“Sore bum, sore legs, sore calves, even a sore back,” Jamie Durie laughs as he describes the “intense” training he is enduring ahead of the Tour de Cure race on March 14, which will see him strap into his bike for 10 days to tackle the gruelling ride from Hobart to Adelaide to raise money and awareness for cancer.
“It’s the most physically challenging thing I’ve ever done in my life,” says the former star of Backyard Blitz, The Block and Seven’s House Rules, who before signing up had only ever ridden 20km on a bike.
Now, he’s pedalling between 50 and 150km a day to train for the crazy challenge. But what made him put himself through this self-described “hell”?
“Last year was a bit of a turning point. I had one very dear friend who was undergoing chemotherapy due to ovarian cancer and then I had two other friends pass away. And it was all in one year, and I thought, ‘Wow, it is just everywhere.’
“And I felt deeply passionate about doing something about it and I have seen the impact that Tour de Cure has had, which has raised $118 million since 2007, directly funding 979 cancer research projects and resulting in 148 significant cancer research breakthroughs. So I thought it was high time I got involved and put my pedals into action,” says the 53-year-old, who is asking everyone and anyone to sponsor him.
FINDING INSPIRATION
While Jamie says the training is “nothing compared to what cancer sufferers are going through”, cycling 300km a week is intense.
“It’s one of the most thankless sports I’ve ever been involved in,” he jokes. “But on the flipside, it has been this amazing physical challenge because having two babies [Beau, two, and Nash, one] you tend to put the kids first and your fitness takes a back seat, but this has been a chance to wake my body back up.
“And I love it. I’m feeling fit, I’m feeling strong, and I’ve finally got rid of the dad bod! It has been a cool experience –everyone gets behind you. My local shop made me a custom-made bike and my daughter Beau walks on my legs to massage them,” he quips of his little girl, who he shares with fiancee Ameka Jane, 36, who will all be cheering him on as he comes over the finish line in Adelaide.
Anytime he struggles, Jamie reminds himself of the bravery of his two friends, Harriet and Nicole, who tragically passed away, and Georgie, who is still battling. “I see so much bravery and stoicism in these girls, so I just say to myself, stop your complaining Durie, go out there and do this.”
It is the mindset Sunrise’s Mark Beretta shares. “This is my 15th tour in a row. You can prepare for the physical and mental sides of the challenge but not the emotional side,” says Mark, 57, who will be riding alongside Jamie in a few weeks.
“One of the most moving moments was during my first year in Canberra, when a lady came up to me out of the crowd and just said, ‘I’ve got stage four brain cancer and I don’t know how long I’ve got but you guys keep me going because you’re doing something to help, so don’t stop what you’re doing,’ – I was just in tears,” he tells.
IN IT TO THE END
This year, Mark will be cycling with his parents David and Joan in mind. “Both my mum and dad are now in chemotherapy – they’ve both got cancer issues that they are working through so I’m more motivated than ever,” he shares, adding he hopes to do a detour past their home in Geelong during the cycle.
Calling the ride “enormously rewarding”, Mark cannot wait to hit the road with Jamie.
“He’s a great person to be around – he embraces things at 100 miles an hour,” the Sunrise sports presenter tells, who is crossing live to the brekkie show every morning during the big week.
“There is an old saying that women talk face-to-face and men talk shoulder-to-shoulder and I think when blokes are doing something they open up to each other. Being on the bike is a great leveller because we’re all together and we’re all hurting. You’re exposed to the whole group for 10 days and you become lifelong friends.
“Last year, I rode with Professor Richard Scolyer, who is now the Australian of the Year. He’s a leading melanoma researcher who we funded through Tour de Cure, and now is dealing with his own brain cancer.
“He’ll be around with us this year again, but you know, there are stories like that right through the group of 200 people – everyone has a story about cancer and it’s hugely moving.
“And when you’re at the bottom of a hill or trying to climb, you’re thinking of those stories to keep you going. I’ve never ever not finished, and I don’t intend to not finish. As long as I’ve still got two legs and can push them in a circle, I will keep going.”
HOW YOU CAN HELP
To sponsor Jamie, visit tourdecure.grassrootz.com/signature-tour-2024/jamie-durie.
To sponsor Mark, visit tourdecure.grassrootz.com/signature-tour-2024/mark-beretta.
To find out more about Tour de Cure, visit tourdecure.com.au.
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