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OMNIA
Issue 07 Spring/Summer 2020
Russell overcomes health scare to ride the world for charity RUSSELL KESLEY (OC 1988)
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near-fatal health scare might have stopped many people from taking part in the 3,069 mile Race Across America in Revolve24 (RAAM) cycling event, but not OC Russell Kesley. Having made a great attempt in 2018, he is now gearing up to ride again in 2020. Russell, who attended Caterham School from 19861988, suddenly collapsed in 2015. Hospitalised and in intensive care, he was found to have a resting heart rate of 165 and a resting blood pressure of 250/120. A diagnosis of pheochromocytoma, a rare tumour of the adrenal gland tissue, was delivered. The news was a huge shock. Russell, a father of two girls, while training as an accountant and working in the City. “At the time I didn’t know I was suffering from a pheo, which was insidiously impacting my health. To say I’m lucky to be here is an understatement,” said Russell. His illness placed a lot of strain on him but, with the love and care of his wife, Sandra Roscoe, who is a doctor, and his two girls. Russell has made a full recovery. “Cycling played a massive part in my being able to survive and also in it being discovered. If I had not just started cycling, and kept myself reasonably in shape, I would not be here today. Many thanks to Mr Lavery, my former rugby tutor, for encouraging that!” Russell describes his entry of the RAAM 2018 event as like ‘Mallory taking on Everest’. “I was the proverbial ‘middle aged man in lycra’ at that point, looking to achieve a 3069 mile event, twice the distance of the Tour de France in half the time, riding through 45’ hot deserts and climbing over higher peaks, all just two years after coming out of intensive care.” The six months of preparation was harsh. Training, organising a support crew, fundraising and more training all while maintaining a job. Whilst the wheels did not come off completely, bearing in mind 50% of soloists failed to complete the race, nearly all of them on the first day, Russell made it to 1,250 miles before being pulled out. Since then, Russell has had a nagging itch to return to RAAM and complete it. “I have re-entered RAAM2020, being allowed a continuation of my qualification as I had made it so far across, at one point I was close to pressing the top ten of the field.”
So far Russell and team have raised in excess of £65,000 for the Doddies charity, which supports research into motor neurone disease
With the return set for this year, preparation began as soon as the last ride finished. The goal has now extended beyond RAAM to bigger things. “I’ve had to attain some credibility, to do this. Talking about doing something and doing it are very different things.” His achievements have included: – riding solo from London to Rome in seven days – the Doddie500 ride between Murrayfield and Twickenham with Mark Beaumont, Rob Wainwright and Tom Leefe from (this year they will ride the other direction with ex-Scotland and England internationals helping them set off from Twickenham) – riding more than 400 miles twice in 24 hours at the National Mersey 24 TT rides, finishing 25th overall and winning gold in the veterans team event – riding 401.44 miles at Revolve24, finishing fifth and coming the best placed veteran
