Cycling has become more than a habit for “Granny Mave,” as Mavis Paterson is known. It has become essential for her very being, her very reason for living after all three of her adult children passed away within four years of each other — Sandy in 2012, Katie in 2013 and Bob in 2016.

It was in memory of her children that the 85-year-old grandmother set out on her latest endurance challenge in May, cycling 1,000 miles (1,600 km) around Scotland, beginning from the Mull of Galloway, before heading north, tracing the outline of the country until she reached the Mull of Galloway again.

Cycling has provided some solace for her to cope with unimaginable loss.

Paterson cycled every day for a month around the circumference of Scotland, navigating its undulating landscape, exposed roads and unpredictable weather. Every day, she woke up early and set out riding — covering up to 50 miles a day — and raising money for British-based charity Macmillan Cancer Support.

All along the route, Paterson recalled other cyclists coming out to keep her company, offering support, some of them riding with her for several days at a time.

“A lot of them have all the cycling gear, the cleats in the bike and all the lycra,” she said. “I don’t have any of that stuff at all. I’ve got ordinary pedals. I can’t do (cleats)… I’d be falling off the bike all the time … I’m just a happy cyclist.”

Such support was a constant throughout Paterson’s odyssey across Scotland, culminating in a crowd at the finish line who had gathered to cheer her on.

Along the way, too, she celebrated her 85th birthday, an occasion marked by a party in the Scottish town of Moffat, in between summiting hills on her ride.

Previously accustomed to running marathons and half marathons, Paterson took up cycling when her knees began giving her problems.

She started setting herself challenges; in 2008, she cycled across Canada with her friend, though she rode part of it solo when her friend suffered health problems.

Then in 2019, she cycled the length of Great Britain, from its most southern point at Lands End to its most northern point at John O’Groats, becoming the oldest ever woman to complete the famous route.

With each challenge, Paterson raised money for Macmillan Cancer Support — which provides healthcare, advice and support for those affected by the disease — and her cycle around Scotland alone has so far raised almost £70,000 (US$88,000) for the charity.

The training for such an endeavor required Paterson to go out cycling in all types of weather, five or six times a week.

“When you’re my age, if you don’t train and you think you can go do something, well you can’t,” she says. “It’s tough training. The training I managed, I didn’t feel old at all.”

(SD-Agencies)

Words to Learn 相关词汇

【安慰】

ānwèi

solace

alleviation of grief or anxiety

【达到高潮】

dádào gāocháo

culminate

reach a climax or point of highest development

对于“梅芙奶奶”梅维斯•帕特森来说，骑行已不仅仅是个习惯。她的三个成年子女桑迪、凯蒂和鲍勃于2012年、2013年和2016年相继去世后，骑行已成为她生活的核心。

为纪念她的孩子们，这位85岁的祖母今年5月开启了她最近一次耐力挑战，骑自行车环绕苏格兰1,000英里（1,600 公里），从加洛韦丘陵出发，向北沿苏格兰边界骑行，直到再次回到加洛韦。

骑行为她巨大的丧亲之痛提供了一些慰藉。

在一个月的时间里，帕特森每天进行着环苏格兰骑行，穿梭在高低起伏的地形间、裸露的道路上和变幻莫测的天气中。每天她早早起床，骑行达50英里，同时为英国慈善机构麦克米伦癌症援助中心筹款。

帕特森回忆说，一路上都有其他骑行者陪伴、支持她，有些人甚至一连几天和她一起骑行。

她说：“他们很多人有全套骑行装备、鞋锁扣和莱卡骑行服。这些我都没有。我只有普通脚踏，我不能用鞋锁 ...... 否则随时会从车上摔下来 ...... 我骑行是为了快乐。”

环苏格兰的旅程中，帕特森全程受到陌生人的支持，高潮是人们聚集在终点线上为她欢呼。

她在旅途中度过了85岁生日，在山地间骑行的间隙，苏格兰小镇莫法特为她举行了生日派对。

帕特森以前习惯跑马拉松和半马，膝盖出了问题后改为骑车。

她给自己设定挑战目标；2008年和朋友一起骑行横跨加拿大，朋友出现健康问题后她独自完成剩下的路程。

2019年，她骑车穿越英国，从最南端的兰兹角到最北端的约翰奥格罗兹，成为成功挑战这条著名路线的最年长女性。

每一次挑战，帕特森都会为麦克米伦癌症援助中心筹款，该组织为患者提供医疗服务、建议和支持。她这次环苏格兰骑行已经为该机构筹集了近7万英镑（8.8 万美元）的善款。

为完成挑战，帕特森需要在各种天气条件下训练，每周骑行五、六次。

她说：“到了我这个年纪，不训练还想完成目标是不可能的。训练艰苦，但我一直坚持，一点也不觉得自己老了。”(Translated by Debra)