Manly Daily, Page: 9
By Alice Marshall
Motivated by his father's recent battle with prostate cancer,
Freshwater's Tim Hodgson aims to ride from Sydney to the Sunshine
Coast.
Departing on May 7 as part of the Tour de Cure, Mr Hodgson and 72
other riders will take 10 days to cover the 1400km, and in the
process raise $1 million for cancer research.
"It really is the fact that you are doing the ride for such a good
cause that gets you up and out of bed for the 4.30am starts," Mr
Hodgson said.
"As well as Dad, a good friend of mine has just undergone their
second bout of chemo and my aunty died of cancer. It just seems as
you get older cancer gets closer and closer." Mr Hodgson initially
bought a bike to commute from Freshwater to Woolloomooloo, a 40km
round trip.
"When I started, that commute was tough. Now it's not even long
enough to class as training," he said.
"Instead I ride from Freshwater to Woolloomooloo via Palm Beach
just to get the kilometres in.
"The 10-day ride will be tough, but we've been training hard. Last
Sunday was my biggest ride yet 175km out to Dural and Windsor and
back to Freshwater." Each Tour de Cure rider pledges to raise
$10,000.
"I'm at about the $13,000 level," Mr Hodgson said. "It really is
the thought of all those sponsors cheering you on and the great
cause that will get me though the ride." For details and to donate
visit www.tourdecure.com.au.