Episode Details

Grief can hollow you out, then one clear goal brings you back to yourself. That’s what happens in our chat with James, who’s turning personal loss into a very public act of gratitude: raising money for Lake Taupo Hospice by riding the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge, a 160km loop that demands real legs and real heart. 

James tells the story behind the mission. His mum became very sick last year and the hospice team supported her, and the whole family, with the kind of care you never forget. He speaks plainly about how hard that work is, what it meant to have hospice staff show up with compassion, and why donating didn’t feel like enough. So he set a fundraising target (starting at $10,000, with talk of pushing it higher) and decided to chase his best ever time around the lake while he’s at it. 

We also get into the practical side of charity cycling and endurance training, especially with long COVID in the picture. James shares the reset he’s making to give himself a shot: less caffeine, early nights, no alcohol, cutting back sugar, and rebuilding fitness week by week. Then comes the moment that gives you goosebumps: the ride falls on 28 November, the same date his mum passed away, turning the event into both a memorial and a fundraiser for hospice care in Aotearoa New Zealand. 

If you care about community support, palliative care, or simply doing something meaningful with your own hard stuff, you’ll want to hear this one. Subscribe so you don’t miss the fundraising link, share the episode with someone who’d back the cause, and leave us a review to help more people find it.

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