After an exchange of tweets with Sky Sports News presenter Charlie Webster about why I was running the London Marathon for my sister despite my dodgy knees, I received a phone call from Sky Sports asking if they could feature my story on the Special Report!

Not one comfortable at the thought of being followed around by a TV crew, I nervously said yes knowing this was a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness of lupus around the world!

On the 22nd January the Sky Sports News film crews arrived in Hednesford to film the 1st of my sessions. With several cameras and lighting equipment, my lounge was quickly transformed into an interview studio. Once we had completed the interview, it was time to capture my training so, moving first into the street, which brought great interest from my neighbours, we moved on to Pye Green Valley to film my 4 mile training run.

The Sky cameras will be back in Hednesford along with Charlie over the coming weeks to capture my progress.

I will be keeping a video log and posting a blog on the Sky Sports website with the Special Report going out on Sky Sports News on Monday 16th April.

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Here is my British Cycling member profile….

John Hibbs is new to cycling but has taken to it like the proverbial duck to water. Now he’s using it to do himself good – and raise money for a great cause as well.

“I was looking for something new this summer, after twice running the London Marathon,” says John. “With my ‘dodgy’ knees I thought cycling would be a good idea. It’s been great for my wellbeing and it’s really enjoyable. I wish I’d discovered it years ago!”

Since 2008 when his sister Viki was diagnosed with lupus, he’s been doing lots of different things to support her and raise awareness – including founding The Hibbs Lupus Trust to help support lupus patients and their families. And when he discovered that the only two street names with ‘lupus’ in them were 200 miles apart, John knew that would be his first cycling challenge! In June 2012 he’ll be joined by friends Craig Moore and Simon Orme to ride the 200 miles from Lupus Way in Ellesmere Port to Lupus Street, London.

“I’m lucky that Craig has signed up to join me on the cycle challenge,” says John. “We’re both new to road cycling so have been helping each other. It’s been really good to have someone to cycle with. We’ve been out at every opportunity over the summer and we’re now preparing for a long hard winter of training. I’ve just picked up a turbo trainer from Wiggle to ensure that I can still train when the snow and ice arrives!”

John says his British Cycling membership brings lots of valuable benefits. “The discount at Wiggle has been a great benefit to me as a new cyclist needing to purchase lots of kit and accessories, but I’m also comforted in the knowledge that membership offers insurance and legal advice! The weekly email I get is packed full of top tips and information. I’d fully recommend anyone who is cycling or thinking about starting to join British Cycling!”

Find out more about the benfits of British Cycling membership. 

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http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/cover-Benlysta/

Target: Sir Andrew Dillon, Chief Executive, National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), UK
Sponsored by: Worldwide Lupus Patient Organizations
Benlysta(R) is the first treatment developed specifically for lupus since the disease was identified in the mid-1800′s. This treatment represents a ray of hope that new safe, effective and tolerable treatments can be developed for the more than five million people around the world living with lupus.

The United Kingdom’s (UK) National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recently released its preliminary recommendation to NOT cover the cost of Benlysta(R) through the National Health Service. Their preliminary recommendation could have a devastating international impact on the survival of this important new treatment, and it may have a chilling effect on the future development of new lupus drugs thereby denying physicians and patients appropriate treatment options. 

Join us in our call to action by urging NICE to recommend that the United Kingdom’s National Health Service provide coverage of Benlysta(R).

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After completing my 2nd London Marathon in 2011, I decided to attempt a hat-trick of London Marathons and signed up to run again in 2012!

I will again be running for the West Midlands Lupus Group!

The West Midlands Lupus Group is part of LUPUS UK which is the only nationally registered charity supporting people with systemic lupus and assisting those approaching diagnosis.

My top training tips:

• Start slowly! In the early days of my training I was running less than a mile.
• Don’t increase the miles quickly, this is likely to cause injury!
• Listen to your body, don’t be afraid to change the schedule.  If you need an extra rest day, take it!
• Rest days are just as important as running days.
• Record your runs. I use a Garmin 310XT GPS watch to record all my stats. It helps me monitor my fitness and keeps me motivated. It is always a topic of conversation with people to see how many miles I’ve done and it often leads to a sponsor!
• Picture the race during your training runs. Many times I’ve been in tears on the treadmill at the gym as I pictured myself crossing the finish line and seeing my sister!

