The other day I met up with a true hero of mine.

A man who has been shot at and arrested while riding his bike from Bangkok to Gloucester.  A man who ran 5,000 miles across Canada and currently holds the world record for static cycling with a time of 268 hours, 32 minutes, 44 seconds.

With enthusiasm and  passion that leaves me in awe, Jamie McDonald, AKA Adventureman, is one of the reasons I’m taking up my own challenge.  His adventures have become an inspiration to so many, but what makes this man so special to me, is his personality. Plus, the fact he bought me lunch…

I didn’t take our meeting for granted and if it wasn’t for the huge hug he gave me as I got off the bus, I would have been more nervous.  Although, it didn’t help that Jamie has become a bit of a celebrity.  While we walked through the town centre, he was stopped a few times with questions about his next adventure, shouts of support and too many double-takes to mention.  As I expected, this hardly registered on him. He was busy asking me questions about my run and telling me about a Dad who’s about to embark on his own challenge.

As we talked over dinner, a lot of my worries about the run became redundant.  Speaking to someone who’s experienced what I’m about to do before, was an eye opener and having the support of Jamie will no doubt put me in good stead. I left with a smile on my face and more eager than ever. Plus a belly full  …winner chicken dinner.

If you haven’t yet heard of Jamie, I highly recommend visiting his site or better still, watch his videos on YouTube.