A Time For Everything Under Heaven.

This is the month that I first came into this world so it's always been an important one for me. This is the month to tie up loose ends, forgive and move on. An ideal month to explore new things and new opportunities. It's a time to pay attention to my thoughts and replace any negativity with positivity. It is a month to get things off my chest. Is my glass half full or half empty? I pray for the strength to face new challenges and to be cautious and adventurous at the same time. It's a VERY busy month of competitions, travelling, filming, appearances,etc. All of this is a blessing and I thank God for everything he has given me. I am blessed every day I awake and that's why I choose to be a blessing to everyone I meet. Smile and appreciate life.

In this period of atrocious and unpredictable weather it has been a real challenge to train outdoors, thunder and lightning, strong winds, and lashing rain, but it has to be done because time waits for no one. Roll on May!!!

Your World Recruitment Agency.

One thing I will never get used to is the British weather! Training was going really well and I was looking forward to more road work when BAM! the weather suddenly changed. I was almost blown off the track by gale force winds and driving rain, and was forced back indoors for yet more sessions on the rollers and sweating in the gym. I really look forward to Spring and hopefully much better conditions because the serious competitions are only weeks away from starting and my goal is to be in peak condition.

As an athlete it's great to have strong support behind you and I have that with my family and my coach. However, wheelchair racing is a relatively expensive sport to participate in so I am delighted to have support from Your World Recruitment Agency. A few weeks ago I was invited to meet their staff and pictured above is 'Your World' CEO Tony. I'd like to thank them all for their help.

Life's A Gas!

It's been quite a difficult week for training because my usual running track at Mark Hall has been inaccessible due to a leaky boiler, so I have been forced to spend more time in the gym and out on the road. Fortunately, whatever was broken has now been fixed and my first track session was yesterday in a howling wind. Not good for speed work but at least I was back on track! After not seeing my coach for so long he greeted me as though I'd just got back from a long trip but he made sure the session was a tough one! He's a hard taskmaster.

I really enjoy doing roadwork though it can be very gruelling pushing ten miles. However, the bit I do enjoy is when I'm cooling down because that's when I meet so many interesting people. For example, last week I met a lady with four gorgeous white dogs. She told me they were Hungarian Commodores called Daz, Kez, Denis, and Oz. They have won several dog shows and are due to appear in another one soon. They took an instant shine to me and wouldn't leave me alone. I was chuffed. It's a shame they couldn't sing,'Three Times A Lady' in Hungarian.

I really learned a lot seeing the granny who took on the Health Minister and heckled him. One day the poor will have nothing to eat but the rich - and then there will be equality!!

Titanic Revisited?

Hello again everyone. Life has been so hectic since the holiday I feel I've barely had time to breathe let alone find time to maintain a blog. However, I know people like to keep up with what I'm doing so I've made the time today for a catch up.

Training has been going very well, and with the strong winds we've been having lately I am so glad I have rollers so I can put in the work indoors. However, I do love being outside on the track and doing my long pushes on the road so I will be really glad when the warmer weather finally arrives. Whatever the weather though I am determined to work really hard this year because it's such an important year for athletes.

Last week I had a few meetings in London to attend, one of which was an invitation to visit with Your World Recruitment Agency. It was very interesting to meet all the staff and be shown around their offices. It is always good to see how other people work hard in their own environments. Hopefully they will come to see me in my 'office' soon, though they'll have to leave their smart clothes in the dressing room and be prepared to sweat!

I have been following the tragic events that have struck the 'Costa Concordia' cruise ship. It is so sad that people who set off for a holiday of a lifetime have lost their lives and others have been totally traumatised by their experience. I can't help but think how I would cope in my wheelchair if anything like that happened to me, a whole cruise ship tipping onto its side and lying half submerged under the water. It reminds me of the film,'Titanic'! I hope to God there are no more deaths and the missing can be successfully rescued. Condolences to all those families who have lost loved ones.

Santa Is Dead!!!

Is now the winter of my discontent? Being of African origin I absolutely loathe the British winter! In Kenya the worst we get is the rainy seasons but here you get hurricane force winds, lashing freezing rain, hailstones and snow, and bitterly cold temperatures. As a wheelchair user its the hands that suffer most, and no matter how nicely dressed you are your hands get filthy and make you feel unclean. I leave a double trail wherever I go shopping. I could never get away with committing crimes because the police would easily follow my tracks.

Training is going well (despite the weather), and last weeks sessions were great. I rarely get a pat on the back from my coach, Ken, but last week he was pleased with me. Most people see this time of year as a time for relaxing but as for me I feel driven to improve so I will continue to work hard and maybe have Christmas Day off!

The Christmas tree is up and I realise how quickly my son,Tim, is growing up. Just last year he believed in Santa but yesterday he wrote his list and started it, 'Dear Santa (mum and dad)'. It was sweet when he believed in Santa but at least I don't have to go to the trouble of putting talc on the floor and 'Santa's footprints', or leave a drink and biscuits then eat them so he thought Santa had actually been. This time last year we were at my dads home and then on the beach on Christmas Day itself. It is sad that people seem to have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas and seem more interested in material things.

AbleChild Africa

Training has been going well in spite of me having a cold. I have always been told it's good to sweat a cold out and I felt much better after pushing a very gentle 5k. From the middle of this year I have learnt how to spend my own life in my own way. Sometimes it feels like going back to Nursery school but it's getting better all the time. Remembering what we love is the beginning of a positive change in our lives so I'm prepared to learn anew and hopefully become a better person.

on Tuesday 8th November I was invited to speak at a fundraising dinner in the Inner Temple in London. The banqueting hall was magnificent and full of history. I felt very honoured to be there. The dinner was to raise much needed funds for AbleChild Africa, a charity that is very close to my heart because of the wonderful work they do in Africa. It's hard to believe but ;

1 in 10 children in Africa are living with a disability; this equals a staggering 52 million children!

A staggering 98% of disabled children in Africa do not attend school!

More than 80% of disabled people are living below the poverty line!

I would easily have been amongst those educational statistics if it weren't for the support of my parents, and the Salvation Army who ran the primary school I went to, Joyland. I shall never forget the encouragement and support I got from Major Chamberlain and Major Cotten. The evening was a great success.