David Jukes (35), Husband, Father and PE Teacher

The thing about sport is that it challenges hearts and minds, it can produce moments of inspiration and create history. Whether its competing for your school or gaining national recognition sport can leave us with memories of those occasions in our lives when we can for a second find belief in ourselves and aspire to become more.

I remember as a child of eleven years old participating in a challenge called the Sand Stone Trail a 31 mile race in Cheshire. It was a cross country event that the Cheshire Fire Brigade held every year. I had walked the race on two previous occasions finishing in 11hrs and then 7 1/2 respectively. My father had won the event a number of times and I believed I could run the route and break the six hour mark. This was to be one of the most important lessons in my life, we were six miles from the finish, it had been a hot summers day and I had hit the wall, my dad had been motivating me for some time by picking out various points in the distance to run to, small manageable targets to strive for. This tactic had worked for several miles but my legs were gone and I decided that I was done. I sat down frustrated that my goal had slipped from my grasp I felt dejected, tired and sore to the core. It was then my farther lied telling me that we were eight miles from home and we still had 1 hour 20 minutes left. I quickly worked out that if we paced ourselves at a manageable 10 mile we could still finish within my target time. To cut this story short we actually had five miles left made it by three minutes my farther knew my limits where as I was naive and young.

At the time I was proud of what I had achieved and delighted that we had done it together. It was a little while later that I realised the power of belief and how it had allowed me to become more. I learnt that when things become difficult or uncomfortable in sport and in life, and we are asked questions of ourselves and our capabilities. If we can learn to control the beasties (thoughts that are sent to test our resolve) we will find we are capable of digging a little deeper and reaching a little higher and it is only then that our expectations can be surpassed and a moment in time created.

Barry, this is your moment and I am privileged to be able to share it with you. Take Care, Jukesy