I would ride 100 miles, and I would ride 100 more...!

Hastings cyclists Duncan Hacon and Eddie Tate took Hastings’ Castle Cycle Challenge to the max by completing the circuits not once but three times, achieving their first ever 100 mile ride for charity.
Duncan Haycon, Eddie Tate and Joe Fallen who competed in the Hastings cycle challenge SUS-150505-124440001Duncan Haycon, Eddie Tate and Joe Fallen who competed in the Hastings cycle challenge SUS-150505-124440001
Duncan Haycon, Eddie Tate and Joe Fallen who competed in the Hastings cycle challenge SUS-150505-124440001

Though the Castle Cycle Challenge, organised by the Rotary club of St Leonards and held on Sunday April 27, officially offers riders either a 25 or 40 mile route (to Pevensey or Herstmonceux Castles), Duncan and Eddie decided that they would go that extra mile or so and attempt personal goals of 100 miles and raise money for charity.

Duncan, 54, of Lower Park Road, says having ridden the course last year he decided that he wanted more of a challenge and came up with £100 for 100 miles as his sponsorship programme.

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Duncan said: “I started at 9am and rode twice around the Herstmonceux circuit and once round the Pevensey circuit. At the end of the first lap I was offered a medal by St Michael’s Hospice Chairman Irene Dibben. My response was that I hadn’t finished yet and was going round again!”

He added: “The last 24 miles from Hastings to Pevensey and back were hard due to the strong north east wind across the marshes and the only thing that kept me going was the thought of the sponsorship.”

Eddie, 50, said despite the weather not being on their side and suffering with a chest infection thrown in for good measure, he still managed to achieve 100 miles in under 8 hours. He said: “The ride for me got very challenging on the 92 mile mark, but I rode through the pain to reach a personal goal of 100 miles for a very good cause.”

Duncan finally arrived for the third time at the Lifeboat Station at 5.15 pm with “great relief at having completed the task” of 101 miles and having raised £340 for the Hastings and Pett Lifeboats and St Michael’s Hospice.

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Duncan and Eddie were joined on the ride by friend Joe Fallen from Bexhill who helped pace Eddie and Duncan by cycling the first 40 miles.

Irene Dibben, Chairman of St Michael’s Hospice said she couldn’t quite believe it when Duncan told her that he and Eddie were going around the course again.

She said: “What an amazing achievement to do 101 miles! Everyone at the Hospice really appreciates the effort supporters make particularly such a physical and psychological battle against the elements.”

“Well done and thank you again.”

Anyone who would like to sponsor Duncan an Eddie’s achievement are invited to do so by visiting their fundraising page at:

www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/DuncanAndEddie