Rugby World Cup in France kickstarted unlikely John O’Groats to Land’s End cycle epic
OLD friends who agreed on an epic fundraising challenge for causes close to their hearts whilst at the 2023 Rugby World Cup are entering 2025 with a new target in mind.
Alan McLean (68), familiar in Ross-shire farming and rugby circles, was not so well-known for his prowess on a bicycle before agreeing to take on a Land’s End to John O’Groats ride with Jimmy Beattie (67).
The pals who first met at agricultural college almost 50 years ago shook on the epic over a few glasses of red wine while enjoying the rugby in sun-kissed France.
Alan recalls a late night chat turning to “so what do you still want to do with your life?”
Ultra-keen cycling enthusiast Jimmy, former farms director for Rio Tinto Alcan, said he’d always wanted to cycle LEJOG but had never found anyone who’d agree to do it with him…
Alan, previously a farm manager in Easter Ross and then managing director of HBS Ring Ltd up until his retirement in 2021, openly admitted to occasionally using his e-bike to cycle the six-mile round trip from his home to the local lighthouse and back “kitted out in jeans and an old jacket”.
Jimmy, by contrast, gets out with his local cycling club up to twice a week, goes spinning on a regular basis and “has a garage groaning with bikes”.
Alan however, is both fit and always up for a challenge and so the die was cast.
Jimmy was excited by the cycling, with Alan motivated by the desire to raise funds for a charities close to their hearts.
The two men and their wives regularly travel to rugby fixtures together so the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation was immediately chosen. Alzheimer’s Society was also chosen as very deserving of support.
Mary agreed to be the backup and support driver with Jimmy’s wife Liz joining her up front from time to time in Bertha, the motorhome Alan and Mary bought.
Bertha, decked out in the famous Doddie tartan, drew many admiring looks, toots and waves en route but posed a few problems for her driver with her size on some of the roads and in several supermarket carparks.
Land’s End to John O’Groats took “24 days of cycling in all weathers” and a total of 1108.5 miles.
There were cheers from family and friends who met them at the end with Alan McHardy, the McLeans’ son in law, and a piper with the Strathpeffer Pipe Band, piping them to the finishing line. It is one of many wonderful memories they can reflect on from their days in the saddle.
When setting up their JustGiving page, Alan’s wife Mary “gulped” at the thought of setting a target of £1000 per charity. Remarkably, though, to date their total stands at just over £29,200.
At the dawn of a new year, both cyclists remain extremely grateful to all those who supported them along the way - in truly generous donations and sponsorship, turning out to ride alongside them or simply with messages of support along the way.
It is still possible to donate “and they’d be thrilled if that total could reach the £30k mark”.
To help them see www.justgiving.com/team/jimmyandalancyclelejog2024
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