I’ve known Mike since I was 4, we grew up playing with lego, bikes and motorbikes together.

He’s always had the talent (he’s ex British Champion in 4X mountain bike racing) and I’ve always been happy to put in hours of effort.

But a year ago his talent was on a rest day, when he did a jump on his mountain bike, landed it badly, and fell, breaking his back, leaving him paralysed from the chest down.

Despite everything he’s maintained his good humour and spirits, is determined to stay as independent as he can be, and is still actively involved in running the downhill MTB races he used to compete in.

We’re fundraising for a standing frame for him, which would allow him to ‘stand’ for up to an hour every other day, which doctors have said is vital to maintain his circulation, digestion and bone density. It’s not available on NHS or covered by insurance, but will massively contribute to him being able to maintain a normal life span. The chair costs £980. If we can raise any more then it will go towards helping him adapt his house so that can still maintain an active, independent life. Even a simple thing like putting a pan on the hob is literally out of reach to him at the moment.

I am going to ride in the National 24 hour time trial championships, which consists of going round and round some very tedious, not very well surfaced roads, coincidentally just down the road from where Mike lives, trying to cycle as far as I can in 24 hours. I’ve done it twice before, the most recent time I cycled 671km (417 miles), this time I’m aiming for at least 700km (435 miles). The photo of this page is taken from my last 24 hour TT. Mike is on the left, the rest of us are the Dulwich CC team, who I will be riding with again this year.

I would be massively appreciative if you would be willing to donate to help. If you’d rather make a ‘per km’ pledge then please post below, Lucy will be updating my Facebook through the 24 hours with how I’m getting on.