Flint Clarke will take to his bike in Lyon on 7 April, to take part in ‘The Unknown Race’, a gruelling and unpredictable contest where the first checkpoint will be given one hour before the start of the race and each further location given at each checkpoint, until 1,000km is reached at the finishing line.
He is fundraising for Tom’s Trust, a children’s brain tumour charity which supports families with mental health care, in honour of his little sister Mimi, 13, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour when she was just three and received support from the charity. He has already reached nearly £7,000 on his fundraising page, which will help five children and their families get the support they need after receiving a brain tumour diagnosis this year.
Completing the race with his dad Matthew, 47, Flint will be the only competitor who is not over 18, and the youngest person to ever take part in the difficult challenge.
Flint, who is from Bishops Stortford, Herts., where he lives with his family, including his other sisters Lisa, 12, and Penelope, four, said: “My mission is to suffer and endure, in honour of all the children who have had to do the same while living with a brain tumour.
“I am very nervous as this is going to be one of the hardest challenges I will face both physically and mentally. The completion rate for ultra events is often as low as 50 percent, they are very unpredictable. I have been doing as much training as possible, including three gym sessions a week where I ride on a sit bike. I have also been going for bike rides when possible. In the few weeks leading up to the ride I will be cramming in as much training as possible to give myself the chance of finishing the ride. We will be carrying basic survival kit, in case we find ourselves stranded at night, but we hope to find accommodation to snatch a few hours of sleep daily.
“I am doing this ride because I enjoy cycling, and this is a good opportunity to face a great challenge on the bike. I am very excited to embark on this new adventure as it will be one of the hardest rides of my life. As well as that this ride gives me a platform on which to raise money for a charity very close to my family. I am proud of the money I have raised so far and have had so much encouragement from family and friends. If I finish I will be very proud of myself as it is going to be a very tough ride. I want to raise awareness for Tom’s Trust for the help it has given our family, and will think of my sister at every difficult moment along the way.”
Mimi was diagnosed with a pilomyxoid astrocytoma brain tumour in 2013, when she was three. She endured surgery and chemotherapy to battle her tumour, but despite becoming stable, relapsed in 2017. She then had proton beam radiation in Florida. After this, Mimi was stable for a couple of years before developing a new tumour nodule in the radiated area. Chemotherapy was no longer as option, so in March 2021 this nodule was removed. She has recovered well from this surgery and the family are hopeful she stays stable, although she still needs ongoing help and support.
Progress will be tracked live through GPS trackers. To donate to Flint’s fundraising page go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/flint-clarke
To find out more about Tom’s Trust go to www.tomstrust.org.uk
