An impossible challenge 'my dad would have loved'

A CHESTER man whose father died of a heart attack while cycling in the Lake District is tackling a 6,000km bike trek along the historic Silk Road in his honour.

- BY RACHAEL DAVIS

Will Miller, 31, lost father Graham Miller on October 21, 2024 when he suffered a heart attack while tackling the notoriously challenging Hardknott Pass climb in the Lake District in Cumbria.

Graham was cycling with Will's brother Toby, 29, when the tragic incident happened and despite the best efforts of the North West Air Ambulance, he passed away.

While Will describes himself as "not a fantastic cyclist", he is 4,000km (roughly 2,500 miles) into his ride along the Silk Road a historic trading link between the Eastern and Western worlds, used from the second century BC until the mid-15th century and has raised more than £11,000 for the North West Air Ambulance.

"Obviously it’s tough. Every single day is a challenge," Will said. "It’s quite repetitive, cycling. I had a highlight yesterday, which was getting to the Caspian Sea, which means I've crossed Central Asia, effectively.

"When I first set off, I was almost terrified, thinking: 'What if I can’t do this? What if I fail? What if I want to give up?' And you don't realise it, but then all of a sudden, you're sitting 4,000 kilometres later. That sense of achievement is phenomenal."

Will used to be in the Army, serving for a total of seven years both as an engineer and as an Army Commando attached to the Royal Marines in Northern Norway, Cyprus and America.

Since leaving the army in January 2025, he has pursued a more balanced lifestyle, including taking three months to complete his cycling challenge.