The Journey

Mark 36 years old East Lothian based rider

Started riding a bike in 2015 to recover from injury. Moving from a team sport to an individual sport was simple and straight forward… Solely focus on me and not the other 10 guys on the field.

My initial goal was to lose weight and gain strength to return back to my grass roots sporting background.

I suddenly started to understand my body and was finding myself ride further and further to find great cake/food stops. This rapidly progressed to pinnning my first number on my back and start pushing myself in local time trials across Central Scotland.

This grew arms and legs very quickly over the coming seasons and I found myself competing at National events across the UK and right up near the pointy end of the finishers tables. No medals but close enouugh.

2018

I married my best friend Gemma who was everything to me and still has a huge chunk of my heart to this day. 2019 Gemma was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer and I was just settling in to a new promotion within my retail background. This was a kick in the Baws!!! I was 29 newly married new job role and trying to be the best husband and learning how to be a stepdad to young Allie who is now 22.

This all mashed up in my pot of a head it Broke me……… Physically I stopped riding and gaining weight fast. Mentally I was a lost wee sole with nowhere to look or turn…

2021

Big Darren got me back on my bike and riding hard very soon smashing each other into the sunsets just to keep smiling until I had to put the family head back on. But i was still struggling.

2021/22

Saw Gemma continue with Chemo and radio therapy which was really hard to swallow I watched my best friend change and slowly drift away from me. I was a broken Guy.

Winter 22/Summer 23

I was back riding but riding steady and long when I could. The nightshift commutes riding to work helped with getting my head back in the game. Kris Wright who gets the blame for where I am today asked me via messenger… Do you want to ride the TRANSCONTiNENTAL Race as a pair.. A quick google YES!!! leap forward 8 months and we were sitting on the Greek coast with a Podium finish at TCR no9 one of the hardest self supported races in the world and Gemma was there to see us at the finish.

Gemmas treatment was finished so she was able to join me in the sun for a well earned rest. This wasn’t a happily ever after. Gemma had mental health problems and was slipping down a dark path with making poor decisions which led me to walking out on everything we built up over the years. I moved in with her with a dozen cardboard boxes… I left with a few bags and a couple of bikes…. My choice… I then left my Career and went to work in the local bike shop with Paul and John. best decision ever..

2024

I was broken and unsure of how my new path would develop… I started to train again and train really hard.. I mean really hard 4/500km weeks were becoming normal. I was approached by a female rider and asked if i wanted to ride TCR no10.. YES!!! i rushed the process.. this didn’t end well I had to scratch from the event and get home from eastern Germany.

2024/25

I took the time for my body to recover then started turning the pedals.I reflected on what went wrong and put a training plan in place. I then entered TransAlba 2025 1000miles race around Scotland with 4 ferry crossings. Local riders knew I was training hard for it and the other entrants knew I was an experienced rider and someone who knew how to suffer and didn’t need much sleep. Gregor Towers from the Netherlands was the clear favourite with an excellent palmarers and wisdom of a podium in Trans Abla 2024. My goal was to qualify for RAAM Race Across America.. I was given the time of 100hours to complete the course and submit my GPX file.

My game plan and strategy get to the first ferry asap then plan where to sleep. Gregors plan was to ride hard drop the field and win the race comfortably.

6am June 15th 2025 the race rolls out and 25km later the flag drops….. Now the race starts in Edinburgh and heads to East Lothian then the Borders.. #mybackyard. I went off like a freight train and settled into my rhythm and was pushing within myself. Gregor passed me on the first proper climb.. he looked over his shoulder as he gained distance. I looked up gritted my teeth dropped a gear and started pushing 500w up a climb to close the gap after the first climb i dropped the hammer i distanced him. this went on for 50km and BANG!!! my back wheel went like a easter egg rolling down a hill.. due to being a local rider i asked if i was able to return home to get a spare wheel. If the race was tight I would receive a time penalty on top of the time that it will take me to get a new wheel and return to the same spot before i can start racing again.., Big Darren to the rescue!!!! back wheel swapped and I saw red mist!!! 3 days 17hours later I was across the finish line in first place.. Fastest ever time in Trans Alba history and the first rider to go Sub 4 days..

2026 present day.

We are building up to secure the funding for RAAM and doing a practise run for myself and crew during the joglejog attempt and there is a time to chase but this is purely a training exercise for the team and me if we get a fast time great… Then I am off to Scandinavia in july to compete in the Via Chapter 3 race..

WHY am I now fully committed to Ultra Distance cycling ….

Cancer broke me.. leaving my Career broke me. walking out on my family broke me. Cancer broke Gemma she went into a battle for her life with no notice and no way to prepare for a championship fight. I want to try and experience what she went through by pushing my body to the absolute limit.. breaking point.. If I can experience even 1% of what Gemma went through this journey will be successful and i will understand what people with life threatening diagnoses are going through..

This is My Story.. I would love you to come along on the journey to breaking point or Glory.. both end goals are a win in my book..

Gemma Allie and Myself are still very good friends and we always discuss the past and reflect what we did and could have done. #friendsforlife

Finish line smiles. this image broke the internet alittle when it was released.

Gemma midway during chemo. We had to cut her hair so I cut mine and I still shave my head to this day.

Big Darren. the one and only!!!

Kris and Me after we finished TCRno9 as second pair. Looking at this image of us both. You wouldn’t think we had a age gap of 20years…

Finish line of Trans Alba 2025. Handing my tracker back. long story.. Chris the organiser couldnt believe how fresh i was looking. This image was taken around midnight with only 3 hours sleep after 4 days!!