“That was the hardest thing I\u2019ve done pretty much all my life,” he told the media<\/a> after the first day. “And I\u2019ve got to do that for another four days.”<\/p>\n Latest Videos From You may like<\/p>\n \n An inauspicious start: Murs managed to bin it before even starting his 400km challenge from Manchester to London<\/p>\n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n Murs, who has had four operations on one of his knees, has no idea what he will face on each day of the challenge, with the route only being revealed each morning. \u201c[He has] no clue when he\u2019ll be scaling the steepest peaks, biking the most brutal uphill climbs or facing his long-held fear of deep water\u201d, organisers said.<\/p>\n \u201cI know what he\u2019s going to go through and how hard this week is going to be,” said comedian John Bishop, who accompanied Murs as he cycled through Manchester. \u201cDoing the equivalent of 10 marathons over five days and not knowing what he\u2019s doing each day, that\u2019s going to be the thing.\u201d<\/p>\n \n All smiles at the beginning \u2013 Murs and comedian John Bishop ride through Manchester <\/p>\n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n On Tuesday the pop star and presenter proceeded to pedal through the Derbyshire Peak District, tackling some decent ascents in the Hope Valley \u2013 across tough terrain that will feature large on stage two of the Tour de France Femmes Grand D\u00e9part<\/a> next year. After a stiff climb from Wye Dale to the Tissington Trail, Murs hiked off-road into Ashbourne and then discovered he had to get over his fear of water while rowing along the Trent and Mersey Canal.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Much like the peloton in stage five of the Giro d’Italia<\/a>, Murs had to cycle through torrential rain on Wednesday, during the longest day of his challenge, which started with an emergency procedure to remove a toenail, and featured a 100km ride through Lichfield and along an ancient Roman road, with a tough climb through Nuneaton. With a run to follow, and unexpected reroute due to a fire, he didn\u2019t finish until just before midnight.<\/p>\n The Troublemaker singer celebrated his 42nd birthday while in the saddle during the fourth day of the challenge on Thursday, riding from Stoke Bruerne to Wolverton in Buckinghamshire (having already rowed 5km row along the Grand Union Canal from Nether Heyford to Stoke Bruerne in Northamptonshire).<\/p>\n “It’s been brutal today,” he admitted to the BBC<\/a> afterwards. “My quad is so sore… I can’t believe this is how I’m celebrating my 42nd birthday \u2013 something I’ll never forget!”<\/p>\n Although the route remains a mystery to Murs until he\u2019s eating his breakfast each day, one thing he does know is that the challenge will end at the London Stadium, home of West Ham United, later today (Friday 15 May). On Sunday 31 May, Murs will take part in a charity football match here, along with Soccer Aid co-founder Robbie Williams, actors Tom Hiddleston, Owen Cooper and Damson Idris, runner Usain Bolt and former professional players including Wayne Rooney, Jordi Alba and Jill Scott.<\/p>\n Before finding fame on The X Factor in 2009, when he finished as runner up but scored record deals on both sides of the Atlantic, Murs played football at a semi-professional level for Isthmian Division One North side Witham Town.<\/p>\n So far Murs has raised more than half a million pounds for Unicef through his efforts. You can get updates about his challenge and upcoming charity game, and donate money to Unicef, via the Soccer Aid page<\/a>.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/flexiimages\/4av7rcsjyn1645111080.svg\")
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