Stuart cycled 200 miles in 24 hours on June 25 in memory of his mother-in-law who died ten weeks after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Speaking about the challenge, Stuart said: “I did it. It’s definitely an accomplishment but it’s not something I want to repeat. Whilst I have cycled and completed the John o’ Groats to Lands End challenge before, that was eight years ago when I was a wee bit younger and maybe fitter.”
During one of his stops Stuart visited a memorial bench in Kirkpatrick Fleming in memory of Sam Dorrance, who passed away from a brain tumour just short of his sixth birthday. Stuart met Sam in 2016 at the Edinburgh Sick Kids motorbike run, he said: “While the cycle is mainly in memory of my mother-in-law, it’s also for Sam, who I was lucky enough to meet at the Edinburgh Sick Kids’ charity run. He was a lovely lad so I thought I’d go visit the bench his family put up for him where he would stand with his grandparents and watch the trains fly past.”
Stuart completed his route in 22 hours and received valuable support and encouragement on the his journey from friends, family and local businesses. He said: “When I stopped at Lockerbie for lunch the owner of Just Be Bistro was very kind. They saw my jersey and asked about it, I told them about my cycle and afterwards they told me that the food was on the house. I wasn’t expecting that at all.
“t’s been great seeing the support of people in the region. I’m born and bred Dumfries and I still have family there so it really means a lot.”
