Let's make this interesting. Prizes for donating!

To try and add some extra value to my FUNDRAISING campaign, and give YOU people an extra incentive to donate towards my http://igg.me/at/UWSj6uV2B7k/x/10683915, I'm going to offer up some unique prizes, and anyone donating can get themselves a free chance to win one. 

I may update the prize list as I think of new things so it might be worth checking back here if you haven't already donated!

And I will offer different prizes for different levels of donation to try and give everyone a chance to win something.

First up is a signed, race-worn Ireland jersey. Used in the World Championships and a handful of other races. Any donation of up to £100 gets entered into the chance to win this. 

Next is a VERY unique jersey - it's the Paracycling World Cup leader's jersey. Give to the leader of the Paracycling World Cup after each road. I won this one on the final day of the series in 2013 - and is my champion's jersey. Signed or unsigned - the choice is yours. It's a money-can't-buy object. Any donation of £100-£250 is entered to win this one.

Perhaps MY most unique jersey and the hardest of all to come by! One of my remaining Time Trial World Champion's jerseys, complete with sponsor logos. You get one that has been lightly worn and signed by me. First donation of £500 gets this.

Dan Martin signed jersey is now gone!

And I will offer up one more item at this time. This one is for the corporations or businesses out there. For ANY donation of £750 or more - I will come to your offices, give a motivational talk to you and your employees, and if you desire - lead a bike ride for an afternoon with anyone who wants to join in. But I promise you, the talk alone is good value!

So - please visit my FUNDRAISING PAGE and make your donation today! If you are interested in something specific (like a visit by my to your offices), you can email me directly at colinlynch@gmail.com. 

Thanks (AGAIN) to all that donate and for your time!

A new leg. Why?

I recently started a fund-raising campaign to try and raise enough founds for a new cycling leg. The page can be found here: Fundraising Page  

So the question is: why?

The answer is simple. The leg I have now was built several years ago. In that time, the shape of my stump (residual leg) has changed, and technology has moved on quite a bit. In a sport where not just seconds, but tenths of a second can make a difference, it's important not to give away even the slightest edge to the opposition if you want to win.

You want to see why 1/10th of a second can make a difference? Have a watch:

The main issue for me is fit and comfort. The leg I have isn't a perfect fit any more. And it compromises my ability to train. Cycling is a sport where you need to spend hour after hour, day after day on the bike. If you can't do that because you're in constant pain, then your training will suffer. I'm finding the amount of hours I can put in, plus the number of consecutive days I can train is becoming compromised. The leg rubs, it pinches, it causes blisters, phantom nerve pain, lumps, etc. It's hard enough trying to get through the hard training days without having to deal with the extra pain of a poorly-fitting prosthetic!

The second issue is technology and aerodynamics. In the last few years, big leaps have been made by the prosthetic manufacturers. Legs are getting lighter and more attention is being paid to the aerodynamic aspects. Minimising drag is a much bigger deal now - and new legs can save valuable energy and time in races against the clock. 

I need to reach target of £8000 to be able to get a new cycling leg. I'm lucky that I have one significant donor coming on board already to put in a chunk of this. But the rest I have to find elsewhere. I simply don't have it myself, so I'm appealing to the general public.

It's the chance for you to be a part of something special, something different. You can donate ANY amount - and when the leg is made - follow my success and know you played a part in it. See me compete in the Rio 2016 Games, stand on the podium and feel pride in knowing you made it happen. 

So once again, if you want to donate ANYTHING, please visit my FUNDRAISING PAGE or contact me directly at colinlynch@gmail.com. And thanks for looking!