I've not been on a bike for many years and even when I was riding, I never covered any serious distance. I've signed up to the Big Bad Bike Ride to support a great cause, and to challenge myself at the same time.

The Big Bad Bike Ride raises money for Ataxia UK and every penny goes to them. Ataxia is a genetic disorder which affects balance, coordination, and speech. All the money raised will go into research to try to find a cure.

The Big Bad Bike Ride has raised over £1,000,000 for Ataxia so far and has been running since 1991. To get me going I've purchased a 1980's Peugeot road bike which I've (slowly) rebuilt for the race. I will have only two weekends to train for the ride and will be riding 100 km. It's certainly going to be a challenge.

Thank you to all those who have donated so far!

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.