Meet Grant Lottering… For mental health awareness, he cycled 350 kms, ran 92 kms of trails in 3 days with 2 hours of sleep

CapeTalk and 702's Africa Melane speaks to Grant Lottering about his latest feat.

Listen below: 

Over three days, more than 61 hours, 350 kilometres of cycling, over 92 kilometres of trail running, and just two hours of sleep, Lottering has completed his most gruelling Im’possible Tour yet. 

He arrived at Signal Hill, Cape Town, to an emotional reception from supporters at the finish
line of his most formidable challenge to date.

In the true spirit of the 13 Peaks Challenge, he navigated the rugged 107-kilometre route through Table Mountain National Park, adapting to the extreme conditions along the way.

What made this feat even more staggering was that it came immediately after a 20-hour cycling marathon, during which Lottering ascended and descended Chapman’s Peak Drive 36 times, covering 350 kilometres in 20 hours and 14 minutes and gaining 6241 meters in elevation. 

After a short break, Lottering and his support team drove to Signal Hill, where he embarked on the 13
Peaks Challenge with virtually no rest.

Due to recent fire damage, two peaks were inaccessible. Still, Lottering and his Nyati-X trail guides adapted, completing the route in the spirit of the challenge by tagging the 11 accessible peaks in the required order.

Lottering covered 92,65 km in 33 hours and 54 minutes, conquering 5,852 meters of elevation.

Across the entire challenge, Lottering managed just four short naps between Friday at 6 am and Sunday night, totalling only two hours and 13 minutes of sleep.

Lottering’s endurance challenges have always been about more than just sport. This year’s Im’possible Tour was dedicated to raising awareness about youth mental health, a crisis that continues to grow. 

His efforts are closely aligned with his tour partner RIA Cares, a global nonprofit committed to improving the lives of young people and supporting communities in need.

By pushing his limits, Lottering hopes to inspire young people to find their strength and to encourage open conversations about mental health. 

"I decided to do something different to get that attention... What made this tour different to me was the unknown, the doubt was very real... I've done it before but the doubt was insane. I firmly believe that if you want to do something extraordinary, you have to see yourself overcoming it and the only way you can do that is by mentally preparing yourself to overcome it and believing that you will." 

- Grant Lottering

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