By Cheryl Wood

IN LESS than three weeks, Mark Beaumont will pedal out of Paris in an attempt to become the fastest person ever to cycle 18,000 miles around the world.

The 24-year-old economics graduate from Newburgh has spent most of the last year preparing for his bid to beat the world record for circumnavigating the globe on a bicycle.

Now the seconds are ticking away until he sets out on August 5 on his solo mission to slash 66 days off the 276 taken by record holder Steve Strange two years ago.

Mark, whose venture is being followed by BBC documentary makers, will cycle through 20 countries in Europe, the Middle East, south Asia, Australasia and America.

He gave up work in February to devote his energies to training and preparing for the mammoth journey which will take him to Istanbul, Calcutta, Bangkok and Singapore before he cycles across Australia and the length of New Zealand.

He will then fly to Seattle, from where he will cycle to Miami before embarking on the final leg of his trial from Lisbon back to Paris.

He told The Courier that, while nerves are beginning to set in, he is in peak physical condition and is raring to get in the saddle.

He said, “There is a certain amount of trepidation.

“It would be unnatural not to feel slightly nervous about the prospect of cycling 100 miles a day, but I’m very much looking forward to the starting line.

“The training has been going very, very well.

“The results from a considerable amount of testing at the University of Glasgow show the fitness and stamina is there.

“It’s now just a case of getting on the road.”

Mark started dreaming of cycling round the world while he was a student at Glasgow University.

He embarked on his first endurance cycle at the age of 12, when he pedalled from Dundee to Oban.

He has recently returned from a training trip in Croatia, where he tested his new bike and the GPS tracking system that will chart the journey.

Mark said, “My previous trips have given me good experience of the terrain and climate I will be cycling through.”

He added, “One of the parts I’m looking forward to most is the Middle East, but it is also where the greatest issues could arise.”

Mark will spend eight hours a day in the saddle, travelling at least 100 miles each day until he finally returns to Paris in March.

He said, “This has been a dream of mine for three years, since the middle of university.

“I don’t think I’ll understand what it means until I’ve done it.”

Mark’s adventure will recorded by the BBC for broadcasting on his return, with updates being made available on the BBC website.

He will also be keeping a blog on his own website, www.pedallingaround.com, where visitors will be able to keep track of his progress.

Mark is using the event to raise money and awareness for five charities —Community Action Nepal, Edinburgh Cyrenians, CHICKs, which provides country holidays for disadvantaged inner city children, Tusk Trust and Rainer, which helps under-supported young people.