A MAN recently completed a 1,000km cycle trek in Africa to raise money for the cancer centre that treated his mum. 

Guto Davies, from Dolywern, near Chirk, was inspired to do the demanding cycle trek in Rwanda to raise money for the Christie, a specialist cancer centre that treated his mum, Ann Davies.

Ann was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, which later spread to her lungs. 

During surgery, a scan also revealed she had tumours in her brain, kidneys, and liver. 

Thanks to care from the Christie, Ann now lives an active lifestyle, while continuing with treatment. 

Border Counties Advertizer: GutoGuto (Image: Guto Davies)

Guto recently returned from the ultra-endurance gravel biking event, which involved climbing more than 18,000 metres on a bike over 110 hours between February 5-11.

The Race around Rwanda was a seven-day event, but he completed it in just five days. 

He has raised more than £1,800 for the Manchester-based charity centre.

While the challenge was tough, it was an easy decision for Guto, he said: “My Mam has had so much care, and life-saving treatment at The Christie for breast cancer, supporting the charity was the easiest decision to make."

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While completing the trek, Guto kept a diary of his daily efforts, which are as follows:

Day 1 – "Nerves were high but they disappeared once I started pedalling! Weather was cool and we began at 4am. We had a police escort out of Kigali. The first section was all on road and relatively flat. The high fives from local children helped spur me on throughout the day. I decided to pass the first checkpoint and carry on to complete 270km on day one.

Day 2 – "The second day was mentally very challenging. I got up at 5am and began the day with a huge climbing section of the event. By midday it was 40c, it was time to take a long lunch stop to wait for the heat to pass. The event then took us through the Gishawti Forest with further epic climbs, eventually arriving at our stop for the evening at 11pm having cycled 193 km and climbed 3570 metres. 

Border Counties Advertizer: Guto in RwandaGuto in Rwanda (Image: Guto Davies)

Day 3 – Body was suffering and neck pain was intense but I had no choice but to get back on the bike! We set off at 7am, in hindsight this was a tad late! Today was the day we knew why Rwanda was known as the Land of a Thousand Hills! We rode the Congo Nile Trail that morning and the afternoon moving into the evening was a technical descent in torrential rain and darkness! We arrived at our accommodation at midnight and had ridden 178km and climbed an epic 4,143 metres.

Day 4 – "Day four was a smoother ride on roads through the jungle. Seeing the monkeys in their natural habit was an absolutely incredible experience. That afternoon the heavens opened with torrential downpours, even worse than in North Wales. The climbing seemed endless and I was more glad than ever to arrive at our accommodation at midnight, soaked to the skin but grateful to rest having completed 179km and climbed a further 4280m!

Day 5 – "By day 5, I had many injuries, but knew I had to pedal on and reach the finish line. The body was reaching its absolute limits but thankfully the weather was kind to us this day. We ended back in Gigali early evening and I had made it! I couldn’t believe when I found out I was 22nd out of 85 contestants! Even better, my total amount raised for The Christie had reached over £1,500!"

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