EIGHT brave non-cyclists are testing their limits by hopping on their bikes to cycle 1,000 miles from John O’Groats to Land’s End to raise money and awareness for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

The Lifton Bikers — Malcolm Bird, Luke Harris, Alastair Batten, Paul Arscott, Martin Vanstone, Paul Davies, Mike Wood, Adam Pengelly and support driver Nick Horler — signed themselves up to the JOGLE (John O’Groats to Land’s End) challenge despite none of them being cyclists and have been undertaking gruelling training for the last 18 months in preparation for the event.

Dubbing themselves the ‘mamils’ (middle aged men in Lycra), the friends all live in Lifton and are undertaking the mammoth challenge in honour of their friend Jeremy Durrant who suffers with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

Paul Davies said: ‘Our friend Jeremy was diagnosed with MND about three years ago. He lives in Lifton with his wife and two children. On January 1 2015, while “celebrating” the New Year, it was suggested that we do something to raise money and awareness for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) using Jeremy’s courage and determination as our inspiration. A cycle ride was chosen and after some discussion — and a little more “celebration” — the JOGLE challenge was suggested. One thousand miles in two weeks — none of us were cyclists at this point.

‘We started training early in February 2015 on a cold Sunday morning with a 16-mile ride and soon realised that the rusty old bikes we had in our garages were singularly unsuitable for the challenge. Within a few weeks each of us turned up for training on a new bike.’

The lads have been building up training for the last 18 months through the typical Devon and Cornwall weather of wind, rain, hail, sleet and the searing heat of last month and have built up intensity to now train a couple of evenings a week and trying to fit in a long ride each weekend before the challenge starts on September 9.

‘We fly up to Scotland on September 9 and catch up with our support van and bikes at John O’Groats on September 10 to start riding,’ said Paul. ‘We then cycle for 13 days, passing through Lifton on Thursday, September 22 to collect further support riders, to arrive at Land’s End on Saturday, September 24.’

As well as training hard for the last 18 months, the Lifton Bikers have also been busy fundraising, hosting a number of events such as a quiz night, bingo evening, breakfast morning, cream tea afternoon and a band night. The team originally had a fundraising target of £10,000 but has already surpassed that amount with donations amounting to just over £17,000 so far.

Paul said: ‘Fundraising started in January of this year. We raised over £4,000 from companies sponsoring to have their logos on our cycling shirts. The £10,000 goal was a figure plucked from thin air and we weren’t really certain we could achieve it. We now believe that £20,000 is within our grasp.

‘We are enormously grateful to all the people and businesses who have helped us raise the money so far, particularly the Arundell Arms, the Fox and Grapes and Lifton Farm Shop for their help in organising the fundraising events. It has been wonderful how the whole community has got behind us — the generosity has been humbling.

‘A particular vote of thanks should go out to the families of the riders for all their help and support and who have not only donated time and energy but have had to donate their husband/father to the cause for the last 18 months. It only remains for us to get on our bikes and ride!’

The cost of the trip — flights, accommodation, food and fuel — is being covered by the riders themselves so that all the money donated can be given to the MNDA, which has provided vital support for Jeremy and his family.

Follow the Lifton Bikers on their journey on Twitter @BikersLifton or on Facebook ‘Lifton Bikers’.

To support their cause donate online at www.justgiving.com/ LiftonBikers or search Lifton Bikers JOGLE.