News Ride challenge begins for Alan
Crowle paraplegic Alan Rayment set off for his 1,000 mile hand-cycle ride from Lands End to John O'Groats on Monday.
Alan, who is completing the event with his friend David Palmer from Scunthorpe and Kenny Herriot from Aberdeen, is aiming to complete the cycle in just 17 days. He hopes to raise more than £3,500 for the children's charity, When You Wish Upon a Star, which grants wishes for sick and terminally ill children.
He said: "Without doubt the hardest part of the challenge will be leaving behind my wife Natalie and son Thomas. I'll be ringing home two or three times a day!"
As well as training tirelessly for his event recently, Alan also met world boxing champion Mike Tyson last Thursday evening at a dinner event at Doncaster Dome to do some fundraising for his challenge.
He has been suffering from bronchitis for the past week and hoped that this wouldn't affect his ability to do the race. He said: "I feel a lot better but I'm just hoping the bronchitis will lift completely and I will be able to complete the challenge."
David Palmer of Scunthorpe and a friend of Alan's for many years is doing the cycle on an able-bodied bike and is completing it in memory of his mother, Ann Palmer, who lost her battle with cancer last year.
He said: "I would like to say a special thank you to Mark Stanikind of Bridge Roofing for buying my push bike and paying for the diesel for the van both there and back. He has been a massive support."
Alan lost both his legs through MRSA and leg ulcers in 1997 and 1998 and became wheelchair bound in 2001.
This has not held him back however, and the fitness instructor has since gone on to complete numerous challenges, including a 500km cycle ride through Vietnam, being the first person in the world to complete the challenge in a wheelchair.
He has also completed the London Marathon and the Great North Run, all on his specially adapted bike.
Published on 5th June 2008 in News.
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