A BEESTON man taking part in the 72-mile Great Notts Bike Ride tomorrow will already have completed one challenge at the weekend.

Mark Dunning, 39, a mechanical design engineer, will also be taking part in the Great North Swim, a one-mile swim across Lake Windermere today.

The events are the first two thirds of a "triathlon" challenge Mark has set himself for this year, with the final leg being the Great North Run half marathon in September.

Mark said: "I wanted to set myself a challenge and I've completed triathlons at Erewash, so it seemed a good idea.

"It happens that how the events have fallen that I go straight from the Great North Swim to the bike ride.

"I'm not too worried though, I think I'll have enough rest time as the swim is in the morning and I'll get a good night's sleep."

But he said the bike ride would still be tough.

He said: "I've done a bike ride before and I don't know how I did the last hour. It was so difficult, but I found a gear with the bike and just kept my head down and kept going and going.

"I've been training for a few months but I'm a bit more concerned about the swim. It's a mile but I've been trying to have some practise in open water as its very different to in a pool. You can't see the line you are following and there are lots of people around you."

As well as challenging himself Mark is aiming to raise money for CP Sport, a charity which aims to boost sport and physical recreational opportunities for people with cerebral palsy.

He was introduced to them by a friend who knew a child with the condition, and the charity is one of this year's bike ride's official causes.

Mark said: "In some ways I am doing this for selfish reasons. I want to lose a bit of weight and I want to be fitter than I am.

"But people have reminded me, and what I have to remember is that what I'm doing isn't normal.

"There are 10,000 people doing that swim and a couple of thousand doing the bike ride and thousands doing the Great North Run, but there's not going to be many doing all three.

''So hopefully I will raise some money for CP Sport."

This year's Great Notts Bike Ride, sponsored by Gem 106, is marking its 30th year. The events also includes 58-mile, 19-mile and family lap routes.

To sponsor Mark visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MarkDunning