WOODEND teenager Hayden Muir rolled into Parliament House today to complete a 746-kilometre mountain bike ride for epilepsy research.
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Hayden left Woodend on September 24 and travelled the Hume Highway to Canberra.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott greeted Hayden in the Parliament House forecourt with Patron Senator for Bendigo Michael Ronaldson, Minister for Health Peter Dutton and Minister for Social Services Kevin Andrews.
The Kyneton Secondary College student decided to tackle the epic ride after seeing a classmate have a seizure last year.
''I didn't really know what to do or what was happening,'' Hayden told the Bendigo Advertiser.
''I did a bit of research afterwards and found out what to do.''
Hayden was inspired by Shane Crawford's Tour de Crawf for breast cancer to plan a ride to Canberra to raise money for epilepsy research.
He said the ride took 13 months of planning and research.
''We had to get it signed off to be a proper event from the Epilepsy Foundation and then we had to work out the route and speak with VicRoads and New South Wales Roads,'' he said.
''Then we started getting sponsors to help me get there... Scouts Australia, E-plas, Barker Trailers and Hicks Contracting.''
Hayden said he combined two gym sessions a week with hill climbing, interval training and six-hour solo races on the mountain bike to prepare for the ride.
He admitted the ride was testing despite the training but was happy to arrive at most overnight stops ahead of schedule.
''I didn't think there would be as many hills in there,'' he said.
''But with all the training I'd done, I was able to climb the hills better and faster.''
Hayden said the ride was trouble free and praised truck drivers on the Hume Highway for looking after him.
''Trucks were pretty fine... they all moved over and gave me plenty of room,'' he said.
Hayden enjoyed plenty of other help on the ride.
''I had plenty of support from mum, dad, nan, pop, Macedon Ranges Venturers Unit and a masseuse,'' he said.
''We had heaps of contact from everyone through Facebook and phone calls.''
Mr Muir's ride has raised more than $16,000 to be shared between epilepsy charities in Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
He hopes to raise $30,000.
To support Mr Muir's quest click here
Senator Ronaldson said Mr Muir's ride showed enormous dedication to an important cause.
''Hayden’s determination to raise awareness and donations for epilepsy research is an inspiration,” he said.
“Hayden has combined his love of endurance mountain biking with his determination to raise funds and awareness for epilepsy research across regional Victoria and New South Wales.”