A former professional rugby player who represented Ireland at under-20 level has begun an 18,000-mile world cycle to raise £50,000 for a Parkinson’s charity.
Ciaran Booth and his girlfriend Lucy Pickersgill, both 26, set off from Manchester Rugby Club in Stockport and plan to travel about 30,000km through around 30 countries over 18 months.
The challenge was inspired by Booth’s mother, Annie, who has Parkinson’s disease and said sport and exercise had helped her physically and mentally.
Annie said she was “really proud” of the couple and described their journey as “shining a light on what’s possible” for people living with the condition.
Booth said his mother had found “loads of strength in community through sport” following her diagnosis, including through the charity Sport Parkinson’s.
He said Sport Parkinson’s encouraged people with the condition to exercise and find support through a community.
Despite Booth’s background in professional sport, the pair describe themselves as beginner cyclists.
Pickersgill had only begun cycling seriously in the months leading up to the trip, with the couple expecting to average about 100km, or 62 miles, a day.
“You can’t really train for something like that,” she said.
Booth said they planned to “get fit on the job” as they travelled through Europe before continuing towards India, Nepal and China, then South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand, followed by Canada and the US.
Their heavily laden bikes carry everything they expect to need on the trip, including a tent, sleeping bags and cooking equipment.
Booth said they would rely on their camping equipment, joking they could sometimes end up “sleeping in a bush on the side of the road somewhere”.
Pickersgill added: “If you see us, give us a packet of crisps or something.”
Booth said Pickersgill’s bike weighed about 39kg, with his slightly heavier.
The couple spent about a year preparing for the journey, including arranging visas, vaccinations and equipment.
Pickersgill said that after the intensity of planning, life on the road would become much simpler.
“It’s a case of: Where are we going to sleep? Have we got enough water? What are we going to eat?” she said.
But she added there was one part of the trip that was “already fixed”.
Pickersgill is maid of honour at her best friend’s wedding in Cyprus and said they needed to reach the country by the end of October.
“That’s our only deadline.”
Booth represented Ireland at under-20 level and said he went on to spend seven years as a professional rugby player, with the couple’s website listing Sale Sharks, Connacht Rugby and Jersey Reds among his former clubs.
He chose Manchester Rugby Club as the starting point because he began playing there aged four.
“It felt kind of a full circle moment to sort of close a chapter of my life and start the next one with the person that I love next to me,” he said.
The couple are also taking reminders of Manchester with them, including a crocheted bee attached to Pickersgill’s bike and named Meryl after her 96-year-old grandmother.
Annie said Sport Parkinson’s had helped her “in so many different ways, mentally and physically”.
She has taken part in walking football and said the organisation supported her as she went on to play for an England Parkinson’s walking football squad.
Annie said she would miss her son “dreadfully” while he was away but was focusing on the purpose behind the journey.
“As a mum, regardless of Parkinson’s, your heart and your head say different things sometimes,” she said.
“But I’m very pleased that they’re living out this dream and they’re going to raise some incredible money for Sport Parkinson’s.”
