As you are no doubt aware, my wonderful mother lost her battle to her brain tumour on 3rd July 2019.

On May 25th last year, I was nearly 18 stone, and comfort eating myself into morbid obesity. Nightly takeaways, and an endless supply of sweets, were a way to self-pityingly deal with the agony of losing mum. But on that day, I decided to get onto my bicycle and do her proud. I was in bits after cycling 5km.

On 3rd July this year, I'm going to cycle 200km in her memory. I know she'd really appreciate it, coming from this one-time tub of lard.