The Ultimate Cyclist (MP3 or CD) Rick Collingwood

Hi Rick,

I'm hoping that you remember me. I'm Tom Staniford the young deaf cyclist you met at a hotel in London in December 2008. You gave me some CDs and we had a 1-on-1 session.I'm writing to you because I felt it was about time to give you an update!

Since seeing you almost 3 years ago a lot has changed. If you remember, I was speaking to British Cycling about the possibility of being classified for Paracycling as well as Deaf cycling. That was succesful, and after a year of solid competition I was invited onto the GB squad. There followed a fantastic year competing in GB colours competing in France and Spain whilst also keeping up my law undergraduate studies at the University of Exeter. This led to me, in June, winning the British National Paracycling Road Race Championships- at 21 the youngest ever solo rider to do so. This has given me a great deal of personal pride and the right to wear the National Champion's stripes for a year. I do not think I would have done it without your help.

I'm in my final year of University now- on exchange at the University of Rennes in France (I do law and french law) and very much looking forward to getting out of Uni and into the real world, with a real job, and post-2012 maybe full-time competition. As it stands I am a reserve for the 2012 team- I have very solid results but I'm just a tiny bit slower than some of the other guys on the squad- who will be doing 2012 barring any injury/sickness. I'm largely philosophical about this- I'm 9 years younger than they are and unlike them I am in full-time study/employment whereas they are full-time athletes on lottery funding. This hasn't stopped me training with absolute commitment, though, as I genuinely do believe that I can get fast enough to beat them before 2012, thereby earning the right to take their place.

On the GB Deaf Cycling front things are as bad as before, funding-wise. However as I understand it UK Deaf Sport are in talks with the Commonwealth Games. If they can incorporate a 'deaf' category there (as I understand is quite possible) it should then naturally lead to a deaf category at the Paralympics, and then a whole world of funding opens up to us.

I felt compelled to write to you basically to thank you. The last month has been the hardest and unhappiest time of my life as I have been settling into my studies here. The course is extremely hard and I've been genuinely questioning a lot of things. I've been listening to the CDs you gave me (ultimate cyclist and ultimate sports recovery) regularly though, and I really do believe they have been a terrific help for me mentally. I've used them regularly over the last 3 years and have always enjoyed them, but it's only really with the recent tests I've endured that I've really come to appreciate all their positive effects. This has, in turn, often left me thinking about our brief meeting- and has left me extremely grateful for the kindness and care which you showed me. I genuinely am truly grateful and hope that one day we may be able to meet up again and you'll let me buy you a coffee or something. I'd love to repay you in some way but I can remember vividly what you said to me when I last offered on that sunny winter day in London: "You can repay me by getting on that bloody bike of yours and winning". I hope that I've managed to do that to a small extent, and will continue to do so.

I'm sure that you are very busy, and have a great many former clients/patients/(victims!) contacting you in a similar way to express thanks, but I do passionately hope that one day we may meet again. Continuing to send you good karma in return for all the good you have given me,

I purchased your ultimate cyclist cd last year from josh at liquid fitness and love it.

Rick,

I purchased your Ultimate Cycling CD abut a week and a half ago and have listened to it on my ipod when I go to sleep each night. I did 3 rides this past long weekend and every one was great. Someone asked me what I had for breakfast one of the days! Of course, I can’t judge by one weekend, but I am impressed so far.

A bigger thing that affects my life is chronic tension headaches, which I have tried everything for with no results. I was wondering if you could recommend one of your CD’s to help me stop doing whatever it is I do to myself each night when I sleep that wakes me up with such pain. Perhaps I could alternate that CD with the cycling one. I’d trade a little less cycling performance for a little less headache.

Thank you so much for what you do.

An American fan,
B. Corman