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Tragic end to cyclist's Lejog charity cycle challenge just 20 miles short of finish


By David G Scott

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A 58-year-old Leicestershire man was only 20 miles from finishing his Land's End to John O'Groats (Lejog) charity cycle ride when he suffered a massive heart attack and died.

John Holubjowsky from Stoney Stanton undertook the gruelling Lejog trip for a local hospice where his mother had received end-of-life care and set off on June 7.

John Holubjowsky who died just 20 miles short of finishing his Land's End to John O'Groats charity cycle challenge.
John Holubjowsky who died just 20 miles short of finishing his Land's End to John O'Groats charity cycle challenge.

Shortly after he began the final leg of the trip on June 18 he fell off his bike, suffering a heart attack near Thurso. Others taking part in the ride rushed to help, along with police and paramedics, who kept up the effort to revive him for about 45 minutes, reported the Leicester Mercury.

His wife Keeley said that he had not previously suffered from heart issues. “He had never anything like this before,” she said. “It’s been awful – the worst thing in the world. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.

“He was just a lovely man – caring, considerate and everybody's best friend. He always put the girls and me first. He was always telling jokes. We would have been married for 20 years this August. He had 30 miles to do on the very last day of the ride and was about 10 miles in when he was seen to fall off his bike.”

John's fundraiser page showed his progress. The highlighted part of his journey ends at Thurso when he passed away after suffering a massive heart attack.
John's fundraiser page showed his progress. The highlighted part of his journey ends at Thurso when he passed away after suffering a massive heart attack.

Tributes poured in for John on social media with a friend called Mark Nobby Noble writing: "If you met John for 5 minutes you would then have a friend for life. That’s how much he was loved. He was fundraising for our local cancer hospice LOROS who had cared for his mother.

"I’d like to ask all of you if you could dig deep and find a few pounds and donate to this worthy cause in Johns memory. John died doing what he loved and that was cycling and helping the less fortunate. You’ll be very sadly missed my mate. Sleep tight Johnny Boy."

A JustGiving fundraising page John set up before he set off has now smashed the goal of raising £1500 and currently sits at nearly £5000 – more than three times the initial target. John had also ran the London Marathon for LOROS in the past. He ran several marathons and half-marathons and had switched to cycling challenges due to a knee problem.

On his JustGiving page, John had written: "I am attempting to cycle almost 1,000 miles from Land's End to John o' Groats in 11 days. I start the ride on 7th June

"After a busy year last year with hardly any training, I have been training hard since Christmas. I am paying all expenses for the trip myself and decided to ask for sponsors to raise some funds for LOROS.

I would be very grateful if you could please donate, every little helps. All the best – John."

You can donate to the JustGiving page at this link: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/john-holubjowsky11

John's fundraiser page shows his cycling progress highlighted on a map – the jagged line of the route comes to a sudden end at Thurso where he passed away.


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