This month, especially in the build up to the Edinburgh Marathon Festival, we want to showcase one of our supporters who has decided to take on a rather mammoth cycling challenge! Stephen Lockett has been supporting The Yard since 2013, when he organised a run over the Seven Hills of Edinburgh through his company Aecom. Stephen is cycling Wales in a day, which involves crossing Wales on a bicycle, from north to south, all in one day. The route is 185 miles long and includes 4,500 metres of ascent. Google suggests the route would take over four hours to drive and 18 hours to cycle, so Stephen will be starting and finishing in darkness, at the time of year with the most daylight hours.

"I remember looking at the route, seeing how many calories I would burn and thought, 'Wow, imagine what I could eat, guilt-free, for that!' I also wanted to have a crack at something that I am genuinely unsure of whether or not I'll actually be able to complete. Without a doubt, this will be the hardest thing I've ever done by a country mile. I am a mountain biker at heart so my road biking is limited (I only got a road bike about a month ago). This weekend I cycled (off road) from Laggan to Ben Alder Cottage with my wife on our mountain bikes. It was a great trip and the weather gods were once again kind. The next step is to start increasing my mileage on the road, which I will have to squeeze in around a very busy work and social life.

"I wanted to use this opportunity to raise funds for a fantastic local charity that I have been involved with now for a number of years. I first heard about The Yard from a colleague and paid them a visit - I remember being so impressed with what I saw. It was evident straight away what a difference The Yard was making to the local community, and you could really see how important it was for families and children. I remember being surprised by the age range that The Yard cater for; they provide a facility for people to enjoy themselves and have fun with other people free from judgement – something which we can take for granted.

"I think there are two things I’m really looking forward to on the day of the Wales in a day event; the feed stations and the finish line! I am also really looking forward to the stunning scenery and the chance to share the pain with some close friends."

We really appreciate the amazing challenge and fundraising Stephen is doing. To keep track of his efforts you can visit his Justgiving page. Or if you feel inspired by his challenge and would like to take on something this summer, see our events page for a list of events coming up.