THINK AORTA® - 100 Mountains - Cent Cols Challenge

Posted by Sarah Nuttman

25th August 2025 — 4 min read

This August 2025, I’ll be taking on my biggest challenge since surviving a life-threatening medical emergency — a 10-day cycling odyssey through the Pyrenees, climbing 100 mountain passes (the infamous Cent Cols) across France and Spain.

Each day will mean:

• 95 miles in the saddle
• 12,000 feet of climbing
• Around 8 hours of effort

It’s big. It’s brutal. And it’s deeply personal.

I’m aiming to raise £5,000 for THINK AORTA® — a campaign that has become hugely important to me, and that one day could make the difference for someone you know.

Why this challenge matters

In October 2021, during what should have been a routine cardiac ablation, something went very badly wrong. I suffered a massive and unexpected Aortic Dissection — the inner lining of my aorta tore along most of its length, with additional cardiac damage. It was a terrifying, life-threatening event that is often fatal.

I was one of the lucky ones — thanks to the brilliant vascular team at St George’s Hospital, London, who diagnosed the dissection and saved my life with emergency surgery and a large TEVAR stent.

It took three days for my condition to be diagnosed. And that’s part of the problem.

Aortic Dissection is frequently missed or misdiagnosed, even though in the UK it kills more people each year than road traffic accidents. When it strikes, it does so suddenly and without warning. Surviving the initial event is only the beginning. There is no full recovery — only adaptation to a new normal, which can be physically and emotionally overwhelming.

For me, it has taken nearly four years of hard work to rebuild strength:

• Cardiovascular rehab
• Fitness training
• Weight loss
• Monitoring my heart rate and blood pressure every day — because my life depends on it

I now ride an e-bike, which allows me to train and take on challenges safely while working within my new limits.

A history of “semi-crazy” adventures

Before the Aortic Dissection, I had a habit of taking on big endurance tests, including:

• 6 London Marathons
• Jordan Desert Cup – 100km footrace from Petra to Wadi Rum
• Running the Cyprus “Green Line” for charity – 4 days, North to South
• Borneo Mountain Marathon (to 14,000 feet) – twice
• 350 skydives
• Charity version of the Tour de France (2014 – 21 days riding)
• 12 years in the Army, including time in special forces
• Sailing the Atlantic
• Chase-the-Sun UK coast-to-coast cycle – 200 miles in a day (twice!)

In 2019, pre-AD, I even took on the Cent Cols Dolomites — on a manual bike — which at the time I thought might be my toughest-ever test.

Post-AD training — building back

Coming back from a major cardiac and vascular event has meant training smarter, not just harder:

• 2022: 450 hours / 10,400 km on the bike
• 2023: 470 hours / 12,000 km
• 2024: 570 hours / 14,160 km
• 2025: 276 hours / 6,500 km so far (target 15,000 km)

Earlier this year, I also ticked off another post-AD goal: “Everesting” Mont Ventoux — 6 ascents, 9,400m (30,800 feet) of climbing, 14 hours in the saddle, with an average heart rate of just 101 bpm. A tough day… and one I’m not looking to repeat any time soon!

Why take on Cent Cols now?

Because challenges move us forward. And because every time someone asks why, I get to tell them about THINK AORTA® — a campaign dedicated to improving awareness, diagnosis, and emergency care for Aortic Dissection. Their work saves lives. Alongside them, Aortic Dissection Awareness UK & Ireland supports survivors and families through the long and complicated recovery journey.

I’m covering all my own costs for the trip — so every penny you donate goes directly to the charity.

Thank you for reading, for supporting, and for helping raise awareness of a condition that too often goes unnoticed until it’s too late. Your support means the world — to me, to this cause, and to those still fighting their way back.

Donate at Howard’s JustGiving page and follow Howard’s epic ride on his blog.