SINGAPORE – They will have to battle the elements, unpredictable terrain and physical exhaustion as they attempt to cycle across Malaysia to Singapore — covering a total distance of 1,000km — in just four days.

Armed with only their bicycles and minimal supplies, these 78 cyclists from the local non-profit group, Epic Cyclist, will begin their arduous journey in the north of Malaysia at a rainforest in Belum, Perak, on March 3.

They will then cycle through the Gua Musang district in Kelantan, Kuala Lumpur and Muar before ending back home in Singapore.

It will be a gruelling and possibly painful experience for the cyclists, but it is a load they are willing to bear for a good cause as they seek to raise funds for the Kidney Dialysis Foundation (KDF).

In total, Epic Cyclist hopes to raise at least S$300,000 for the KDF, which will go to subsidising dialysis treatments and medication for needy members of the community.

This is the fourth year in a row that Epic Cyclist will be taking part in this charity event — the KDF Millennium Ride — which launched in 2014.

This year’s ride, however, will present a much tougher challenge as it will require the participants to cycle non-stop for at least nine hours in order to cover 470km in the first two days, and accumulate a total incline gain that surpasses the height of Mount Everest. “Even for a pro-cyclist, these challenges will be tough,” said Clifford Lee, founder of Epic Cyclist. “Yet these are ordinary people making a commitment to perform such a daunting task. The hours and mileage each cyclist has to put in prior to the four days are extensive.

“However, the obstacles our cyclists will encounter cannot be compared to the adversity dialysis patients go through daily. It is heartening to witness our cyclists putting in the effort to help raise funds for a good cause.”

Gary Lee, a competitive endurance athlete, will be taking part in his second KDF ride this year in memory of his late father, who suffered from diabetes and died in 2015.

“I promised my dad that I would serve when given the opportunity, and so I decided to join the KDF ride the following year,” said Lee, who is training six days a week to prepare for the ride. “To successfully complete 1,000km in four days requires a lot of commitment and discipline. In addition, all aspects such as nutrition, equipment, mental strength and physical conditions must be aligned.”

* All proceeds from the donations will be channelled to needy kidney patients under the care of Kidney Dialysis Foundation. Members of the public can donate via this link at https://www.giving.sg/kidney-dialysis-foundation/mride17. Both individual and corporate donors get a 2.5 times tax rebate if the donations are received by Dec 31, 2017.