A CHANCE conversation during a coffee break prompted three friends to take their bikes out of mothballs for a daunting 133-mile charity challenge.
Phil Littlemore, of Weaverham, and Paul Cook and Iain McParland, of Widnes, work at pharmaceutical firm Teva, Preston Brook.
Five months ago they started chatting about cycling and, by the end of the conversation, had signed up to a coast-to-coast ride.
Paul said: “This is the most popular bike ride challenge in the UK and involves cycling from the west to the east coast of England via the Lake District and over the Pennines.
“You start by dipping your rear tyre in the Irish Sea and finish the challenge by dipping your front tyre into the North Sea.
“There are a couple of alternative routes, but the one we have settled on goes from Whitehaven to Sunderland – about 133 miles.
“However, the distance is not the problem – it’s the topography! The route takes in plenty of hills and mountains along the way.”
Phil added: “We started training five months ago but we haven’t been on bikes since the days of the Chopper!”
The men start their three-day journey on August 12 and money raised will go to CANtreat, a charity which improves the lives of cancer patients in the North West.
Teva has already chipped in with sponsorship for the trip, but the friends are banking on more.
To sponsor them, visit www.justgiving.co.uk/ c2caug09. Follow their progress at c2caug09.blogspot.com.
