BLACKPOOL cyclist Sue Leonard is set to pedal her way across rugged mountains and sweltering, barren desert plains in a 250-mile bike ride across the Holy Land.

Sue's five-day challenge, taking her through Israel's Negev Desert and across the Ramon crater to the Red Sea, will raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

And the 44-year-old computer analyst from Layton has got eight months to build up her muscles and stamina before she flies out to Tel Aviv on November 9.

Sue took up the challenge after a letter from explorer Ranulph Fiennes appeared in the Citizen rallying together people with a true sense of adventure.

Sue, along with 120 other cyclists including her old-time college friend Karen Bradshaw from Leyland, will have to cover nearly 60 miles a day.

"She said: "I'm glad there will be a group of us riding together which will help psychologically as well as physically. I've never done anything like this before.

"It's going to be an amazing few days, but a real hard slog."

Sue works out at the Imperial Hotel's gym and her trainers are currently drafting together a programme to help her tackle the demanding course.

But one thing the cyclist can't prepare for is the intense heat in Israel, with temperatures into the 90s.

"I've got really fair skin so I'll have to plaster on Factor 25," she said.

Sue decided to raise money for the British Heart Foundation because her mother suffers from angina and two of her uncles recently died from heart attacks.

If you would like to sponsor Sue ring her on 333249 or 391918.

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