DashMax Cycle

Last year I learnt about a disease called Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy which is an incurable, muscle wasting disease that kills more children (almost exclusively boys) than any other genetic condition. I’d never heard of it before until a close friend and ex-second row partner told me his little 3 year old boy Felix had been diagnosed and it was just a matter of time. There is accelerating deterioration from birth, resulting in a significant decrease in quality of life by age 7 to 8, wheelchair dependency by early teens, total dependency by late teens and a lingering death in mid-twenties from lung failure and heart disease. Basically these little boys are knackered, and there are hundreds of thousands of them around the world, it’s indiscriminate and they are all in the same sinking boat.

Last year a few of us took part in the Duchenne Dash, a 24 hour ride from London to Paris for the Duchenne Children’s Trust which is singularly focussed in funding the development of a treatment and ultimately a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. It works with 2 other sister charities trying to accelerate drug trials which are beginning to show a glimmer of hope. You may have seen Owen Farrell hook his fingers together after kicking a goal in the six nations, which signifies “Joining Jack” one of the sister charities.

This year, together with my friend Ali, and two ex-military polar explorers you may have seen on a BBC documentary winning the first unsupported race to the North Pole “The Challenge”, we decided to organise a slightly longer version suggested starting from John O’Groats linking with the Duchenne Dash riders in London for the final 24 hour leg to Paris, all within 7 days starting on 6^th May. The event we named the Duchenne DashMAX has taken off and we now have 65 riders, 7 British Lions (including Will Carling, Roger Uttley and Rob Wainwright), 2 Olympic medallists and many sponsored corporate riders riding alongside us on legs of the journey.

Brave cyclists Ali Robertson, England and British Lions legend Roger uttley and Oxhill's own legend Andy MacDonald.
(editor's note)

Also being route planner, I have managed to sneak a detour via Oxhill on stage 7 from Walton Hall into London and will be coming through with about 40 riders, motorcycle outriders and support crew on Thursday 12^th May between 8.30-9.30am approximately on our way to Blenheim Palace.

If you’re a facebook user please like our page as you will get all news and progress from the ride as well hopefully as some entertaining stories and photos https://www.facebook.com/albertsduchennedashteam/ Importantly, it will also continue to raise the profile of the event and charity and ultimately help our fundraising efforts.

Looking forward to riding through the village in the peleton, probably rather tired by that stage………..so if you are around give us a wave and please excuse the long legs in lycra!

Andy MacDonald

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Last modified: June 04, 2016