My cycling life really started with Le Tour de Asda in 2006. I had done bike rides before and managed 50 and a 100 mile sponsored cycle rides before, usually with the help from Wayne (another Headway Rotherham member) but I had never taken it seriously. I was still riding a mountain bike and when I had done the rides, although they were a brilliant achievment for me, I had struggled with them and never been able to push myself in speeds.

Now when I was on the last leg of Le Tour de Asda in Rotherham Asda, a man came in and saw me, and thought maybe thats good and gave some money. On the third occasion that he came in, he stopped and asked what I was doing. I told him all about me, and the charity I was raising money for. To cut a long story short he was a GB Paralympic coach and told me to get in touch with the cycling section.

I did just that and was asked down for an international classification at the Manchester Veledrome complex, then invited to enter the British Championships Road Race for disabilities, and to enter other races.

Problem was I didn't have a bike. I had a mountain bike but no racing bike. JE James in Rotherham and especially Andy, have been brilliant. The sponsored me a very good racing bike and have made any changes that I have gone in and asked for, and given me very good discount on anything I've bought.

So the first race I entered was in Doncaster. I had just come back from holiday with a stomach upset and didn't train correctly but I still entered. When I took my bike out of the car it had a puncture and somebody had to change the tyre for me.I was helpfully (they thought) placed at the front as I had a disability. The lad used a flag to set us off but didn't step out of my way quick enough so I couldn't set off for the first five seconds or so, and it was like 59 motorbikes passing me !!!. I thought I was quick but ..... I hadn't got there early enough and what with the puncture I was not warmed up so I couldn't get going. The group quickly caught me up and lapped me but by then I was feeling better and for a while was keeping up with the group. That is until we got to the sharp bend. I slowed as some riders were on my shoulder and didn't want to knock everyone over going round the corner. It was probably more dangerous slowing down as nobody else did and were out of sight again very soon. By the third or fourth lap I had nothing else to give even though I hadn't given anything yet but pulled out.

The next race was the british championships race. Once again I wasn't there on time and in fact they were waiting for me so I wasn't warmed up. We set off and I was in no shape for peddling. By the third lap I was just starting to get warmed up and feeling better, when I got another puncture. I was about a mile away from the start so by the time I got back there was no way I could carry on.

Now I've done the British Timr Trial Championships. I finished this time but was a long way behind everyone. This time it gave me more determination to carry on and succeed.

Then I entered another road race in Rotherham. Once again everyone shot off into the distance before I could get my left foot clipped in. When I did I found at that my speedometer was catching on my spokes so had to stop and fix this. The group had already lapped me and I had to catch up. After about 10 struggling laps I hit a pothome on the road, smashing my knee so pulled out. Lots more excuses but my fitness wasn't up to it really. Then I did my second Ruby Project Time Trials. This was a mile futher and I felt better so still came last in the disability section so Ihave to and am doing some serious (sort of) training.