Phil Vickery set for gruelling summer on behalf of Wooden Spoon

World Cup winner and former England captain Phil Vickery will embark in an extreme eight-week journey that will see him cycle over 2000 miles, row 12 miles and run and climb 5 of the biggest mountains in the UK and Ireland this summer.
As an ambassador for the Wooden Spoon Charity, the British and Irish Lion prop has agreed to take part in all of their five flagships challenges for their 30th anniversary.
The epic journey will start on June 7 with the 900-mile London to Monte Carlo Cycle Challenge and finish on September 7 at Twickenham after the TNT Great British Bike Ride.
The 2011 TNT Great British Bike Ride was Vickery’s first experience with extreme fitness challenges and he enjoyed it so much that, while agreeing to do it again last year, he took part in the Four Peak challenge.
But this year, the 36-year-old is aware of the huge task ahead both from a physical and mental point of you.
He said: “What I have agreed to do this year will be extremely difficult not just physically, but also mentally and it will be hard on my family.
“The training I am currently putting in, is already taking it toll, and in the weeks and months leading up to the events, I want to be cycling around two to three hundred miles a week and running around 20 miles as well, which no matter how fit you are takes up a lot of hours of the day, but I am hoping the sense of achievement of both completing the challenges and the money we will raise, will more than make up for the sacrifice.
“First up is the London to Monte Carlo Cycle Challenge, which I am trying to convince myself is a holiday to the South of France, rather than a 900 mile cycle challenge, which hopefully will be enough motivation to get me down there, then after that I will just be taking each challenge as it comes.”
Why not join Phil and sign up to one of the Wooden Spoon 30th Anniversary Challenges…. Are You Up For It?
The London to Monte Carlo Cycle Challenge. 7th – 15th June 2013
The Four Peaks Challenge. 27th – 29th June 2013
The Ford Ranger Great Lakeland Challenge. 12th July 2013
The End2End Cycle Challenge. 17th -24th August 2013
The Great British Bike Ride. 3rd – 7th September 2013