Ben Bagshaw

Pedalling with Purpose - 50 Miles, 50 Years, One Incredible Purpose

If you'd told me a few years ago that I'd willingly spend my spare time riding a bike for 50 miles wearing Lycra, I'd have laughed in your face.

Yet here i am... preparing to do exactly that.

Not for the first time.

Not event the second.

This year will be my third ride for The King's Trust.

People keep asking me why i am doing it all over again, and it's a fair question.

After all, there are far more relaxing ways to spend a Sunday than wondering whose idea it was to add another hill to the route whilst my legs negotiate early retirement.

But the truth is... it isn't really about the cycling.

Yes, I'll probably complain about the weather.

Yes, my legs will ache.

Yes, I'll almost certainly question my life choices somewhere around mile 35.

But those aches disappear after a few days.

For many of the young peoplesupported by The King's Trust, the challenges they face don't

At a time where almost a million young people in the UK are out of work, The King’s Trust are committed to ending youth unemployment, giving young people confidence when they've lost it and helping people discover that their future doesn't have to be defined by their past.

That is something worth getting sore legs for!

Apparently “celebrating” means adding another five miles…

I still haven’t worked out who thought that was a good idea.

Over the coming weeks I’ll be sharing my training (the good, the bad and the slightly embarrassing), along with the countdown to ride day.

There will undoubtedly be early mornings, aching legs, questionable tan lines and far too many photos of me standing next to a bike pretending I know what I’m doing.

But more importantly, there will be an opportunity to support a charity that changes lives every single day.

If reading this encourages just one person to donate, share my fundraising page or simply learn a little more about the incredible work The King’s Trust does, then every mile will be worthwhile.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the past two rides, and to those joining me on the journey this year.

Now… if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got 50 miles to train for and a pair of cycling shorts that somehow seem to have shrunk since last year.

Let’s do this. 🚴💙