He’s just 12 years old but Blackheath’s Jack Spiller managed to cycle more than 500 kilometres during October to raise $2000 for children’s cancer research.
The Year 6 student at Mountains Christian College said he thought the Great Cycle Challenge was a good idea as it helped people with cancer.
He has had a grandpa, his nan and several aunties all affected by the disease.
So Jack set himself a public challenge of cycling 350 kilometres in the month. Privately, his real goal was 500 kilometres.
Jack and his mum, Colette, rode together, including an 80-kilometre run along the M7 bike path (not impressed with all the nearby trucks) plus rides of 30-40 kilometres around Newnes and other central west areas.
They also travelled to Victoria and rode from Wangaratta to Bright.
Jack had to register all his runs online and attracted donations from friends, family and church mates as well as complete strangers.
At the end of the month he had clocked up 501.5 kilometres and raised $2202.14.
And how did he feel after that amount of riding? “Exhausted,” he said.
This was Jack’s third Cycle Challenge and he intends to do more, both because “it’s fun” and also because the money goes to a good cause.
Mum Colette, who joins Jack along bike paths as well as fire trails through the bush, said she was very proud of the youngest of her nine children.
“He was out there in the rain riding while other kids were on their X boxes.”
He was out there in the rain riding while other kids were on their X boxes.
- Colette Spiller
