Castlegregory brothers 1,500km charity cycle
IF the thought of cycling to the shop, now restricted to 2km due to Covid-19, leaves you breathless then spare a thought for two West Kerry cyclists who have just completed a gruelling and energy sapping 1,500km cycle from the comfort of their home in Castlegregory. The distance covered would take a cyclist or motorist on a trip from Dingle to Dublin, across to Liverpool, London and finishing in Paris having covered close to 1,500 km.
Teak tough brothers Tom Moriarty, a 17-year-old Fifth Year Castlegregory student, and his brother Mike, a 24-year-old Army officer based in Limerick, decided to embark on a three-day cycle for charity and in the process raised a whopping €6,500 for the Irish Cancer Society.
“We cycled in twelve-hour shifts on an indoor static bike for three consecutive days in an attempt to replicate a nurse’s working week, the stamina needed for their work and the fatigue they endure, particularly in the current crisis,” said Mike.
Tom is no stranger to headlines as an accomplished cyclist and the current Irish Junior Road Racing champion. He also finished 2019 as the top ranked Under-18 cyclist at just 16 years of age.
“We started the cycle on Thursday morning at 7.30am and stayed on our bikes for twelve hours before taking a break during the night. Basically over the three days it was twelve hours on the bike and twelve hours rest. We stayed indoors for two days and on the final day, last Saturday, we moved outdoors. To keep our concentration on track
we watched a few TV shows and listened to music.”
The cyclists had initially set a goal of €2,000 but as news of the event spread on social media their wheels of fortune were also boosted.
“The Irish Cancer Society is an organisation that needs funds having lost vital income with the cancellation of Daffodil Day due to Covid-19. Cancer is also close to everyone’s heart here in Kerry and with free time on our hands we decided to do something on a small scale for them. The response from the public was phenomenal. We are very humbled by the success of the cycle and the encouragement of the public. With the current lock down, now is the time for more people to do some unique and simple charity events,” said Tom.
After a rest at the weekend it was back to serious training for Tom in his quest to become a professional cyclist. “Cycling is one of the most inspiring sports in the World. It is not only inspiring it is also brutal, punishing and full of pain and suffering. I am determined not to let Covid-19 restrict my demanding 25 hours per week training schedule. Training has changed dramatically for me over the past number of weeks. A typical week involved 25 hours of intensive work. Prior to Covid-19 I would hit the roads for four hour training spins but now with a 2km radius from home I can no longer train on the roads and use a Turbo Trainer as my main training equipment where I cover 100km in two and a half hours. This is supplemented with gym work, yoga and core work. Challenging times demand challenging outcomes for all of us.”