My top fundraising tips:

• Start fundraising as soon as you can! JustGiving is an integral part of my fundraising and is so easy! I’m addicted to the coin jingle on my JG iPhone app!
• Clearly detail how you are raising money and how the money you raise will be spent. A big seller in my fundraising is that money goes directly to funding a specialist Lupus nurse!
• Use social media sites such as Facebook & Twitter. They are all great ways to reach people. I have a great following of people on Facebook & Twitter who are always sharing my links with their friends, which has resulted in sponsors from as far away as Canada! JustGiving’s Facebook app is great for doing this.
• Create a Blog! People really enjoy following my story to see how I’m getting on. It creates a connection between them and the charity.
• Publicise through your work’s intranet/newsletter.  They may also offer to match your funds!
• Take pictures of your events and send press releases to your local papers.  They are always keen for local stories with a good picture!
• Get out and meet your local community! I hold curry nights, raffles, tombolas and car boot sales and so many people come and offer their support!

Fundraising isn’t hard, it just takes some energy, a little time and a big smile on your face!

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We started fundraising back in late 2009 and have enjoyed many fantastic events raising funds and awareness.

I am overwhelmed at the support we have received since we started fundraising and extremely grateful for every single donation. I know that every single penny will make a difference to lupus patients!

Our new fundraising total is £15,065.69

Thank you for your support!

Team Hibbsy

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Here is a taste of what I had to say….

Sporting background… When I left school, I gained a placement on a youth training scheme with Crewe Alexandra Football Club. A keen sportsman, I had played cricket at county level and travelled around the UK playing football at with Crewe Alexandra reserves.

At 18, I was diagnosed with arthritis and as a result I had to stop playing the game I loved. A few years ago I began scouting for a number of teams including Blackburn and Liverpool football club. Last year I decided that I needed to channel my energies into my fund raising and stopped scouting.

Time in running… I began running in the summer of 2009 after a gaining a place to run the 2010 London Marathon.

Reason you started… In 2008, my sister was diagnosed with the incurable disease lupus after a nasty few months of illness. I watched as her physical health deteriorated and I decided that I should do something to show my support of her and the charity that has since helped us discover more about lupus. I set about running small distances in the light of my own health limitations but soon set myself the challenge of running the London marathon 2010.

You can read my full interview and also many other great articles here – www.ryding2health.co.uk

Thank you to Melanie at R2H for helping me raise awareness of lupus!


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My nomination will now be assessed and I should know in December if I will be carrying the Olympic Torch!

I would like to thank everyone for their nominations, continued support and sponsorship!

Keep your fingers crossed!

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On Saturday 16th June 2012 I will be cycling 200 miles

from Lupus Way, Ellesmere Port to Lupus Street, London.

View Route

I am looking for more companies to get involved with my cycle challenge. If you would like to offer your support please get in touch.

Thank you to the above companies who are supporting me on this challenge.

Please visit their websites to find out more about their products and services.

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Every 6 months I attend Cannock Hospital to have a Synvisc One Injection. The Rehumatolgy team at Cannock are fantastic. I cannot thank them enough for all they do. With their support and with this one injection, I have gone from a life where I couldn’t perform any exercise to where I am now, a marathon runner!

Back in 2007, I was in a bad way and spent 2 weeks in Cannock Hospital to have further surgery on my knee. I was taking lots of medication that just wasn’t working including Methotrexate . After leaving hospital, I was taken off all my medication which allowed my body to settle down. My knee continued to be very uncomfortable and swollen. It was at this time the Synvisc injection was suggested, and well, I haven’t looked back!

Synvisc-One is a single injection. It’s a simple procedure that only takes a few minutes. After the injection, you can resume normal day-to-day activities but you should avoid any strenuous activities for about 48 hours. It is a way to treat your osteoarthritis knee pain right at the source. Made from a natural substance that lubricates and cushions your joint, it can provide up to six months of knee pain relief with just one injection.

I no longer take any other medication and only minor swelling occurs after my long runs. I know I’ll never be able to return to football, but being able to run has given me the opportunity to support my sister and regain that sporting buzz!

Please see www.synviscone.com for detailed information on this treatment.

Happy running!

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My training over the past couple of months has been severely hampered with my knee problems, and now not being able to train for the last week due to a back injury I am in no shape to complete the tough 13.1 mile course.

My plan is to now focus on my recovery and prepare for my next two big challenges. In April 2012 I will be aiming to complete a hat trick of London Marathons and two months later in June I will be attempting my toughest challenge yet, cycling 200 miles in a single day between Lupus Way Ellesmere Port and Lupus Street London.

If you’re are interested in supporting me in my cycle challenge then get in touch!

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