Night cycle peak descent by Doncaster veteran for Help For Heroes

An action man Doncaster veteran who was wounded in Iraq is part of a fundraising team taking on a unique challenge for Help For Heroes.
Wounded Doncaster veteran is to take part in a unique mountain bike challenge, for Help For HeroesWounded Doncaster veteran is to take part in a unique mountain bike challenge, for Help For Heroes
Wounded Doncaster veteran is to take part in a unique mountain bike challenge, for Help For Heroes

Ian Mitchell, 36, is to take part in a unique mountain bike challenge after discovering how the sport helps him both physically and mentally.

Ian, who saw action in Iraq, Northern Ireland and Afghanistan during his 14 years in the Army, is a member of a Help for Heroes team that will attempt to cycle down Mount Snowdon – in the dark!

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The Snowdon Starlight Struggle will see ten wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans ride their mountain bikes up the 3,560 feet high peak in daylight and then race to the bottom in darkness. The challenge has never been attempted by such a team and is culmination of six months’ intensive training all over the country.

Ian suffered a bad knee injury while on operations in Iraq in 2003. Needing to exercise to prevent his knee injury from deteriorating, the 36-year-old father of two young girls took up cycling, moving onto mountain biking only one year ago.

“The cycling is helping with the strength in my legs as well as my general fitness, but mentally it makes me feel so much better in myself so I have been using it to de-stress,” he said.

He added: “This is the biggest thing that I have ever taken part in on a mountain bike and, while I could probably have attempted it on my own, it’s being part of this team that makes this special. I can’t wait to start the descent.” To enable Help for Heroes to continue supporting the wounded, injured and sick through challenges like the Snowdon Starlight Struggle, you can donate by visiting www.helpforheroes.org.uk/give-support/donate-now website.