In mid-February, Mark Withers will join four other men in the Bike for Blokes charity cycle ride. They’ll be pedaling the length of New Zealand, from Cape Reinga to Bluff, to raise money for men’s health charities.
Bike for Blokes was established by Bruce Cotterill, leadership consultant and Herald business columnist, and his friend Paul Muir. In 2022, Bruce and Paul completed the inaugural ride from Cape Reinga to Bluff, raising $217,000 for men’s health charities Farm Strong and the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry.
The success of the 2022 mission has led to a rerun in 2023, with Mark coming along for the ride. We hear from Mark on his motivation to participate and his enthusiasm for the upcoming challenge.
Acting for clients in all walks of life has given me a unique perspective on the challenges faced by hard-working Kiwis. Working alongside our clients every day, trying to help them overcome obstacles, is both rewarding and challenging, and I feel that Bike for Blokes is one way I can give back tangibly.
The pressures clients have been under during COVID has emphasised the desperate need for mental health support, and Farm Strong is one organisation making a real difference in this space.
On a personal level, I’ve worked hard over the last few years to get my own house in order from a health and fitness perspective.
My journey began by doing chef Simon Gault’s online 4 Wheels of Health course, where he explains how he overcame type two diabetes. The course helped me lose 20% of my bodyweight by making positive lifestyle changes. This in turn enabled me to do more activity and, well, here I am now preparing to attempt to cycle 2,600 km from Cape Reinga to Bluff!
I’m hoping my journey might motivate others to work on their own health and wellbeing, so they can enjoy the long, fulfilling retirements we all work so hard to achieve.
Our plan is to accomplish the ride over 26 days with three rest days, riding between 80km and 140km per day. It will be a challenge that will certainly test my fitness, resilience and determination.
Our goal is to raise $400,000 for the same charities supported in 2022. Each of us is meeting our own costs so that every cent donated will go directly to the charities.
I would be extremely grateful for any financial support that you may be willing to offer to help me achieve our fundraising goal. Donations can be pledged at my Givealittle page or via the Bike for Bloke’s website: www.bikeforblokes.co.nz. All donations qualify for full charitable tax rebates.
The Bike for Blokes website contains a live tracker and we’d be delighted if any of you would like to come and ride with us for an hour or two when we’re in your area.
