‘As much as we are Seahawks fans, no matter what your team or sport, we’re all in the fight against MND’
Jon, left, and Glen, right, will begin an end their cycle at the Hull Ice Arena (Image: Submitted)
Two friends who met through ice hockey are taking on a three-day, 170 mile cycling challenge around Yorkshire, stopping off each evening to watch three ice hockey teams play. Glen Hartley and Jon Fish hope to raise cash for two charities close to their hearts, in a challenge that involves them cycling from Hull, to Sheffield, to Leeds and back again – all in one weekend.
Glen says he is feeling “excited and a bit nervous” for the challenge. The pair will round off each day by stopping to watch the three cities’ ice hockey teams.
The pair, who met at a Hull Seahawks game, are raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association and men’s mental health charity Andy’s Man Club. Glen said: “I’ve done 100 miles in a day previously for a different charity, but getting up and going again two days running will be a different kind of challenge. I’m getting the train to Scunthorpe today and biking home, then the train to York on Sunday and biking home from there as training.”
Glen is raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association inspired by his dad Paul Hartley, who was diagnosed with Bulbar MND in 2025. His dad will be at each milestone of the journey, banging the drum and supporting the boys.
Glen said: “Initially he started to get symptoms in 2023, late on, and it was a very long process to get the diagnosis. At first they thought it was Myasthenia Gravis. September last year we found out it was Bulbar MND.” This type of MND makes up about 20% of all cases and specifically affects the muscles in the throat, face, tongue and mouth.
Glen said: “The diagnosis is really difficult and there are lots of similarities between that and other conditions. It’s basically a log tick list and they go through it gradually, and MND is at the bottom. But it’s always there at the back of your mind. It was September 2025 he got the full confirmed diagnosis. He can’t talk, he’s got an ipad which has my voice on it. His swallowing is affected as well. If you walked past him in the street aside from that you might not be able to tell, but it’s still a terminal condition.
“You realise when their speech and swallowing is taken away how much you rely on that in everyday life.” Paul is still a keen member of a walking football team but is battling with fatigue and does “everything in a smaller capacity than what he could manage before”.
Glen used to go to ice hockey games with his dad as a child, formerly watching Hull Stingrays and Hull Thunder hockey teams. More recently, Glen and Jon met at a Hull Seahawks game and have become friends.
“We are both Hull Seahawks fans and Jon reached out to me when I was doing my last challenge. He’s more of a cyclist than I am. He’s going to do it on a single gear bike, that’s his challenge. Whereas mine is just doing it. With hockey, it’s an unusual thing that on the ice you are allowed to fight and it’s quite aggressive and physical and fast paced. But off the ice I’ve found the ice hockey community really supportive.
“As much as we are Seahawks fans, no matter what your team or sport, we’re all in the fight against MND and we want to support everyone we can with regards to mental health. Leeds have even invited us onto the ice post game for a photo presentation which is a lovely gesture. Hull Seahawks have a big rivalry with Leeds on the ice, but it proves off the ice we can come together to celebrate achievements and support each other.”
The challenge will see them leave from Hull Ice Arena on Friday 2 October where they will cycle around 70 miles to Sheffield, arriving at around 4.30pm. That night, they’ll watch Sheffield Steeldogs play the Telford Tigers, with face off at 7.30pm. On Saturday 3 October the pair will get back on their bikes and cycle 30 miles from Sheffield to Leeds, where they’ll arrive at around 4.30pm. They will watch Leeds Knights vs Peterborough Phantoms that evening, with face off at 6.30pm. Finally, on Sunday 4 October they will return to Hull, where they will finish the challenge by watching Hull Seahawks vs Basingstoke Bisons at 5.30pm. They aim to arrive back in Hull by 3.30pm. They are hoping to finish their day’s cycling around 90 minutes before each face off. All times are estimates.
Glen said: “We’re hoping for as many people as possible to come and support us at the finish points on each day, especially in Hull for our final day.” Follow their social media channels @glenh88 and @_not_d4ead_yet on Instagram for updates. Donate to the Pedal to the Puck Just Giving page.
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