme personal sporting goals.

 

Iain Bamber - Iain is a super keen cyclist. Ten years ago cancer was a wake-up call encouraging him to take up cycling again. Since then he has lost 10 stone in weight and, despite breaking his back in a cycle fall seven years ago, continues to get back on his bike – and encourages others to do the same. Iain is a coach for Ready Steady Bike in Moray teaching cycling to primary school kids, and is also a Jog Scotland leader. Iain has already cycled from Lands End to John o’Groats, but not with support – so this year will be a real treat for him.

 

Donna Chisholm - Donna has been a keen runner and cyclist for about 15 years, and climbed the UK’s highest mountains as part of a 3-peaks challenge team last year. Never one to miss an opportunity for a fun get-together, and even better to combine it with serious hard work (or perhaps her gullibility increases with Merlot consumption), she's really looking forward to this challenge and seeing the diversity of the whole country via two wheels! Donna runs a chiropractic clinic treating clients such as MS patients and special needs children as well as professional and amateur athletes. She’s already been a great help to her team-mates dispersing nutritional and health advice ad-hoc, and generally promoting health and wellness.

 

Neil Beatie - Neil hadn’t been on a bike since before leaving school. Then, in 2008, he decided he needed more adventure in his life, so signed up to cycle North Vietnam – as you do - and had an amazing time. Since returning home he has had knee problems, so he’s not been so active on his bike. However, he now works at The Lovat in Fort Augustus - the Inverness Spinners’ team sponsor. Earlier in the year he made a passing comment at work that he would love to do LEJoG – and the next thing he knew he was signing up with the Inverness Spinners. That’ll teach him to think before speaking in future.

 

Caroline Keith - Caroline finally decided to commit to the Lejog Challenge on 11th April – the day her Dad died of pneumonia brought on by a massive stroke.  She watched him struggle with every breath he took for almost a week before he passed away. She feels there is nothing she will endure on the 10 day cycle which can come close to the pain her Dad suffered and the strength he showed.  She’s cycling Lejog in memory of her Dad.  She admits her body’s not entirely happy about it, but her mind is made up!

 

Clifford Davidson - Clifford has been cycling for quite a long time - his first race was in 1960. He has completed 4 Etape de Tours in France and the Entente Cordiale ride from Paris to London in two days. Despite a serious accident in the last 200m, he finished 22nd (best British rider) out of 300 competitors. He has already completed an End2End (E2E) on his own in 6 days, 2 E2Es in Ireland and cycled across America doing 3,200 miles in 32 days. Has completed quite a few other charity rides including mountain biking through Israel, High Atlas Mountains in Morocco and across Mexico with his daughter Susan. He has completed 10 Highland Cross events, and won the veteran award. In his now advancing years ((his words – he’s only 66)) he is always willing to help and assist other riders to complete similar events.

 

Alex MacNaughton - Bio and photo to follow.

 

 

 

 

Angus Chisholm - Bio and photo to follow.

 

 

 

 

The Support

Joanne Scott - Joanne is part of the support team! She is quite unsure of what this will entail, but is delighted that one of the charity's we are raising funds for is the MS Society. Joanne has MS, this is why she is not cycling, but she says just looking at the training program makes her tired! She is awe of the cyclists in our team and is looking forward to July and proud to be part of a great team!

 

Donella Steel - Bio and photo to follow.