Ryan Leighton found himself in the company of Richard Branson when he completed the Virgin Strive triathlon challenge with a broken hand earlier this month, raising £3,600 for youth charity Big Change.
The CEO of regional optical chain Leightons travelled to Sicily for the event, which included a coastal swim, mountain bike climb, half-marathon and hike up an active volcano.
A top 10 finish in the swim on the first day was a confidence boost, he said, but a climb up and along The Peloritani Ridge on day two was much tougher.
Leighton said: ‘We started our cycle from the sea at Cape Peloro and the first part was all uphill on various secondary, paved roads with very little traffic. By about 11.45am we had reached the start the off-road part, where I saw the first person go straight over the handle bars within 10 metres of starting!
‘I had read about the beautiful scenery of this mountain bike route from crests to gorges, crevices and stunning views that would suddenly open onto the Ionian Sea, then Etna, then the Tyrrhenian Sea where riders would glimpse the volcanic Aeolian Islands archipelago on a clear day. I think “glimpse” is the most accurate word in all that, as my eyes were literally glued to the craggy, lose rock road 3 feet ahead of my front wheel.
'As we were descending it was so ridiculously fast and bumpy you could hardly see the road let alone a glimpse of some far away volcanic archipelago! But a clear day it was and the uphill might have been better but for the fact we were then putting so much effort into every rotation of the peddles that the idea of taking in the far away views was a little ridiculous.’
He spent day three in a Sicilian hospital with a broken hand after coming off the bike, but was plastered and wrapped up ready for the final day's half marathon and hike.
Branson was awaiting the climbers at the Etna Summit for a picture before they headed back down again.
Leighton, who battled lung cancer in 2011, added: ‘Some might say it's a strange way to celebrate a four-year milestone surviving cancer and they might be right. But being part of Strive will not only be a physical challenge and a great achievement but also a celebration of living life. Importantly, I'm also taking on this challenge for all the other people that we know and love who are affected by cancer.’