FIVE novice cyclists – one who hasn’t ridden since primary school – are attempting to ride from St Ives in Cornwall to its Cambridgeshire namesake ... in just FOUR days.
Steve Poore, 37, Tom Dockerill, 23, Chris Parker, also 37, Adam King, 24, and Graham George, who turns 38 on the second day of the challenge, will tackle the 380-mile journey on July 17-20 for three charities – Magpas, Sue Ryder Care and the Woodlands Cancer Centre.
Mr Dockerill, a conveyancing account manager at Move with Us who lives in Blackhills Road, St Ives, is the most experienced rider, having tackled a tour of northern India. At the other end of the scale is Mr King, of Simmer Piece, Fenstanton, who works at Bar Hill Golf Club. He hasn’t ridden since he was in Year 6.
Mr Poore, a postman and on-call firefighter, of Green Leys, St Ives, said: “I wanted to do a challenge and came up with cycling from St Ives to St Ives, it’s quite poetic. I didn’t realise just how far and hard it would be.”
Mr George, who works as a firefighter in Peterborough, added: “The other day I spoke to a friend who is from the south west who has done a similar thing. I thought once we got out of Cornwall it would be alright, but no, he told me that day two and day three were going to be as hilly.”
The five men, who are sponsored by Maxine Lester and XL Press, are supporting Phil Pope’s Huge Day Out charities and recently added the Woodlands Centre when Mr Parker’s dad died of cancer in April.
Mr Parker, a firefighter at Huntingdon who lives in Constable Road, St Ives, said: “My dad was treated there for three years. He died the week that The Hunts Post started the Woodlands appeal so we agreed to add it on.”
Training has been an issue so far as they have yet to ride together. “Because of our jobs, and as Steve is on call, we just haven’t managed to get out together – we’ll probably get our training together on the first day in Cornwall,” said Mr George, of Spencer Drive, Huntingdon.
St Ives town mayor Councillor Ron Tulley will give them a send off while school children preparing for a charity cycle ride abroad will join them on the first leg.
The quintet are still looking to attract additional company sponsorship. Mr George said: “We need help with the nutrition. We have all spent a lot of money to get ready for the ride but we’d like help with paying for nutrition.
“It’s key. We need 6,500 calories for an eight-hour ride. We get to eat all that is normally bad for you, cakes, cereal bars and energy gels. We need to eat every 20 minutes or we risk hitting the wall, and not being able to go any further.”
INFORMATION: To sponsor the five men, visit www.virginmoneygiving.com/pedalforpounds
If you can help with further sponsorship, call Phil Pope on 07507 792324.
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