A huge congratulations to Anthony Dixon, Paul Deane and Ronan Deane, who completed the incredible Chase the Sun UK South cycling challenge in support of The McCarthy-Dixon Foundation on Saturday 20th June 2026.
Chase the Sun is a coast-to-coast endurance ride that challenges cyclists to travel across southern England during one of the longest days of the year. The demanding 205-mile route began on the seafront at Minster-on-Sea on the Isle of Sheppey and continued through south London, the Vale of Pewsey, the Mendip Hills and Cheddar Gorge, before finishing at the Grand Pier in Weston-super-Mare.
Setting off at 5.30am, Anthony, Paul and Ronan faced more than 16 hours on the road before reaching the finish at 9.45pm. The intense heat, relentless hills and sheer distance made an already gruelling challenge even tougher, with many cyclists struggling in the difficult conditions.
Despite everything the day threw at them, the boys dug deep, supported one another and showed tremendous determination to keep going. Completing more than 200 miles in such challenging conditions was a phenomenal achievement and an incredibly rewarding moment for the whole team.
Our founder, Teresa, accompanied them throughout the day in the support vehicle. Staying ahead of the cyclists and reaching each planned meeting point in time with plenty of food, water and other essentials was a challenge in itself, but her support helped to keep the boys fuelled and moving towards the finish line.
After such a long and demanding day, a few well-earned celebratory drinks were certainly in order!
We could not be prouder of Anthony, Paul and Ronan, and we are hugely impressed by the endurance, teamwork and strength they showed throughout the challenge. Their incredible efforts raised vital funds for TMDF, which will go directly towards supporting our work with individuals and families experiencing hardship across our communities.
There won’t be much time for them to put their feet up, as all three will also be joining our Belmullet to Northampton Charity Cycle in August! They will be part of the team taking on more than 700 kilometres in just five days, travelling from the west coast of Ireland all the way back to Northampton.
We are enormously grateful to Anthony, Paul and Ronan for their continued commitment to our charity. Chase the Sun was an amazing achievement, and we cannot wait to cheer them on once again in August!
