Mondello 24HR Challenge
Having battled severe anxiety & panic attacks this year I'm attempting to cycle 500km within 24hrs - raising awareness and support for
Youth Mental Health
1 in 5 primary school children in Ireland struggle with anxiety & other mental health challenges.
In June I'll be taking part in the Mondello 24 Hour Cycle Challenge to raise funds for Lust For Life, the Irish charity that supports mental health awareness and education.
When I first signed up for the event in October 2025, the goal was purely a personal challenge — to see if I could ride 600km in 24 hours.
The Set Back
However, towards the end of 2025 my family experienced a sudden loss, and some of the circumstances surrounding it led me into a period of severe anxiety and panic attacks. It was something I had never experienced before and it hit hard — lack of sleep, loss of appetite, and within two weeks I had lost nearly 3kg. My training stopped almost completely and for a long while I was sure I'd never even make it to the start line.
It took four to five months, but with a lot of help and support from my wife, ongoing counseling, some medication, meditation, prayer, hot/cold therapy, walking and so much more.... I started feeling like myself again.
Slowly things began to improve — the panic attacks stopped, the anxiety eased, my sleep improved and I was able to get back into a healthier routine with eating and training. I have a ways to go, I still have days during the week that are tough, but I now see a bright light at the end of a dark tunnel.
With my confidence starting to return, I've decided, with 8 weeks to go (and hoping I have no further setbacks), to still take on the challenge — but with a new perspective.
Why I'm Riding
Instead of focusing purely on distance, I want the ride to support a cause that helps people dealing with the kind of struggles I experienced myself.
I am no spring chicken anymore having turned 50 this year. But there are some excellent charities out there which really do amazing work for us adults, and as adults we also have some life experience to fall back on.
But over the last few years I've become very aware of how our young people, children as young as six years old, are starting to struggle with various mental health issues. And so I searched for a charity whose main focus was on helping them. And I think I found it.
I'm now aiming to ride 500km in 24 hours, which is still a huge challenge, especially as my fitness stats have fallen off a cliff since December, but I'll be determined to give all I have while raising funds and awareness for Lust For Life and the vital work they do.
I'm doing it because 1 in 5 primary school children in Ireland are already struggling with anxiety and other mental health challenges.
Why Lust For Life
A Lust for Life is working to change that by giving every young person the tools they need to look after their mental health, before a crisis hits. Your donation will help them reach more children, change more lives, and help provide early preventative mental health education for children across Ireland for free.
So go on - be a legend and support me and A Lust for Life today!
The 24-hour format feels symbolic in many ways. Mental health struggles don't simply disappear at night — for many people the hardest hours are often in the dark when you're tired and alone with your thoughts. This ride is a small way of recognising that reality and showing that, even in difficult moments, it's possible to keep moving forward.
To mark the challenge I've even built a custom bike, from the frame and paint job up, specifically for the event, complete with the Mondello 24-hour challenge branding. I will do a reveal video of this unique build on my YouTube channel linked below, for any bike nerds that are interested in my equipment choices for this challenge.
I'd like to thank my employer Keyfast who has generously pledged to sponsor €2 for every kilometre I cycle, helping to increase the amount raised for Lust For Life. The job provides me a lot of flexibilty for training and their support, and the support of my work collegues during my difficult time was much appreciated. But I'm still going to try and bleed as much as I can out of them on the day 😂
For this fundraiser, the goal isn't just about reaching a big number — it's about reaching as many people as possible. I'd much rather have 100 people donate €5 than one person donate €500, because every small contribution helps spread awareness and shows support for people who may be struggling.
If you're able to donate, even a small amount, it will go towards helping Lust For Life continue their vital mental health awareness and education work across Ireland.
Thank you for the support — every lap and every kilometre will count.
If this story resonates with you, please consider supporting the challenge. Every €5 donation helps reach one more young person.
How Far is 500KM?
Its Waterford City to the Red Cow Roundabout - and back to Waterford City - and back to the Red Cow Roundabout again + about another 50km. In one go.Its Cork - Dublin - Cork
Its Galway - Dublin - Galway + 1/2 way to Dublin again.
Its Malin to Mizen Head
Its more than London - Paris
Its the length of Portugal (almost).
To reach 500 km I'll need to ride more than 140 laps of Mondello Park, turn the pedals around 80,000 times and burn about 15,000 calories — all in 24 hours.
15,000 calories equals:
- 20–25 full meals
- About a week's worth of food
- 27 Big Macs 🍔
- 75 doughnuts 🍩
- 30 slices of pizza 🍕
- 25 Mars bars 🍫
- 40 pints of Guinness 🍺 (not recommended mid-ride)
- All washed down with approx 30L of water
Video Links
Learn more about the LUST FOR LIFE education programme and how its helping the school children of Ireland to be prepared better to look after their mental health now and in their future. Just click the link below to open in a new window.
