Beyond the Mic of ‘Winging It’: Terence’s 134-mile Bike From Arsenal challenge

A lifelong Palace fan and host of fan podcast Winging It, Terence grew up in Bethnal Green in East London. With a Mum from Hackney and a Dad from Thornton Heath, it could’ve gone either way, but he chose Palace as a youngster and never looked back.

Now residing just behind Whitehorse Lane, Terence is happily married with two kids, also Palace fans. Alongside his support for the club, he works as a Data Analyst at Marks & Spencer.

Terence first fell in love with Palace in 1994, during his first game where Palace beat Arsenal 2-1 at Highbury, with John Salako securing a brace to give Palace the edge. After this, he was hooked, with his first season ticket being the 1995-96 season, where Palace lost the play-off final in the final kick of the game, but that was remedied the following year when he watched Palace win the play-off final, with the final kick of the game. 

Terence’s most memorable times are most recently, with Palace securing their first ever major trophy in the FA Cup and playing in Europe for the first time. However, he still has fond memories of the 2012-13 era, watching Zaha and Bolasie terrorise Championship full backs.  

The podcaster has always been keen to support Palace in more ways than one, and when Palace entered administration in 2010, he was thinking of ways to raise money. He started writing a blog, and any money made from that went directly back into the club. He also participated in fundraisers, such as dancing with the Palace cheerleaders and even participated in a fundraiser where Dean Moxey’s wife waxed his legs! All of this was to raise money in the hope of saving Palace. 

Enter Winging It podcast… 

In the most recent times, Terence is the co-lead of popular Palace podcast, Winging It, which was a product of his early blogging days. “The aim is to get different stories about what it’s like to be a Palace fan and different stories from behind the curtain of the club – from people like Chris Grierson and Mike Rankine”. 

Winging it boasts over 15,000+ followers across social media platforms, alongside thousands of listens, and is a fan favourite for Palace podcasts. You can follow their accounts here, or listen to their podcast here.  

The Bike From Arsenal challenge 

This will be Terence’s “number one on the list of the most challenging things [he’s] done”. Despite the fact that Terence completed the Marathon March in 2023, even though he “hates walking for starters, or running, anything like that.” 

Terence exclaimed “I put in loads of training in for the Marathon March. And I was walking to and from work pretty much once a week in the months building up to it, which was 11 miles each way. So then it was like, I’d done so much preparation that when it came to the day, I actually found it quite easy. And I was like, perhaps it wasn’t the challenge that I thought it was going to be”. 

So, he’s decided to take on the 134 miles Bike From Arsenal challenge, albeit never being a cyclist! 

“You know, I can’t even remember the last time I was on a real bike that wasn’t an electric bike, like a Lime bike, you know? So now, I’m on the Peloton at home, just putting in some miles in the legs on that. I’m going to go on some practice rides with Mark Silverstein, who’s also doing the ride, who I know very well from away days, and we often chat quite a lot, so yeah, looking forward to doing some practice with him”. 

He’s looking forward to the challenge, even though stopping and starting will be the most challenging part for him. “Definitely the second day, like after a night’s sleep, I might be going to the local supermarket to pick up some ice cubes and just sleep in an ice bath or something! It’s definitely going to be a challenge. But I’m looking forward to it”. 

But what is he looking most forward to… 

“I’m enjoying the training. With all the stresses of life, having time on the bike allows my brain to just focus on that. 

But also, the camaraderie that will be built with the fellow riders is going to be great, meeting a bunch of people, achieving something together, I think is going to be something that I’m really looking forward to”. 

When asked how he feels knowing his efforts will directly support young people in South London, Terence said: “Palace for Life does incredible work right here in my community. I live locally and I’ve got two small children. So, helping create better opportunities for young people on my doorstep really matters to me. 

And I’ve seen firsthand at Palace for Life events what the charity means to the people it touches, like the confidence it builds, the support it provides and the difference it makes to real lives. It’s not just about football, it’s about health, well-being, education and inclusion for thousands across South London. So cycling 100+ miles helps change lives in the area I call home.  

It’s absolutely worth it”. 

Why take part? 

The Bike From Arsenal challenge offers Palace fans a chance to make a real difference. Participants will cycle from the Emirates stadium to Selhurst Park (the long way round), raising vital funds for our work with vulnerable young people in South London. 

Whether you’re an experienced cyclist or someone looking for a new challenge, this event is perfect for you. 

If cycling isn’t for you, consider supporting the riders by donating. 

To join our Bike From Arsenal riders, head here.