Throughout my life, running has been my escape! My obsessive focus and attention to detail have helped me to be the successful runner I am today. I have never really understood what gave me this drive as it came so naturally to me, but when I started to research autism, following my son's diagnosis in 2020, it all made sense. I am successful because I am autistic!  

I began running aged six and competed in school, local, regional and national competition achieving at the highest levels. On leaving school I joined the Army where I continued to compete on a worldwide circuit. I enjoyed a successful career as a Para and a Commando, travelling the world and serving with some true heroes. I've always found social situations difficult, but running in clubs and serving in the army gave me a focus and the confidence to make life-long friends who I value more than they will know.   

After leaving the army, I continued running until an accident during a Lands End to John O-Groats World Record attempt in 2013 left me with severe leg injuries.  I was told I wouldn't run again and the next nine years were undoubtedly the darkest years of my life.  I lost my confidence, my focus and my escape.

In 2020, during lockdown, my very good friend and running partner convinced me to join him for a run.  I couldn't manage 3 miles and had to walk.  Overweight and unfit, I knew I had to do something.  Very few people know the physical and mental pain I endured to get my life back on track. I trained with focus and determination every day, running at 4am before work and most evenings too.  After nine months of training I entered my first race, The Grim Up North Wuthering Heights 50km race which I won, setting a new a course record. Throughout the season I also won the GB Ultra Chester 100 mile race and The White Rose Ultra 60 mile race and completed the GB Ultra Glasgow to Edinburgh (58 miles); Out-fit Sea to Summit (34 miles ) and Nav 4 Tour De Helvellyn (38 miles). 

In August I took on the challenge of The GB Ultra Race Across Scotland, a 215 mile race from the West coast to the East coast of Scotland along the Southern Upland Way. Unfortunately, injury got the better of me on this occasion but I learned so much about myself during this race. This is where my love of this stunning route began and it seemed so fitting that this would be the location for my next challenge. The previously unchartered return journey seemed the obvious choice.  

So to the challenge; Starting at Port Patrick on the 6^th April 2022. The Southern Upland Way is a 344-kilometre (214 mi) coast-to-coast waymarked path in southern Scotland over varied terrain from tarmac, gravel, grass and muddy paths to marsh lands and Scottish bog!  I will be running this from West to East and back totalling 428 miles with over 160 summits in excess of 2,000 feet (610 m). I will be running the equivalent of Mount Everest almost twice in less than a week. I will eat, sleep and repair my broken body along the way with the support of my crew and with the encouragement of my friends and family tracking me and following my journey on social media.  

Discovering my autism has given me a fresh perspective on my life; a reflection on my past and a positive outlook for my future. I understand so much more about my difficulties and my strengths.    Perceptions about autism are personal and everyone's experience and journey is their own.  I choose to embrace my autism and hope I can encourage others to do the same.  The National Autistic Society offers support and guidance in so many ways to the autism community and I am glad to be able to give something back.