Cycling To Power Nige To Fitness
18 June 2009
Nige Jones preparing for the Buxton to Derby bike ride to be held on Friday 19 June.
I've probably got more pedals on my bike than brain cells but I reckon that if I can cycle to Buxton and back I can set my mind and body to complete any task
”Nige Jones.
A University of Derby database administrator is on the road to recovery in more ways than one after surgeons had to remove a rare bone tumour from his neck.
Nige Jones joins more than 90 University colleagues and students taking part in its annual Buxton to Derby bike ride this Friday as part of National Bike Week.
The 38-year-old is on a mission to reach his target weight and fitness after spending months recuperating after an operation which has left him with two permanent metal rods and five screws joining his vertebrae. Consultants, who told him they had not treated a patient with a similar tumour for about 15 years, gave Nige the go-ahead to get back on his bike just two months ago.
Since then dad-of-one from Allestree has been jogging and cycling in preparation for the event-but has decided that the 45.6 mile slog between Buxton and Derby just isn't enough.
Instead of taking advantage of the minibus - which will take cyclists from the city to Buxton whilst their bikes follow in a van-Nige will ride from home to Buxton on his bike doubling the amount of miles his colleagues will cover-clocking up an impressive 80 miles in total.
Nige said: "It's been hard work getting my fitness levels back up. The Annual Bike Ride gave me the perfect motivation. Over the last couple of years I'd managed to lose over four stone in weight but found myself back at square one after the operation in November.
"I've probably got more pedals on my bike than brain cells but I reckon that if I can cycle to Buxton and back I can set my mind and body to complete any task."
The ride is the 5th annual Buxton to Derby Bike Rideand the riders are once again raising money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. Last year's riders raised over £4,000 for the Trust.
The riders are set to leave the University's Devonshire Campus in Buxton at 10am on Friday 19 June. The University's Kedleston Road site is their final destination. If all 90 riders complete the journey they'll collectively clock up nearly 4,500 miles.
Cyclists have been assured by James Brown, the event organiser and University Transport and Travel Manager, that the 45.6 mile journey is the " Downhill Route" which avoids the main roads and sticks to national cycle routes and back roads for the majority of the journey.
James originally came up with the idea to encourage more staff and students to cycle into work.
He said: "Cycling really is the way forward and can literally revolutionise your life. Forget about football, cycling should be our national sport. Just look at the success it bought us in the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games, giving us sporting heroes we can look up to.
"Here at the University we're really trying to encourage staff and students to swap their cars for bikes for getting to and from work and studies.
"This bike ride really helps us to share that message and it's a great social occasion where we can encourage each other and hopefully come back to base with a few adventurous tales to tell."
The University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Coyne, has granted a day's 'special leave' for all staff taking part in the event, subject to their manager's agreement.
For further media information please contact Annabel Harvey, 01332 593004 or email: a.harvey@derby.ac.uk
