‘I want to show that anything is achievable when you have MS’
Former Guinness World Record holder completes gruelling cycling challenge for the MS Society
40 year-old Bournemouth man Mark Sinclair completed a 1,020 mile bike ride from John O’Groats to Land’s End, raising over £2,000 for people with multiple sclerosis (MS).
At 24, Mark became the youngest person ever to run a marathon on every continent – including the North and South Pole. Two years later, Mark was diagnosed with relapsing MS at 26 after experiencing pins and needles in his leg. Mark is no longer able to run, as his MS has caused him to lose some feeling in his leg and he now walks with a stick.
More than 130,000 people live with MS in the UK. It damages nerves in your body and makes it harder to do everyday things, like walk, talk, eat and think.
Mark says: ‘My moto is “when I can’t continue, I adapt”. I managed to keep running for a few years after my diagnosis and even did the London Marathon for the MS Society in 2009. I pushed myself for so long, but as time went on I
started falling over, and I was in so much pain after finishing a run. So I just adapted and started going to a local rowing club instead.
“I went on to compete in the British Rowing Championships in 2013 and even tried out for the Paralympic rowing team in 2012. Now, because of my MS, I can no longer row – but I adapted again and started cycling. Even though I struggle with fatigue due to my MS, I found that if I sit down on a bike I can go for a really long time.
“My advice to anyone with MS who wants to stay active is never give in, always evolve and be open to change.”
Mark, who completed the challenge on an adapted trike, adds: “I’ve been along to MS Society local groups in the past and they’ve been so supportive, and the Guernsey group even partially paid for my trike! It’s really important for me to support their work.”