Scottish TikToker to do 'biggest challenge yet' after meeting hero

Glasgow Times

19 hours ago

Kieran Taylor will embark on a 56-mile-long cycle next month to raise funds for Maggie's, a cancer charity, despite never having ridden on the roads before.
The 25-year-old from Airdrie is taking part in the Tour de 4 and revealed that his motivation to complete the cycling challenge was sparked when he met Sir Chris Hoy earlier this year.
Kieran training for the event (Image: Kieran Taylor)
Kieran commented: 'I met him in March at 'An Evening with Sir Chris Hoy' in Glasgow. I told him he inspired me to start my sports journey, and he was very interested in what I was doing.
'Throughout the evening he was talking about the Tour de 4 and I just thought 'I'll do it'. There are four different routes, and me, being a guy up for a challenge, I said I was going to take on the toughest one of them all, the 56-mile-long ride.
'It's amazing, he's managed to organise an event to change perceptions around cancer. To cycle with the guy I look up to, who inspired me to do sport in the first place, is awesome.
'He's a hero. I want to put 110 per cent into this. The pain I will experience in the weeks before and after the challenge is nothing compared to what anyone with cancer is going through.'
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The Tour de 4 is a cycling event created by Sir Chris Hoy following his diagnosis with Stage 4 prostate cancer in September 2023.
It is being held to show that whilst devastating, a Stage 4 diagnosis 'doesn't define the limits of what's possible'.
There are four different rides that participants can take part in. The red ride – which Kieran is undertaking – spanning 56 miles, the blue ride totalling just under 38 miles, the green ride which is a family route of one kilometre, and the yellow ride which is completed on static bikes.
Kieran explained that not only is he excited to be riding alongside his hero, but he is looking forward to raising awareness of the work carried out by Maggie's.
Kieran at Maggie's Centre in Glasgow (Image: Kieran Taylor)
The charity, which has a base at Gartnavel General Hospital in Glasgow's West End, provides vital care to people diagnosed with cancer and their loved ones.
Kieran told the Glasgow Times that Maggie's supported him through a difficult time, and he has now launched a GoFundMe page to raise funds to support them.
It has so far raised £95.
Kieran added: 'A lot of my family members have had cancer over the years. Maggie's helped me with a lot of that.
'They are a well-known charity, but I don't think everyone understands what they actually do. People might not know how far their support goes; it's incredible.
'They provide counselling, massages, a café which lets patients socialise, and they do stuff for people like me who have additional support needs.
'I've done plenty of sponsored walks, runs, and half marathons, but this is the biggest fight I've had to put my body through mentally and physically.'
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Kieran has been training for the event during his summer break from university, where he is studying in the hopes of becoming a physiotherapist.
Over the past few weeks, he says he has upped his training and has been scouting out the route in preparation.
Parts of his journey have been documented on his TikTok account.
He said: 'My training started very light with me going to the gym. The staff have been helping me make sure I can get the best time possible.
'I've upped my training to do some running, and I'm going out to do a scout of the route so I can get a good idea of the braking points and gear changes.
'I've never done road cycling before. I'm not a cyclist, so this is the first time I will be out on the road.
"My motivation is Sir Chris Hoy.'
To view Kieran's GoFundMe page, visit HERE.