A 3,000 km solo ride around Ireland, and the reason behind it.
Last year, I tried to circumnavigate the island of Ireland solo and unsupported.
The documentary filmed by Phil Golston from that challenge is now on YouTube.
Just over 3,000 km, solo and unsupported, tracing the coastline as much as possible. It was the biggest physical challenge I’ve ever taken on, but that’s only part of it.
The reason for doing it sits much closer to home. My daughter Sophia lives with multiple severe food allergies. Day to day, that means constant attention to what she eats, what it contains, where it comes from, and how it’s prepared.
The ride was a way to raise awareness of the challenges of living with food allergies and a fundraiser for food allergy research. So as part of my attempt, I followed the same diet, avoiding peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, lentils, and any foods that may contain traces of them. It was my way of standing with her, sending a message that allergies shouldn’t limit anyone’s dreams or potential.
The ‘why’ behind my circumnavigation of Ireland helped me find the ‘how’ to finish
I rode 3,100 km in under 10 days, largely unsupported, on a restricted diet and through intense storms and debilitating injuries, but thanks to a greater purpose I never once wavered.
We’d hoped the ride would raise public awareness, and it did, but in doing so it brought a massive change for us as a family. During the ride we found out Oral Immunotherapy Treatment (OIT), something we’d been trying to access for years, is now available privately through the Dr. Helen Allergy Clinic in Belfast, and Sophia has since started treatment there.
It’s early days. It’s not a cure, and it’s by no means easy for Sophia. But it’s a meaningful step. It reduces risk, and the hope is it will bring a level of normality to her for the simple act of eating that any of us don’t need to give a second’s thought to.
The film captures the ride, but also the context around it, why it mattered, and what came out of it. It also clearly demonstrates how much more than I could chew that I’d bitten off in tackling a circumnavigation of Ireland.
There’s also a fundraising page to help cover the cost of Sophia’s treatment. If you can support, or even just share it, it genuinely helps.
Bikepacking x aero nerd: The no-added-drag approach to a circumnavigation bike build
The bike, drag-reducing storage system, and kit that carried me 3,000+ km around Ireland.
Did we do a good job with this story?
👍Yep
👎Nope