A HADDINGTON woman more used to the badminton court than the bicycle saddle is getting ready to swap badminton rackets and shuttlecocks for nine days of cycling the length of the country.

Sara Jalicy, along with friends Hattie Mason and Johanna Millar, will set off on a mammoth journey next month as she heads down to Newquay in Cornwall before cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

The 29-year-old started training – which she described as “pretty brutal” – for the 874-mile journey at the start of the year and admitted it had been far from easy.

“I remember the first training run was from Edinburgh to North Berwick, I pretty much could not walk for two or three days afterwards,” she said.

“It has got a lot easier though and I’m up to 70 or 80 miles relatively comfortably.

“One of Johanna’s cousins is on Team Garmin-Sharp with David Millar and she is all kitted out but I am quite pleased with the progress I am making; it’s really good.” The friends will set off from Land’s End and cover 173 kilometres on the first day before reaching Okehampton.

From there, it is on to Bristol (156km), then Bewdley (164km), Oldham (160km) and a final stop south of the Border in Penrith (172km).

Then, it is back into Scotland with a stop at Peebles (168km) before going on to Kinross (117km), Aviemore (177km) and Brora (165km). Finally, it is on to John O’Groats with the shortest day, which is only 99km.

The trio have already smashed through their original fundraising target of £7,000 and are now closing in on £8,500.

Fundraisers ranging from bag packing in Dalkeith’s Tesco branch to a pub quiz have seen money steadily flowing in, along with a number of donations.

Sara, whose family stay in the Seggarsdean area of the town, was gearing up for starting the trip on August 28.

She said: “I’ve never done anything like this before and probably never will again!

“The bike will go in the garage [afterwards] but we have raised a lot of money for Marie Curie and they do such a good job.” Sara, who attended Haddington Infant School and Knox Academy, was happy to help the charity, which had helped a number of friends and other people she knew who were effected by cancer.

Fiona Beaton, community fundraiser for Edinburgh and the Lothians, said: “Sara and her team have done tremendously well with their fundraising and we are delighted that they chose to support Marie Curie Cancer Care.

“We wish them all the best on their challenge and look forward to hearing all their stories on their return.” Donate to the team at justgiving.com/SaraJalicy