B.C. man to cycle length of New Zealand to raise funds for Movember

Marc Vaillancourt will tackle Tour Aotearoa, a 3,000 kilometre cycle navigating the length of New Zealand, to raise funds for mental health charity Movember. (Courtesy: Marc Vaillancourt)

Stretching 3,000 kilometres from the tip of New Zealand to its southernmost point, with just a bicycle for transport and a tent to call home, bikepacking event Tour Aotearoa is not for the faint of heart.

Marc Vaillancourt isn’t intimidated by the hefty challenge, however, he’s too driven by the prospect of change.

The 37-year-old Vancouver resident is currently pedalling the Land of the Long White Cloud to raise awareness for men’s mental health, and raise funds in collaboration with international fundraising campaign Movember. The journey, crafted to highlight New Zealand cycling tours and the country’s natural beauty, follows a combination of cycle trails, tracks, paths and country lanes and is embarked on by hundreds each day.

Vaillancourt, who touched down in Auckland Nov. 15 and is currently three days into his mighty adventure, says he feels “well prepared” for the gruelling days that lie ahead.

A physical education teacher and avid outdoorsman, Vaillancourt had first come across Tour Aotearoa 10 years ago while flicking through an edition of adventure magazine Carnet d'Aventures.

He was in the midst of running and hiking France’s Tour du Mont Blanc, one of the most popular long-distance walks in Europe, and was intrigued by the prospect of completing a similar challenge with only a bike and a few supplies.

Plus, he adds, he’s a “huge fan” of Lord of the Rings, and so, naturally, a new bucket list adventure was born.

“What has surprised me is that my plan worked. I came out of the airplane at 5 a.m. and at 7 a.m. I built the bike right at the airport, and everything went well,” he said.

Vaillancourt racked up 113 kilometres during his first day on the road, cycling from Auckland to the natural, thermal baths of Miranda Hot Springs. On his second, he navigated the trail onwards to Hamilton, where he experienced the magic of Peter Jackson’s Hobbiton.

“As I pedalled along, I found myself reflecting on my own journey, where I’m coming from, and the land that shaped me as a young adult,” says Vaillancourt, touching on how the journey so far has made him realize the importance of the relationship between humans and wildlife, and the natural world.

What lies ahead for Vaillancourt is another three weeks of pedalling between six to eight hours and 100 to 140 kilometres per day, and camping each evening. Riders are supposed to take no more than 45 days to finish, yet Vaillancourt hopes to complete it in less than 25.

With each 10 kilometres traversed, he plans to add $1 to his growing Movember funds and he hopes others following his journey will do the same. His goal is to raise $2,000, he says, but it is awareness for the cause that he is hoping to accumulate the most.

“If we promote a better understanding of what the symptoms of mental health problems are, then we can also promote better habits for happiness, or having a better lifestyle and just enjoying life way more,” he says.

Rearing the topic of mental health among men is especially important, adds Vaillancourt, given the stigma surrounding the conversation that still exists in many communities.

“It is something not necessarily discussed in a family setting, men around the table are not necessarily taking the time to actually assess that in a more intelligent way and see what's happening.”

Vaillancourt touches on how he himself experienced a bout of poor mental health earlier this year, and he has witnessed other family members endure similar desolation. His father, who died two years ago after suffering from chronic pain disorder fibromyalgia, had been “in a state of depression” at the end of his life, he says.

“For me, that was definitely a motivation to just open my eyes and think, ‘OK, if this is going to happen to my dad at the end of his life, it might happen to my uncle, it might happen to my brother, it might happen to other people in the family,” he says.

When the adventure is complete, Vaillancourt hopes to, deservedly, take a moment to himself.He says he’ll park up in Queenstown, a picturesque resort town in the south-east of the South Island renowned for its stunning alpine backdrop, and spend a few days relaxing before making the return to Vancouver.

“There’s no rush to end of the trip, [I’ll be] just enjoying the journey, taking some notes and absolutely doing a reflection.”

Vaillancourt’s journey can be followed via his social media channels, his Strava account, or his official Movember fundraising page.