If you want people to know about a particular topic, raising awareness is key. Taking that into account, one has to find how they can influence others, and Jack realized that his passion for cycling and his continuous search for challenges were a perfect fit for that purpose, being able to send a powerful message doing what he knows best.

Jack Ultra Cyclist often explains that #itsoknottobeok when talking about possible episodes of depression or mental health disorders, and in his particular case, he uses the bike as a cure. Knowing that it works for him, he encourages others to push their limits, both physical and mental, to overcome any present or future difficulties that one may face.

He wanted to plan something for World’s Mental Health Day, which is celebrated on October 10th, so he decided to ride nonstop from coast to coast of the Iberian Peninsula, from Girona to Portugal, three days in advance to arrive to Caramulo on the due date.

Starting from the Catalan city, Jack rode 1.200 km in 56 hours through the characteristic hilly terrain of both countries, with no one to relay him, only with the support team composed of Dave the driver and Sami in charge of assisting and filming. The lack of sleep was a challenge for both Jack and the rest of the crew, with no choice other than taking short power naps.

The number of difficult situations faced in a short period of time was hard to swallow, like the delicate circumstances that someone with depression has to daily deal with, but it all paid off in the end after realizing how rewarding it was.

This called GP-1200 was just one of Jack’s cycling highlights from last year, which includes doing an Everesting three days in a row in three different countries.

He will try to make the most of this truncated season and complete the events he had planned in advance. In any case, he will use his influence to continue advocating about ways of overcoming physical and mental issues.

“Riding my bike from Girona to Portugal is nothing compared to my early teenage years and my struggles with mental health. I just hope that by sharing my story, I can inspire others to go about pushing their own limits in search of happiness”

This film is produced and edited by Sami Sauri Productions.