Anyone that has driven up Comboyne mountain will know how many bends there are in a six-kilometre stretch, so imagine doing that on a bike.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mel Cockshutt celebrated for days when she managed to achieve it just once.
Now she'll have to do it more than nine times in 12 hours as eight Tour de Cure riders from Port Macquarie aim to ride the equivalent of halfway up Mount Everest on October 30.
With husband Todd and daughter Alani alongside her, former Wallaby Jimmy Holbeck, Monty Moore, Denise Wilson and Rachele and Jim Sanderson will all complete the gruelling 480 metres (or eight percent gradient) of elevation.
Then they'll do it another eight times as Tour de Cure raises funds for an indigenous project that aims to close the cancer gap.
"There's not too many mountains around Port Macquarie that are long enough and can give us the elevation we need (to reach half of Everest)," Cockshutt said.
"Comboyne also means female kangaroo in the Birpai language so for us, connection to country is really important. We feel it's fantastic we've got a mountain that is named after our indigenous language."
They will start their climb around 6am.
"It could take us anywhere between nine and 12 hours so it depends on how many breaks we need. We could be here from sunrise to sunset," Cockshutt said.
Not only do the Cockshutts feel passionately about the cause due to their indigenous heritage, it's also a personal challenge.
"I honestly don't know whether I can do it," Cockshutt said.
"I'm a triathlete so I'm not a mountain climber by any means so to ride up this mountain ... I used to celebrate riding up it once.
"So to do it nine times is a bit crazy. It's all about pacing, nutrition and it's amazing to see what a human body can do. I want to push those boundaries.
"People can come to the bottom of the mountain or to a place called Chook Corner which is halfway up the mountain and cheer us on. We'd love to get some support on the day."
Cockshutt has previously raised money for Tour de Cure for quite a few years and knows the difference they make.
"They just made their 50th cancer breakthrough through the research they fund, so I feel that the charity that we're riding for really does make a difference and we want to make a difference to our indigenous population," she said.
The ride on October 30 will be a trial run for the equivalent of an Everest climb at the Victorian Alps in January.
"In January, we will have 30 women riding and 15 men," Cockshutt said.
"It's also celebrating women cyclists and encouraging women to get on their bikes and see the beauty of the world."
To donate, click here.
What else is happening in news, sport?
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark our website
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- You can support us with a subscription
- Follow us on Twitter: @portmacnews
- Follow us on Instagram: @portmacnews
- Follow us on Google News