Ultra cyclist Chris Hall has announced that he will be riding around the perimeter of Britain to raise funds and awareness for men’s mental health. This one-month-long ride will see Chris cover around 6,500 kilometres, starting and finishing in London. You will be able to follow Chris’s progress live on a dedicated tracking map here. Read more about this challenge below:
Chris is starting from Movember’s London office on the 11th July and will be covering roughly 250 km a day, aiming to complete the challenge in 30 days.
He has invited other keen cyclists to join him along different stints of the journey to connect over conversation and raise awareness for men’s mental health.
This cause is personal to Chris, who experienced depression while working as a young designer and architect in London. A director bullied him for over two years, which he says “was a big starting point for my mental health issues.” The stress led him to dark thoughts, and he decided to quit to prioritise his mental health.
“I went into the office the next day and told my director, ‘If I don’t quit I don’t think I am going to be here.’”
His workplace supported him in making the transition out, and that’s when Chris began cycling more:
“That was the point I started riding the bike more. There was something about the motion that felt good for figuring things out.”
Chris will carry all his gear and only stop to rest, eat, and connect with fellow cyclists and friends.
“I want to encourage people to come and join me. There will be a tracker where you’ll be able to see exactly where I am. I truly believe that cycling has helped me in being able to manage my demons in a healthy way,” he shares.
Why This Matters
– In the UK, 1 in 5 men aged 16–29 reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms (2021).
– Suicide is the leading cause of death in men aged 20–34, and 3 out of 4 suicide deaths are men.
Movember supports mental health, suicide prevention, and prostate and testicular cancer. They’ve launched tools like Movember Conversations and Spot the Signs.
Last year, Movember published its first Men’s Health Report – The Real Face, which helped prompt the UK government to promise a Men’s Health Strategy.
You can learn more about this challenge, as well as donate, on Chris’s website here.