Below is a link to my personal Youtube Channel which I will try to keep updated with info about the event as it approaches and how my preparation is going.
I also hope to record on the day and post a video of the highs and inevitable lows
Helpful Resources & Links
Some links I personally found helpfull :
Training Updates
Sun/Mon 26th -27th April. Steady training starts
So I'll have to temper a lot of rides and build slowly for the next few weeks, and try and build distance rather than power.
Thankfully mentally I've been in the zone the last few days and I'm hoping I can maintain that in the weeks ahead - but its very much one day at a time, and try and make the most of the good days.
Tuesday 28th April
Bit of a tougher day today, nervy/anxious feeling plus some work stress almost had me spiralling in the afternoon - but knowledge is power. And armed with the knowledge I've gained over the last couple of months about what I'm going through I was able to handle the feelings, allow them to be without battling them and direct my attention to other interests, which today was another training ride on Zwift.
A few months ago, how I was feeling this afternoon would certainly have brought on a panic attack, or at the very least rendered me useless for anything other than to curl up under a blanket shaking and/or crying.
But with some coping techniques I've learned (some Breathing excercises etc) and now understanding more whats happening, how my nervous system is hypersensitive and how I need to avoid analysing or trying to figure out the source of the fear/anxiety as its that effort which fuels the fear even more,
Knowledge is indeed power - and knowledge and understanding is what Lust for Life are aiming to bring to our young ones so they can be better prepared for the mental challenges they may well face in their early years.
Wednesday 29th April
Only time for a short 30min session today, but its consistency I want to establish first and then ramp up the sessions. Made the most of the 30mins though with a few hard 5 min efforts.
I'd like to talk a little bit about ZWIFT and how indoor training using this platform has transformed my life. I only took up cycling during Covid and initially it was just indoor on a trainer. But that transfered to an interest in riding outdoors which has even led to building my own bikes.
The level of fitness and overall health it has brought me has been life changing. I was around 105kg when I started and I am now around 80kg. I love the many levels of engagement from easy Z2 rides with a Pace Bot to climbing challenges to flat out racing and then the Racing Series that can go on for weeks on a sort of league table basis.
There is also the Team aspect of Zwift. I joined the ART team (Atom Racing Team) shortly after starting Zwift and the social engagement and team support has been great.
And the fitness I'm gaining indoors does transfere to outdoor rides when I have taken on long sportives and other challenges, home and abroad - the fitness gained on my indoor setup has stood to me.
Over the years I have slowly built up an indoor setup I am really proud of and an environment I look forward to going out to train in - most the time 😂
This is my Pain Cave, and I have suffered many hours here 😂 and hope to suffer many more. The majority of my prep and training for the Mondello24 will take place here, including not only the basic riding time and fitness, but also dialling in the bike fit, trying different saddles, shoes, and so many other things that can be tested using this setup. Everything can be easily adjusted within a few minutes to try something different and find what works for me best right now given my current physical ability and flexibility and considering the unique requirements of the actual challenge itself.
Saturday 2nd May
So its been a good week training. I was mostly aiming for consistency this week and just getting into a rythm, but today I actually managed a 100KM Zwift Spin at good power and keeping the heart rate in check. Really encouraged by that.
A long way to go still, a lot of work still to be done, but I may not be starting off from as low a base as I thought. Hopefully next week keeps this trend going.
I've also started posting on the socials about the event now and the charity side of it, so that was a big step as well.
Wednesday 6th May
So Wednesday we had our first practice run and orientation/introduction to Mondello Park, the layout, the setup and what utilites, services and provisions will be available on the day and what we need to cater for ourselves.
My anxiety has certainly settled a lot in the last few weeks but its not disappeared altogether so I was more than a little nervous heading up the motorway from Waterford. Thankfully my brother-in-law Nicky was able to come with me and that certainly helped settle some nerves.
I'm by no means a regular at these kind of events. I'm not part of local cycling club (I just wouldn't have the time) and apart from a few sportives every year I don't ride in groups an awful lot. So even when my mental health was in a good place over the last number of years I still had some nerves going to large sportives attended by 100's of very experienced and seasoned riders.
But my experience has always been a good one, I've always been glad I went at the end of the day (no matter how bad the weather has been on some of them 😂) and I don't regret any of them.
This was no different. It was a fun evening, it certainly answered some questions and settled some nerves about the actual day itself and it just means less unknowns when the actual day itself arrives.
It was good to get a run around the course itself a few times as well and get a feel it. I am so happy with the setup on the bike, I think I have the perfect gearing for the demands of the course and I was very happy with the comfort and the way the bike carried speed and handled the corners etc. I can't think of any changes I'd need to make.
The bike itself got some attention, which was nice but caught me a little off guard 😂 But it was nice that the work and planning I put into it got some acknowledgement.
I hope to have a little YouTube video done by the weekend showing the bike.