PedalThePeriphery 2026: More Than a Cycling Challenge

A week has passed since PedalThePeriphery 2026 came to an end, and like every year, I've spent that time reflecting on what we achieved together.

On paper, the statistics are impressive. More than 300 riders across 26 teams cycled 480 miles around the coastline and border of Northern Ireland in just 48 hours. We welcomed our first dedicated Team Youth. Communities right across Northern Ireland came together to support the event. And together, we continued to raise awareness and vital funds for NIPANC's work.

But PedalThePeriphery has never really been about cycling.

It has always been about people.

It is about families affected by pancreatic cancer. It is about remembering those we have lost and supporting those living with a diagnosis today. It is about community, determination and hope. And every year I leave the event humbled by the extraordinary people who choose to be part of it.

When Andrea and I first rode PedalThePeriphery in 2023 as a one off NIPANC fundraiser we wanted something positive and purposeful to come from unimaginable loss. We could never have imagined that just a few years later it would grow into the movement it has become.

This year's event certainly tested us.

The relentless wind and rain seemed determined to challenge every rider, support crew member and volunteer at every stage of the journey. There were aching muscles, sleepless hours, soaked clothing and moments when the finish line felt much further away than it should have.

But as we always say at PedalThePeriphery, it isn't supposed to be easy.

Throughout the weekend there was a shared understanding that whatever discomfort we were experiencing was temporary. For families facing pancreatic cancer, the challenges are far greater and far longer. That perspective never leaves us and it is what keeps people moving forward when conditions become difficult.

And despite the weather, the spirit of this year's event was extraordinary.

Every PedalThePeriphery creates stories that become part of its history, and this year produced more than most.

I'll remember the team member who decided that stopping for a park run in lisnaskea was a perfectly sensible thing to do in the middle of a 480 mile cycling challenge.

I'll remember the rider whose bike was on the roof of their car when they encountered a tall car park barrier, willing to go to extreme lengths to avoid getting back on it again.

I'll remember Team Youth, who somehow managed to keep smiling while many of the rest of us were questioning our life choices in the wind and rain.

I'll remember Purple Blueberry and Purple Dinosaur crossing the finish line on bikes and reminding us all that while our cause is serious, there will always be room for fun, laughter and a little bit of madness.

I'll remember the team who completed the challenge before Saturday night and left the rest of us wondering whether they had discovered a secret shortcut around Northern Ireland.

Most of all, I'll remember the atmosphere.

The conversations at checkpoints in the middle of the night. The encouragement between teams. The support crews keeping riders moving. The volunteers standing in the rain with smiles on their faces. The friendships strengthened and the new friendships formed.

These moments will never appear in the statistics, but they are what make PedalThePeriphery so special.

Behind every mile ridden is a person who chose to care.

And that is what overwhelms me most.

This event only happens because hundreds of people give their time, energy, commitment and heart to the cause. Riders spend months training. Captains organise teams. Support crews sacrifice sleep and comfort. Volunteers create an incredible experience at every checkpoint. Sponsors help turn ambition into reality. The NIPANC team and trustees work tirelessly behind the scenes. Families, friends, donors and supporters show up year after year.

To every rider, support crew member, volunteer, sponsor, donor, trustee, family member and supporter: thank you.

You are the reason PedalThePeriphery continues to grow.

You are the reason it continues to inspire.

And you are the reason it continues to make a difference.

Since PedalThePeriphery began, participants have helped raise an incredible £585,000 in support of NIPANC's work. That funding helps us raise awareness of pancreatic cancer symptoms, advocate for earlier diagnosis, support research and provide help for patients and families across Northern Ireland.

For me personally, this event will always be rooted in love and loss.

I think of Natalie. I think of Paddy.

I think of every family we have met whose lives have been changed forever by pancreatic cancer.

I think of the people who should still be here.

And I think about our responsibility to keep going.

When I look back on PedalThePeriphery 2026, I won't remember the weather first. I won't remember the miles or the finish times.

I will remember the people.

The resilience shown when conditions were at their toughest.

The kindness shown to one another throughout the journey.

The laughter that somehow found its way into even the most challenging moments.

And the shared determination to make a difference in memory of those we have lost and in support of those facing pancreatic cancer today.

PedalThePeriphery began as a challenge.

It has become a movement.

Together, we pedal with purpose.

And together, we will keep going.

Kindest Regards

Cathy