Cycling pair complete fundraising mission donning mohawks

Their route avoided hills but the winds were brutal

Two Banbury men who described themselves as middle aged with dad bods, successfully completed a 100-mile cycle challenge for the Katharine House Hospice on Sunday.

Barry Newman and David Feeley rode the Flat 100 South between Peterborough and Kings Lynn in 8 hours and 8 minutes.

After several months of training here Barry and David hoped heading to East Anglia’s flatter landscape for the challenge might make it easier.   In the end the lack of hills meant there was nowhere to hide from the constant winds they had to battle against for the majority of the route.

The intrepid pair weren’t helped by their choice of headgear – they decided to wear mohawks on their helmets so they stood out from the crowd!

David said: “The worst part was the winds, they were brutal. The idea was this would be a mild first 100 without any brutal hills like Edge Hill – wrong!

“Every yard we worked for.   There was no free rolling due to no cover from the wind.   Wearing those Mohawks wasn’t a smart idea although it was worth it for every person who had a smile on their face as we rode by!”

The mohawks weren’t the only reason Barry and David were easy to spot.   David said: “By comparison we were like the Addams Family surrounded by serious athletes, with the odd beer gut in lycra!”

Getting fitter and healthier has been a positive benefit from the challenge with Barry planning to continue eating more healthily.   David is hoping to compete in the Broughton Castle Sportive next year, facing 7,500 feet of elevation – far more than the 800 feet of climbs they faced in East Anglia.

Through their efforts so far Barry and David have raised around £700 for the Katharine House Hospice.

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Published: 19/09/2023 03:31pm by Banbury FM Newsteam

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