Diss man relieved as he completes gruelling 880 mile charity cycle in the wind and rain
A Diss man says he is relieved after he was able to complete a gruelling 880 mile cycle from London to Edinburgh and back again in treacherous conditions.
Barry Kirby, group financial controller at Bury St Edmunds-based Treatt, finished the ride in 104 hours – 12 hours before the time limit – despite the rain, cold, and gale-force winds.
We are knackered, and we are relieved. The weather was dreadful, it was just awful
He was joined by colleagues team manager Bruce Sinclair and Ken Ferguson, health and safety manager from Wymondham.
They raised more than £6,300 for Mind.
“We are just ordinary blokes, we are not athletes,” he told the Diss Express. “We have been training since January for it.
“We are knackered, and we are relieved. The weather was dreadful, it was just awful.
“It rained and the wind was going the wrong way, but it was an opportunity. You are not given the chance to do something for other people in life that often, and we were able to raise thousands for Mind.”
Mr Kirby said he would not have been able to do it on his own.
And he said that was the message to take from the charity challenge – that if someone is going through a tough time mentally, other people can be there to support you.
Will he be taking on such a gruelling task again?
“I am sore at the moment, it is going to take some time for me to recover. We would like to, but we need to repair!”
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