Charity in motion: Since entering the 2012 Tour de Hills Liam Cadden has ridden in several charity events, but none are so close to his heart as children’s charities. Picture: Carlos Furtado
LIAM Cadden cycles 30 kilometres before work most mornings, but not because he's a fitness fanatic.
"I'm building up my stamina for the Tour de Hills — I'm taking the 100 kilometre course," Mr Cadden said.
The Tour de Hills cycling challenge raises money for Hear the Children, a Kellyville-based early intervention centre that gives hearing impaired babies and children the gift of speech.
"My son hasn't had hearing difficulties but he has had a lot of problems with his ears, so I have a real empathy for the parents of children with ongoing and prolonged hearing disabilities," Mr Cadden said.
His morning cycle includes the 10 kilometres he rides from his home in The Ponds to his job in Norwest, where he is a project co-ordinator for a security company.
"On the weekends I sometimes do the Tour de Hills course," Mr Cadden said.
"The hills didn't look so daunting the second time around."
Mr Cadden also plans to complete The Distance for a Difference tour in late March, a 615-kilometre charity ride that raises money for a three-year family support program in Australia's seven paediatric trauma hospitals, including The Children's Hospital at Westmead which will be the start and finish line of this four-day ride.
"About eight months ago we found our [then] two-year-old son, Samuel, unconscious and crushed beneath a cabinet," he said.
"Luckily he walked away with no critical injuries, but it's why this ride hits home at the heart."
Mr Cadden will take the journey with his neighbour Martin Yates and 50 others.
Until now the furthest he had cycled was from Rouse Hill to Katoomba via Richmond and Springwood, "about 5.5 hours in the saddle".
■ The Tour de Hills Bicycle Classic 2013 begins at 7.30am (100km), 8am (60km), 9am (30km) and 9.30am (13km) on Sunday, March 3. All riders will set off from the Rouse Hill Town Centre, corner of Windsor Road and White Hart Drive, Rouse Hill. Details: tourdehills.com.au.