HOW CYCLING CHANGED MY LIFE...

Jason rode the length of the country to celebrate his return to cycling

WHAT WAS YOUR LIFE LIKE BEFORE THE BIKE?

I’d had to sell my time trial bike when I was 18 to pay for the insurance on my first car. With one thing and another I didn’t get another bike for 30 years.

HOW DID YOU GET BACK ON THE BIKE?

I got an old bike off a mate and started riding round a local reservoir, which was a five-mile circuit. My first few attempts took 35 minutes a lap. The old, borrowed bike has long gone and I now have a Trek Émonda Project One and a Cannondale CAAD12 Ultegra. I joined Rugby Racing Cycling Club and started riding regularly on Sunday mornings with mates. I even rekindled my time trial career. My lap time for the reservoir now is 14 minutes and I can do a 10-mile time trial in 25.

WHAT DID YOU DO TO CHANGE YOUR DIET?

I cut out junk food mainly. I go for low fat options too – it was more important for me to get fit, improve my health after 30 years of smoking, and bring my cholesterol down.

HOW HAS CYCLING CHANGED YOUR LIFE?

My energy levels are so much higher now, and my cholesterol so much lower. I ride at least three times a week and over 100 miles on average, on the road and on a turbo. I completed John O’Groats to Land’s End in 10 days in August 2018. It was tough as the weather was bad and we had a 67 per cent headwind average for the whole 950 miles. I raised £12,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society as my mum is a dementia sufferer. The sense of achievement is incredible and I would recommend it to anyone.

TOP TIPS

Don’t diet like mad as it will always backfire. Look at the traffic light system on food, eat more vegetables and drink more water. Has cycling changed your life? Email us at cyclingplus@immediate.co.uk