James Golding, “Britain’s answer to Lance Armstrong” is a man with more lives than a cat. He’s survived cancer, taught himself to walk again, then cycle again and then survived being flattened by a truck during his first attempt to cycle across America in 2010.
James was diagnosed with a rare tumour, the size of a large grapefruit (11.5CM) in November 2008. Following countless operation, a coma, septicaemia, peritonitis and plummeting to just over 6 stone in weight (91 pounds), James fought back from the disease, taught himself to walk again and was finally given the all clear the 23rd July 2009.
James says; ‘To celebrate being given the all clear, I set myself a challenge to give something back to all the people that had helped me, and in particular to thank Macmillan. I decided to raise money by riding from one side of the states to the other but unfortunately on the first trip, my cycling companion and I were both hit by a truck travelling at 70MPH. The collision near New Orleans put us both in hospital. The experience left me with the feeling that I had ‘unfinished business’ in America’ and so – I’m going back!’
James’s ‘Cycle Across America’ commences again on the 9th January 2011 and intends to raise funds for Macmillan and Coppafeel. James says of the 28 day cycle: ‘ I want to use the trip to promote recovery and to show that we really can do anything we set our minds to and if we don’t get there first time we should just keep going because we will get there in the end!’
James hopes to help inspire other people as well as cancer sufferers on his return with a series of motivational speaking engagements.
James’s Cycle Across America begins on the 9th January at Santa Monica Pier, Los Angeles.
James will be carrying as little as possible on the ride in order to maintain speed. His kit has been supplied by Adidas and energy drink by ZIPVIT.
Follow his blog here
