WHEN JAMIE WHEELER watched a video link of a young man with Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease who had just cycled, ran and swam across the US he knew he wanted to do something to help the cause.

The man in the video, Alex Flynn, had inspired Jamie to such a degree that he contacted Alex asking how he could help. It was arranged that Jamie would race the Forestman iron distance triathlon, which he’d already entered, to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease.

Not long after that, with the help of a phone call from Alex, Jamie committed himself to swim, ride and run a total of 10 million metres for The Cure Parkinson’s Trust.

In this exclusive interview he talks more about where the inspiration came from and the extent of the training and dedication that’s involved in such a challenge.

You have set yourself a challenge to race 10 million metres to raise as much money as possible to find a cure for Parkinson’s Disease. Could you give us some more details on how, when and where you will cover this distance?

The idea of the challenge is a pretty simple one. Swim, ride and run a total of 10 million metres. This can be anything from long distance swims, cycling hundreds of miles, multi-stage, multi-day runs, or combinations of the above. I plan to cover the distance in as short a time as I can, but a lot of that comes down to cost and affordability. I currently don’t have outside funding, so these challenges have to fit around holiday time and a very tight budget. The challenges can be anywhere really. They can be organised events or ones I organise myself. As long as there is either a time limit or other competition those miles count. Unfortunately though no training miles go towards the total, just event miles.

What inspired you to choose the charity and how important to you is it to raise money for this cause?

For this I have to first mention Chrissie Wellington (multiple Ironman world champion) who tweeted a video clip of an interview with a guy who had just cycled, climbed, ran and swam across the US. He also has Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease. Watching that clip I felt something, I’m not sure if it was inspiration, but I knew that something had changed for me. His name is Alex Flynn, and he has not long completed his own 10 million metres challenge. Watching that clip, and learning more about what Parkinson’s is and what it ultimately leads to made me realise something has to be done. I was in reasonable shape and wanted to do a little more than just donate a little money so I contacted Alex and told him that I would race the Forestman iron distance triathlon (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile cycle and 26.2 mile run – which I’d already entered) to raise a little more than I could give myself.

It wasn’t long after that that he called me with the dangerous worlds “I’ve got an idea”. He then asked how I would feel about taking on my own 10 million metres challenge. Well, I jumped at the chance. I wanted to do something that would make a difference.

Have you ever done anything like this before and if not how much motivation did you need to step up and commit to such a race?

Up to that point the biggest thing I’d done was a few triathlons. The idea of taking on something that big had never even entered my head. I couldn’t even comprehend the kinds of distances involved let alone what I would be putting myself through. But over the past few years I’ve noticed a change not only in my fitness but in my mindset. And it’s amazing what you can do when you decide to try.

How much motivation did I need to step up? Simple. The hundreds of thousands of people, young and old, in the UK alone currently living with a Parkinson’s diagnosis. There’s currently no cure and it’s ultimately a terminal diagnosis. If I’m in a position to be able to do something then why not try to make a difference?

What is your training regime like and how hard is it to fit it around your day-to-day life?

Training-wise it’s getting more and more hectic. I’m currently putting in around 16 to 20 hours a week, working to build up my distance and ability to cope with the challenges that brings. It’s pretty tough to fit it in to my day-to-day life. We all have the same 24 hours, and I still have to put in at least 40 hours a week at work, so it’s definitely a logistical challenge!

I’m learning to become more efficient with my time, but I still struggle with sticking to a schedule. That has a big knock-on effect at home. The big thing is compromise and balance. I can’t be as sociable as my other half would like but if there’s an occasion or an event then I will factor it in and plan accordingly. It does cause friction, but communicating with your partner and talking it through is far better than getting on with it regardless.

Have you always been a sporty person and if so what sports have you been involved in previously?

I played rugby at school until I was about 14, but I’d never really been a particularly sporty person. I had a knee injury from a bad tackle and didn’t run at all for a year or so afterwards, but I’d never really had that sporty drive. I joined a gym when I was 20, gradually got fitter and lifted weights, then one day I saw a triathlon magazine at the gym, skimmed through it and really wanted to give it a go. I started training for a triathlon long before I actually entered one. In fact I ran two solo ones just to prove I could!

What are your strongest  points and weakest points in terms of preparing for the challenge?

Stubbornness. This is both a strong point and weak point. I will just keep going once I decide on it, pushing more and more to find the limit. One of my weakest points is definitely early mornings. I’ve struggled constantly with getting up for an early pre-work training session. To be able to fit it in I have to start around 5am, and more often than not I just can’t seem to do it. Then I get annoyed with myself for not doing it. It’s something I’m always working on and I hope to get much better at it.

Where can people find out more and donate to the cause?

My website jamiewheeler.org.uk should be online soon and there will be a link to my Just Giving page there. You can also go direct to my Just Giving page at justgiving.com/jamie-wheeler2