Mondello 24HR Cycle

Daring to rise up for youth mental health

*** The Activity Tracking above is not the actual challenge - its just my training KM from May in the build up ***

In June I'll be taking part in the Mondello 24 Hour Cycle Challenge, riding continuously for 24 hours around Mondello Park 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.

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 while the idea of taking part in the event at all seemed very far away.

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, but I now see a bright light at the end of a dark tunnel.

With my confidence starting to return, I've decided to still take on the challenge — but with a new perspective.

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. There are some excellent charities out there which really do amazing work. 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, 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.

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 up with a custom paint job, specifically for the event, complete with Mondello24 Hour Challenge branding. I will do a reveal video of the build on my YouTube channel linked below, for any 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 colleagues 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.

My Personal Mondello Challenge WebPage