How I got here

2012 - Watched Tour de France and Olympics and became engrossed in cycling. Especially living near the Surrey Hills. I got my first road bike - a viking which was too big for me - and set out creating my own adventures.

Over the next 5 years I rode that bike about 1000km until I arrived at uni for a second time. That's when the passion really kicked off. Joining a club, getting fitter and faster, eating more and more cake. It couldn't get better, could it?

Then there were the hills. Now living in Nottinghamshire, there were not many hills to climb, until the BUCS hill climb came about (British Universities and Colleges Sport). That was my target, get up Mam Tor as quick as I could. Little training and the thought of 2.3km of 10% terrified me. I only had one objective - not to come last. While that was achieved, something else happened. I caught the hill climb bug.

After that day I set out my sights to do a 'proper' hill climb season. A off-season injury was a minor hiccup but here we are, in August, staring down the barrel of the hill climb season.

Am I ready? No.

Am I going to win? No

Am I going to enjoy every second? Absolutely.

I invite you to join me on my journey as my first, and probably only, hill climb season unfurls before my eyes.