H.R. Owen Service Manager, Paul King, has successfully completed his gruelling Night Shift in support of the NHS Charities Together, raising over £3,000 in the process. Having witnessed the stressful and exhausting working hours of NHS workers first-hand – as well as their dedication and talent – Paul wanted to help by doing what he does best: getting on the bike.
Having been a keen cyclist for years – including competing in a number of races – Paul opted to undertake his very own nightshift, pedalling for 10 hours straight from 8pm to 6am. Paul set up his Wattbike in his garden and, as the final ‘Big Clap’ for the NHS got underway, he began cycling.
Using the at-home training tool, Zwift, Paul knew he’d have to pace himself to maintain energy through the full 10 hours, so stuck to a steady 15-20mph. There would be many hours ahead, and many virtual climbs to tackle throughout the night.
As the night wore on, friends and family called in to keep Paul company and some even cycled along parts of the route at home on their Wattbikes. In complete darkness, Paul continued his ride, legs burning, until the sun rose a few hours later and the 6am finish line seemed in sight. As the ten-hour market slowly ticked closer, Paul’s sprint finish bought him a few crucial extra yards taking his total distance covered to 197 miles – that’s fractionally under 20mph for a full ten hours.
Paul said: “Against the backdrop of what many key workers are contending with at the moment, this challenge really isn’t all that difficult. Having lost a very close friend to the virus I, like many others, know how devastating it can be, and I hope the money we’ve raised here can help make a difference to their work. I feel like I’ll be forever in the NHS’s debt thanks to the miraculous work they did in helping me back in the saddle after I shattered my pelvis in 2015, so I’ll continue to do all I can to support them.”
Following Paul’s Night Shift, he freshened up and headed back to the day job, to be at his desk by 9am. Paul is busy looking after the newly reopened H.R. Owen Aftersales sites at H.R. Owen Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Bugatti and Maserati.
On a personal note, Paul would like to thank each and every customer, friend, fan and colleague from HR Owen for their support of this cause. The donations, well wishes and support have been inspiring and it is truly appreciated. If you would still like to donate in support of Paul’s challenge, you can here.
