Retiree Jan will bike from Stockholm to Palma!

After an arthrodesis procedure in the neck and a herniated disc in the lower back, the prospects of Jan leading an active life were severely limited according to medical professionals. During a follow up visit at Jan received a very disheartening prognosis that he had a hard time accepting. “In order to return to a somewhat normal life I set a long-term goal of completing a triathlon.

It has been a long journey, but by being stubborn and having the support of my family I completed my first triathlon in the summer of 2013. It didn’t end there though: I set yet another goal of completing an Ironman Triathlon before turning 60, and I subsequently became an Ironman finisher in 2016”.

After completing these goals, a certain emptiness appeared. Out of this emptiness an idea sparked of biking from Stockholm to Palma, Mallorca. This will now take place, starting on the 4th of September 2021. Joining Jan are his childhood friends Thomas and Peter.
The goal is to bike 150 kilometres per day, the entire distance totaling 3 500 kilometres.

Jan, Thomas, and Peter believe in an active lifestyle and hope that the trip may inspire others to go through with any and all dreams that they may have, regardless of age. They are now training daily to prepare themselves for this big adventure; the fact that they have varying experience with biking highlights even more that everything is possible if you put your mind to it.

In conjunction with their biking adventure, they want to raise funds for the Swedish Diabetic Foundation (Diabetesförbundet) as they have family members diagnosed with diabetes. This year marks the 100th anniversary of insulin, which they all want to commemorate.

The 20th century has brought major improvements for people with diabetes but there is still much to do as diabetes as of now is incurable. The fundraiser will appear on Facebook as their biking tour starts.

You can follow their trip on Facebook and Instagram as well as watch short clips on YouTube.