Kenny’s epic bike trip to help beat heart disease

Oct 9 2008 by Gary Fanning, Hamilton Advertiser

A BIG-HEARTED Hamilton man is hoping to coin it in for charity by cycling a whopping 892 miles from John o’ Groats to Land’s End.

Kenny Strain, of Royellen Avenue, is using pedal power in a bid to raise hundreds of pounds for the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

The 29-year-old finance recruitment consultant got on his bike on Tuesday at John o’ Groats, the second-most northerly point in mainland Scotland (after Dunnet Head) to begin the first stage of his epic journey.

And 10 days later the former Earnock High pupil is hoping to race across the finishing line at Land’s End, the most southwestwardly point in Britain.

Before setting off on the charity trip, Kenny told the Advertiser: “It’s a huge challenge but it is one that I am looking forward to.

“Heart disease is the biggest killer in the west of Scotland and the heart attack capital of Europe.

“Three of my grandparents died from heart attacks and I had a friend whose parent died recently aged 62 of a heart attack.”

And the charity cycle is not the first time that Kenny has set himself a huge challenge.

Earlier this year, he walked 170 miles from Inverness to Glasgow via the Great Glen Way and West Highland Way in seven days.

“This time I thought I may as well do it for charity,” Kenny added.

“I played rugby and football when I was younger, but I thought I would get on my bike as cycling has always been my passion.

“I have been cycling hundreds of miles each week on a mountain road bike training for the event.

“I am aiming to get there in 10 days. I will be cycling 80 to 90 miles each day.”

Kenny was born in Hamilton but was brought up in Saudi Arabia.

He moved back to Hamilton when he was 11 and attended the former Earnock High School.

He left school to study for a degree and a Masters in Economics at Strathclyde University.

For the past five-and-a-half-years, he has worked in financial recruitment in London before moving back to Scotland.

Kenny has urged people and businesses to support his fund-raising effort.

“People can go onto the website and the money goes directly to the British Heart Foundation,” he added.

“Heart disease affects nearly everyone’s family in the west of Scotland at some point.”

Intrepid Kenny is undertaking the gruelling charity bike ride solo and unsupported.

So any person or business wishing to sponsor Kenny, or find out more about his charity cycle trip, should go to http://www.justgiving.com/kennystrain-jogle