CYCLING is easy for Weaver Valley CC's long distance specialist Simon Doughty. It's so simple he can do it in his sleep.

That's not a bad thing when you're competing in a 24-hour non-stop race that takes you more than 427 miles around Merseyside.

Simon, 38, from Moulton, collected a silver medal in the Merseyside 24-hour Championships last weekend, only 21 miles behind eventually winner Karl Austin from Congleton.

It was his first attempt at an all day (and night) event and he was delighted with his second place.

"I was very pleased with the position but I didn't really know whereabouts in the field I actually was until I finished.

"It's quite hard to judge because there are different routes around the circuit. I knew I must have been high up the field but it was a great result to get silver.

"The last half of the race was really tough and I was glad to finish it. Getting up for work on Monday morning wasn't easy either."

The Merseyside race is one of only two 24-hour endurance races held in Britain, so many of Britain's best long distance riders took part in the event.

Simon got hooked on endurance riding when he was sixteen and has been cycling further and further ever since.

Now he plans to take on the Paris-Brest-Paris run at the end of August with team mate Chris Mullin.

Added Simon: "The distance is about 750 miles and can take between two and four days.

"Last weekend's race will stand me in good stead for the race but it's going to be a hard slog."

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