South Downs Way 100 mile Challenge in Memory of Alexander July 28, 2007

The idea for attempting to cycle the entire length of the South Downs Way (SDW) in a day began to take shape late last year. At 7am one October morning I set out from Winchester with a friend with the goal of riding the length of the SDW by nightfall. We were pretty ill prepared and so after about 85 miles, a few wrong turns and lots of walking up the steeper hills, we descended into Alfriston exhausted and in complete darkness with one headlamp between us.

By New Year 2007 the painful memories had faded enough for me to begin planning the same ride for this summer. A new bike and lots of training followed in the spring with increasingly longer distances covered every few weekends, in addition to my regular commute.

In April, what was meant to be the most joyous time of our lives became the most tragic when my wife Sascha and I lost our first-born son Alexander at full-term.  Sascha's pregnancy was very straightforward and it was only when we arrived at the hospital with labour underway that we learned that Alexander had died. Within the previous 24 hours something had gone tragically wrong, most likely an umbilical cord accident.  Until this happened, we had been blissfully unaware of the frequency of stillbirth and neo-natal death, and the large proportion of these tragedies that are unexplained.  Since then we have been overwhelmed to learn how many people within our circle of family and friends have also been affected by the loss of a baby.

I felt it would be a fitting tribute to Alexander to undertake the ride in his name, as well as an opportunity to raise money for Sands, from whom we have received great support, and awareness about stillbirth.

This time I was riding as part of an organised event with another friend, Justin. We arrived in Winchester on the night before feeling fit and ready to go.

The SDW runs between Winchester and Eastbourne. The route follows a series of chalk hills with a total vertical climb of 10,000 feet over the 100 mile distance. Given the terrible weather in the UK this summer, the terrain of this off-road course promised to be very wet.

Sascha and Yodia, Justin's fiancée, waved us off at 4.30am from the hotel.  For the first 20 miles we navigated the narrow trails of the Meon Valley towards Buriton. Unfortunately, from the first hill onwards, it was clear that Justin had mechanical problems with his gears and was unable to engage the lowest gear set. The mud exacerbated the problems and our pace was relatively slow. Ultimately, Justin was forced to retire having completed 36 miles under incredibly tough circumstances.

During the 15 miles between Buriton and Cocking, I traded places with others on the trail. My downhill technique left a lot to be desired (one major wipe out), but I was able to overtake on climbs.

After Cocking the serious hills begin and with a clear path ahead I started to find my stride. By the time I reached Amberley, at 45 miles, I could see very few other riders either ahead or behind. My sister, brother-in-law and a friend had come to support and after a five minute break to eat and refill my water I set off once again.

The remaining 55 miles were pretty lonely, broken only by the welcome sight of Sascha, Justin and Yodia at the 60 mile point with fresh supplies of the energy bars and gels that were keeping me going.

The wind had picked up from the west (perfect!!) and up on the hill tops the ground was drier and easier going. I felt strong enough to be able to complete the distance and, with each successive hill behind me, my confidence rose.  After 12 hours and 45 minutes in the saddle, I cycled into Eastbourne to a great welcome.

Preparing for, and completing, this event has been a great goal for me in the months since losing Alexander. Spending so many hours training alone gave me the opportunity to reflect on my son's brief life and my love for him, as well as the chance to talk to him amongst the amazing landscape on the downs. Whilst it has been the saddest time of our lives, Sascha and I have felt tremendous support and encouragement from all of the incredibly generous donations made by friends and family in Alexander's name.  In total, we have raised over £12,500.

In raising sponsorship, we had the opportunity to communicate how we were feeling to a wide circle of friends and colleagues and, for many people, hearing that we were doing something constructive following our loss seems to have given them the confidence to communicate their feelings and support to us. Overall it has been an incredibly positive experience and we are delighted to know that the funds will be put to good use by Sands. The event has been an important milestone in our grieving process for our son. We will always remember Alexander; we will never let him go.

Christopher and Sascha Proudlove

On behalf of our beloved son, Alexander David Svetchin Proudlove
Stillborn on April 10, 2007 at 40 weeks and 5 days; suspected umbilical cord accident.

Return to 2007 list »