Mexico to New York: Cyclist's World Cup challenge

A man from Warwickshire has set himself the challenge of cycling from Mexico City to New York in the time it takes for the World Cup tournament to take place.

Joe Dick, who is training to be a sports psychologist, set off from the Mexican capital when the whistle blew for the first game of the competition on 11 June.

The plan is to try to reach New York, 5,000km away, before the final whistle of the World Cup final on Sunday.

The 23-year-old, from Lighthorne, said he wanted to push himself: "I couldn't really tell you what's possessed me to do this exact challenge, but the adventure sort of called to me I suppose."

The World Cup footballers have been taking extra "hydration breaks" to cope with the heat, and the personal trainer, who works for Fitness Worx in Coventry, said that had been part of the challenge for him too.

"Aside from the physical challenge, I wanted to do this for the mental challenge, test my resilience, I suppose.

"Waking up early has been pretty hard, to avoid the heat. They are long days, I do try to make sure I break quite a lot and I've got a good hydration strategy."

"But it's the bugs that irritate me the most."

Along the way, Dick is staying in motels, wild camping and has been taken in by families along the route too.

He is posting on social media every day as he travels the route, and said the people he met had helped keep him going.

"For each leg, I post a picture of all the people that have helped me, whether that's stopping by the side of the road, giving me some water, giving me some Powerade, one guy gave me $20 out of nowhere."

It has not all been plain sailing and he had to make up a lot of miles after suffering five punctures in the first three days.

"In my first week, in Mexico, I encountered a lot of punctures, especially in that first week when I knew there were so many miles ahead of me, that was really hard to get through."

"But that's when I sort of had to practise what I preach in terms of my sports psychology."

Dick calls his challenge "Beat The Final Whistle" and has been supported by his employers.

He has already raised more than £5,600 for the Campaign Against Living Miserably, a charity chosen after it helped support him during a difficult time.

"I reached out to them when I was struggling with my own mental health issues a few years ago. They do so much good work for mental health and it's something I really do believe in."

"So I just wanted to pay something back to them."

Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.