Ultra cyclist Christopher Hall to cycle the whole perimeter of Britain for men's mental health

Ultra cyclist Christopher Hall brings new meaning to “going the distance” for men’s health. Living in Leek, Staffordshire, Chris is setting out to cycle the entire perimeter of Britain to help change the face of men’s health.

Chris will set off from Movember's London HQ, on the 11th July and will be covering around 250km a day, with the aim of completing the challenge in just 30 days. That's some serious peddle power.

Chris' journey

After experiencing depression while working as a young designer and architect in London, Movember's cause became very close to Chris' heart.

Working in a great role in London should've been the dream for a budding architect, but the experience was soured by a director who bullied him for over two years. Chris says "that time was a big starting point for my mental health issues.”

Eventually, the stress led to Chris experiencing dark thoughts one night after work. The next day, he knew that he needed to make a change and leave his work to prioritise his mental health.

“I went into the office the next day and told my director, ‘If I don’t quit I don’t think I'm going to be here."

His work supported him and helped to make the transition out of the role as easy as possible. It was during this time Chris started cycling more.

He says, “That was the point I started riding the bike more. There was something about the motion that felt good for figuring things out.”

The conversations Chris hopes to start

Taking on his challenge is not only a physical undertaking, but also one with the heart to inspire vulnerable connections between men.

Chris will carry all of his gear with him and only stop for rest, to eat, and meet with fellow cyclists and friends.

He has invited other keen cyclists to join him along different stints of the journey to connect over a conversation and raise awareness for men’s mental health.

‘I want to encourage people to come and join me. There will be a tracker where you’ll be able to see exactly where I am. I truly believe that cycling has helped me in being able to manage my demons in a healthy way," he shares.

Why these conversations matter in the UK

Chris isn't alone in experiencing mental health challenges. Across the UK, men are struggling.

One in five men aged between 16 and 29 reported having moderate to severe depressive symptoms in 2021. As well as this, suicide is the leading cause of death in men aged between 20 and 34, with three out of four deaths by suicide being men.

This is a pivotal reason why Chris is looking forward to taking on the challenges, both physical and mental. To connect with people across the country and face these issues head on.

Calling all cyclists

Want to be part of Chris’ epic challenge? Join him by signing up to follow his journey.