Story
Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
I will be taking part in the Superdry 100 bike ride in order to raise money for Help for Heroes, a charity very close to my heart.
In January 2014, I had a serious skiing accident whilst ski racing for the Royal Air Force (RAF). I badly broke my leg and was medically discharged after 20 years service. 4 years on and after 4 operations to strengthen and re-align my leg, I am using the power of sport to help aid both my mental and physical recovery. Throughout my service career and prior to my accident, my motivation and self-esteem was wrapped up in sport. I defined myself on being fit, an achiever and regularly set goals to push boundaries that required dedication and mental toughness.
When I lost a physical outlet, I suffered from stress associated with being unable to perform to levels previously enjoyed and struggled mentally to accept my injury and regain the technical ability and physical strength normally exhibited. Due to physical limitations, I am unable to cycle on standard bikes but after a bike fit when I began cycling 5 months ago, I realised that if I had my cranks shortened, it would accommodate my restricted range of movement and allow me to cycle more normally and with less pain. Slowly, I have been building up strength, mileage and time in the saddle and have gone from 20 miles to 73 miles in just 4 weeks - but this is still someway off the 100 miles I am aiming to do in less than 2 weeks time.
Thank you for reading my story and for all of your support and encouragement xx
Please support me in my challenge and help me beat my fundraising goal for Help for Heroes. To learn more about the awesome work and support they give to injured/wounded servicemen and women, please visit the Help for Heroes website: https://www.helpforheroes.org.uk