I have always been a mad keen sportsman and paraplegia has not stopped this passion.
Since my accident I have been chairman of Southport Rugby Club with whom I used to play – predominantly as a back row player – before my spinal cord injury.
I am also a member of Lancashire Cricket Club and continue to umpire cricket matches from my wheelchair in the summertime.
I am a very keen hand cyclist as I feel this is the best way to get my heart rate up, other than watching my football team Aston Villa!
I have also returned to skiing, and I can safely say I am a more proficient skier now than I was when able bodied! I ski in a sit ski, known as a ‘bob’. The equipment is effectively a seat attached to a large spring attached to a ski – I have included some photos to give you a better idea.
My enjoyment of handcycling got me into thinking about whether it would be possible to do a triathlon. This involves swimming, cycling and pushing. After training pretty hard I have recently been accepted into the Great Britain Disabled Triathlon Development squad and will be working alongside Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson apparently – an elderly solicitor in the same team as a living legend, it doesn’t seem right somehow! I shall keep you posted………..