The widow of Scottish rugby icon Doddie Weir, Kathy, has joined this year's annual Doddie Ride ahead of Saturday's Six Nations showdown between Ireland and Scotland.
The seventh annual Doddie Ride has departed from Edinburgh as cyclists embark on an ambitious journey to Dublin.
The charity event honours Doddie Weir, the beloved Scotland and Lions lock who died aged 52 four years ago after battling Motor Neurone Disease.
Before his death in 2022, Weir established the My Name'5 Doddie foundation, which has since generated millions of pounds for MND research.
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This year's route begins with a prologue from Edinburgh to Weir's hometown of Melrose in the Scottish Borders, before continuing through England and Wales to the Aviva Stadium.
Former Scotland captain and British and Irish Lion Rob Wainwright leads the Doddie Triple Crown ride, having been a close friend and loyal companion to Weir throughout his life.
The concept is to transport the Six Nations match ball from Melrose to Dublin for the weekend's climactic fixture.
However, the physical challenge is immense, with participants covering approximately 200 miles each day across four days.
The widow of Scottish rugby icon Doddie Weir, Kathy, has joined this year's annual Doddie Ride
|PA
Speaking to the Sun, Kathy said: "This is probably the first year I’ve felt mentally ready to take on something like this.
"I don’t know about physically, but mentally, yes. After Doddie died, I probably wasn’t in a great place. I’d tell everyone I was fine, but I was exhausted, mentally and physically.
"It was emotional, and it was public. It’s taken time.
"Last year I joined for the final stage and that helped."
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Doddie Weir died aged 52 four years ago after battling Motor Neurone Disease
|GETTY
She added: "Now I’m at a place where I’m happy to do anything I can to help raise the profile for Rob, the Foundation, and for the whole MND community."
The former rugby international first realised there was something wrong with his health while on his family farm in the Scottish Borders.
Kathy added: "He was out on the farm and he felt he had a weakness in his hand.
"It sort of never fixed and he started googling and that's when we started down the road of motor neurone disease."
Doddie Weir established himself as a rugby legend during his time in the sport
| GBNEWS/PA/GETTYThe foundation Doddie set up has now raised more than £20million to fund research into treatments and a cure for MND.
Kathy believes her late husband's legacy will give her strength during the long four-day cycle through rugby's four home nations.
She said: "I don't think anyone can do what he did."
She aims to raise awareness of the disease "and show people who are suffering with MND that we are still here and we are still doing what we can to try and help".