Marc pushes on after Etape joy
Etape Caledonia cyclists Determined man Marc van Grieken admitted to feeling a mix of emotions when he completed the gruelling Etape Caledonia cycling event on Sunday.
Marc, who lives with Parkinson’s, was delighted to cross the finish line backed by ‘Shaky Team from the Shaky Toun’ teammates with an official finish time of five hours, 58 minutes and two seconds.
Marc, who is originally from the Netherlands but who has raised his family in Comrie, is on a mission this year - the year of his 60th birthdayto raise £60,000 for research into Parkinson’s Disease.
One of his goals was to take part in Sunday’s 81-mile Perthshire cycling marathon. He was supported in his efforts by friends Keith Vance, Stuart Henderson, Pete Murray, Donald Coltart and Ian Findlay.
Marc, who is a landscape architect, has already raised £20,921 as of May 21, and the team total is £24,257.70 - 40% of the target.
Marc explained: “My next effort is going to focus on pushing this over the 50% mark so please keep supporting the Shaky Team.”
He added: “Crossing the finish line was both very emotional and a triumph. Emotional because I am surrounded by so many people who support me and a triumph to not let Parkinson’s stop me. Without the Shaky Team I could not have done it.
“I feel sore but great but I am determined to continue my quest during 2017 to raise money for Parkinson’s research.”
The determined 60-year-old has been living with Parkinson’s for 10 years and won’t allow his condition to slow him down.
As part of his training for his cycling endeavours this year, Marc recently pedalled a static bike in the main exhibition space at the All Energy conference at Glasgow’s SECC to work a monitor linked to his laptop, generating power as well donations from conference delegates.
Fundraising continues with a music quiz on Sunday, June 11, in the White Church, and more adventures in the saddle, including Pedal for Parkinson’s Stirling in August.
You can also donate at www. justgiving.com/fundraising/Marcvan-Grieken.
• Marc was part of a colourful blaze of 5000 cyclists which flooded through Highland Perthshire on Sunday for the Etape, which raises money for Marie Curie Cancer Care.
The route took participants past Loch Rannoch, Loch Tummel and a steep climb near Schiehallion. Then it was off to finish back in Pitlochry.
Former Olympic gold medallist Chris Boardman was at the start of the event in Atholl Road and was thronged with hundreds of cheering well-wishers as the entrants departed at around 6.30am.
Rain showers were around for sure,
An ecstatic Marc van Grieken reaches the finish line of the 81-mile Etape Caledonia but the riders experienced pleasant enough conditions in between for the eleventh staging of the event.
Families and friends were there to clap the brave riders in as they crossed the finishing line and shopkeepers, accommodation providers and businesses in the town reported a significant economic boost.
The first two finishers - David Lines and Gary Hand - crossed close together with times of 3.27.40 and 3.27.41 respectively.
The majority of the field took between five and five-and-a-half hours to get home.
Meanwhile, cyclists can already register their interest for Marie Curie’s Etape Caledonia 2018.
Without the Shaky Team members I could not have done it