Man ready to cycle around the world in 100 days and raise £100,000 for charity (From Haringey Independent)

Man from Muswell Hill ready to cycle around the world in 100 days and raise £100,000 for charity

12:30pm Wednesday 8th February 2012 in Top Stories By Hermione Wright

A man from Muswell Hill will start cycling solo around the world next week in a bid to break a world record and raise £100,000 for charity.

Sean Conway, 30, who is a photographer, has spent the past ten months training for the 18,000 mile journey, which he aims to complete in 100 days.

He is raising money for Solar Aid, a charity dedicated to providing sustainable energy to schools, community centres and clinics in the poorest parts of Africa.

Mr Conway, who will start the journey from Greenwich on Saturday, February 18, will also compete against ten other cyclists who are keen to set the world record attempt which currently stands at 163 days.

Each cyclist will complete the journey on their own and will follow different routes across the globe, but Mr Conway is confident of winning the race.

Mr Conway, who climbed Mount Kilimanjaro dressed as a penguin last year to raise money for Solar Aid, said: “People ask me all the time why I am doing this, and I do not always know, but there is this fire inside me to do something different.

“It is an opportunity to push myself physically and mentally for the race, which is a massive part of my life.”

Mr Conway, who was born in Zimbabwe, will be collecting donations during his journey and once he returns to England.

He has been training by cycling up to 220 miles per day in preparation for the round the world journey, and hopes to be back in time for the Olympics.

He will travel through France, Morocco, South America, USA, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, Calcutta, Mumbai and Istanbul before returning to London.