One of Tayside’s hardest-working fundraisers is set to hit the road once again in a bid to raise thousands of pounds for charity.
On Saturday Perth father-of-two Graeme Lundberg will set out from Land’s End on the 1,000 mile “End to End” cycle to John o’ Groats.
He hopes the gruelling challenge will help him to raise yet more much-needed funds for the childhood cancer charity LoveOliver.
Graeme will be joined on the road by LoveOliver trustee Douglas Aitken from Kirkcaldy and they aim to complete their challenge in just 10 days.
The charity was founded in 2011 by Fife couple Andy and Jennifer Gill, who lost their baby boy to cancer when he was just five-and-a-half months old.
Graeme first read about their efforts to raise funds for research in The Courier in November of that year and has since dedicated huge efforts to supporting the cause, including becoming an ambassador for the charity.
The 35-year-old, who lives in Perth and works at NCR in Dundee, undertook a staggering range of charity challenges last year, pushing himself to his limits.
In total, he took on 23 events, including five marathons, a half iron man and a 100-mile cycle across the Highlands. That saw him cycle 270 miles, run 265 miles and swim 4,850 metres on top of the punishing training schedule he adopted to keep in peak fitness.
And he has no intention of slowing down in 2013, with the “End to End” set to be just the first of a number of fundraising adventures. Graeme told The Courier that his training regime had been testing him to his limits once again.
“The cycling distance and regularity of it all is pretty new to me, to be honest.
“I completed a few sportives and triathlons in last year’s efforts for LoveOliver but this is a whole new, big kettle of fish.
“I’ve been cycling from home in Perth to work at NCR in Dundee and back almost every day since the turn of the year though the weather was tough at the start of the year and snow kept me off the bike for a while so I’ve been covering just under 50 miles a day.
“There have also been longer runs at the weekends, though time is precious as I now have two sons Joseph, aged two, and Ben, just five weeks, so time is dedicated to them and my wife Katriona as much as possible.
“Ever since Ben arrived, the training has been how I’d imagine altitude training to be cycling to work and back every morning, exhausted from only three or four hours’ sleep.
“Land’s End to John o’ Groats may end up being a bit of a break and I’ll certainly get a better sleep.”
Graeme’s dedication has stunned all at LoveOliver, including Jennifer.
“What Graeme and Douglas are doing is just fantastic and we want others to hear about their inspirational efforts,” she said.
“Graeme’s second son will only be six weeks old when they set out so he is even planning to do this despite the sleep deprivation that will no doubt have been having an effect on his energy levels for training.”
To support Graeme in his efforts visit mydonate.bt.com.