Uni sports experts help man ride 3,000 miles across America

A team from the Human Performance Unit will help Chris Armishaw, 47, complete the Race Across America, dubbed the world’s toughest bike race.

The HPU, part of the Centre for Sports and Exercise Science, not only help elite athletes train but study their performance in order to publish academic papers.

As well as forming Chris’s support crew during the 10 day ride they will remotely monitor his temperature and heart rate, take blood samples every other day, and calculate everything he eats down to the last calorie.

Chris is raising money for Action, a charity which funds medical research into children’s illnesses, and hopes to raise £30,000 before he sets off.

He has already collected £26,000 and is hopeful of collecting a further £30,000 after the ride.

“Preparations are going well, but it’s the heat of the desert which worries me the most as that’s the thing we are not used to, he said.

“You can find hills to train on, and the hills over there tend to be not as steep but longer, but the desert will be toughest. It can get up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

“I have two daughters and when they were born they were both fit and healthy, but you always keep your fingers crossed.

“Not everyone is so lucky, and that’s why I chose to support Action.”

To sponsor Chris visit the Action website and to follow his progress follow him on Twitter via @chrisarmishaw or @racingteamessex.

Race Across America

• The 3,000 mile route takes in desert, mountains and sweeping plains

• Mountains feature heavily in the race with 170,000 feet of climbing

• Riders cross 12 states and 88 counties

• There is one single stage to the event - once the clock starts it does not stop until riders cross the finish line

• As well as solo riders teams of two, four or eight can compete

• The event began in 1982 when four riders rode from Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles to the Empire State Building in New York City

• This year’s solo ride begins on June 12