They cycled from Rome to home
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The keen cyclists, from Macmerry and Haddington, decided they were going to cycle from Rome to home in order to raise funds for veterans’ charity Erskine in its centenary year.
The friends had previously cycled from Zeebrugge to Paris and from Land’s End to John O’Groats, but this task was on another level.
They left from the Colosseum on August 1 and covered between 70 and 90 miles per day as they crossed the Alps to Austria and then on to Germany, Holland, England and finally back to Scotland in a 1500-mile endurance test.
Along the way they’ve been faced with heatwaves and torrential rain, not to mention aching limbs, but it was all worth it when they cycled into Edinburgh yesterday.
They stopped off at Gifford in East Lothian, where they were joined by officers from Police Scotland for the final 20 miles to the Erskine Edinburgh home in Gilmerton.
Family, staff, residents and pipers were there to see them over the line and congratulate them on completing an epic journey.
Martin and Willie trained for two years and Erskine felt that dedication needed to be rewarded. What better way to do that in an Olympic year than to present the pair with gold medals?
They were each given a 100 Heroes for 100 Years medal, which the charity is presenting to worthy recipients as a thank you.
Just like all of our Olympic medallists, there’s no doubt that Willie and Martin have earned their special accolade.