Mark Farrow from Havant ready for 100-mile South Downs Way ride for Cure Parkinson's
A cyclist with Parkinson’s is getting ready for a big challenge this weekend
A man who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s is gearing up for a monster cycling feat.
Mark Farrow of Havant, who was diagnosed in 2023, will be cycling the South Downs Way to raise funds and awareness for the charity Cure Parkinson’s.
The South Downs Way is a 100-mile (160km) route between Winchester and Eastbourne, which is mostly off-road along bridleways. Many people break it up into several legs - but keen cyclist Mark says he wants to push himself, so is aiming to complete the ride in a day, setting off from Winchester in the early hours of Sunday, May 3.
He has been going to weekly spin classes at a gym, and cycling two or three times each week, covering about around 18 miles to 25 miles a time.
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He said: “I keep motivated by the knowledge that I am raising money for a very worthy cause. It is good to have a goal to work towards. I feel quite humbled by everyone that has donated money to my cause and feel I must thank them for their donations by keeping active and completing the challenge.”
He will be cycling with a friend for the full route, and will be joined by others along the way. He has set himself a fundraising goal of £5,000, and has already raised over £4,300 of his target.
“I’ve wanted to raise funds for Cure Parkinson's since being diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2023,” said Mark. “The condition affects people differently, and what better way to raise awareness and money than by doing something that I love. Plus my friends, family and work are being so supportive that it spurs me on.”
Cure Parkinson’s CEO Helen Matthews said: “Fundraising support is absolutely critical for the charity to enable us to achieve our goal. We aim to cure Parkinson’s and the only way we will do this is through the help of all our incredible supporters like Mark – it’s as simple as that!”
If you would like to donate to Mark’s South Downs Way cycling challenge, head to: https://www.justgiving.com/page/mark-farrow-1#timeline-section-marker