ed slater i — are here. i am here for that reason. ed slater i have _ are here.as my old club. seeing how the community have come i leicester was my old club. seeing - how the community have come together which we _ how the community have come together which we have _ how the community have come together which we have seen _ how the community have come together which we have seen with _ how the community have come together which we have seen with doddie - how the community have come together which we have seen with doddie weir. which we have seen with doddie weir and rob— which we have seen with doddie weir and rob burrow _ which we have seen with doddie weir and rob burrow. in— which we have seen with doddie weir and rob burrow. in the _ which we have seen with doddie weir and rob burrow. in the face - which we have seen with doddie weir and rob burrow. in the face of- and rob burrow. in the face of adversity— and rob burrow. in the face of adversity amazing _ and rob burrow. in the face of adversity amazing things - and rob burrow. in the face of. adversity ama

john maguire with ed slater.- people will do exactly that. john maguire with ed slater. are i incredible to look at, they are tiring as the week goes on, but that journey, another 120 miles ahead of them. �* , ., ., journey, another120 miles ahead of them. �*, ., ., journey, another 120 miles ahead of them. �*, ., ., ., them. let's have a look at the justgiving _ them. let's have a look at the justgiving page. _ them. let's have a look at the justgiving page, 120 - them. let's have a look at the justgiving page, 120 7000, i them. let's have a look at the l justgiving page, 120 7000, 915, them. let's have a look at the i justgiving page, 120 7000, 915, just crept up a little bit more since then. working hard to raise money and awareness.— then. working hard to raise money and awareness. good luck to them in the final leg. — and awareness. good luck to them in the final leg. a _ and awareness. good luck to them in the final leg, a big _ and awareness. good luck to them in the final leg, a big homecoming i the final leg, a big homecoming later on. time now to get the news,

nowjust a few weeks ago ed slater, the former gloucester rugby union player, became the latest athlete ride fundraiser, but before he left, in a first broadcast interview, he told sally nugent how he's coming to terms with his diagnosis. five, six months ago, we did some testing and ultimately, ended up with a diagnosis of motor neurone disease two or three weeks ago and now, yeah, it's something that you kind of, you never dream of happening to you but it's happened and i have to get on with it. and have to face it.— have to face it. when their diagnosis, what _ have to face it. when their diagnosis, what are - have to face it. when their diagnosis, what are your l have to face it. when their- diagnosis, what are your memories have to face it. when their— diagnosis, what are your memories of that moment? i diagnosis, what are your memories of that moment?— that moment? i spent probably three or four weeks — that moment? i spent probably three or four weeks thinking, _ that moment? i spent probably three or four weeks thinking, this was - or four weeks thinking, this was going to happe

yesterday we were with former rugby union player ed slater. the two professionals. so to make it and survive gives me confidence for tomorrow. and they are off. big cheer. yesterday started with an enthusiastic sendoff from the gloucester faithful. and not to be outdone, tigers fans, friends and family turned out to show their support at the end of day one. among them was kevin sinfield, a member of leicester's coaching staff. he knows all about pushing your body to the limit. his seven marathons in seven days challenge raised money and awareness for the motor neurone disease association in honour of his friend and former team—mate rob burrow. when i speak to people around here about ed's time at the club, they always speak in glowing terms about him, so it's great he's got support. i think it's absolutely wonderful what him and the family have been able to do already in such a short space of time. i think it shows what rugby is about, both codes. we have seen it now with rob burrow and doddie weir. we now have another champion, as well, who is

rugby union's ed slater speaks for the first time.

born out of defiance and dogged determination, ed slater�*s 350 mile bike ride was over.drug that can do anything for the disease, so that's really important. and the other is to raise money for charities, like doddie, who is pushing that research into funding for a cure for mnd. come on, a big cheer. come on, ed. it all started here on monday morning as they set off from gloucester rugby club. they are elite sportsmen but the attributes needed for rugby and cycling differ hugely. the ups and downs were apparent very soon. a downhill instead of an uphill. day one was 90 miles to welford road, the home of leicester tigers. a club where ed had played, captained and won the league. seeing ed and his family and his team—mates, current team—mates and ex team—mates, it is wonderful, because he will need that support. also here to greet him was kevin sinfield, now a coach with the tigers but someone who knows all too well about motor neurone disease through his amazing fundraising efforts for his former league team—mate, rob burrow. he understands what challenges ed faces. once

borne out of defiance and dogged determination, ed slater�*s 350 mile bike ride was over. , recovered now. it hit me two or three days to get over it, i was searching desperately for my other cyclists and team—mates to see if they were in the same pain as i was, and only sam said something.— in the same pain as i was, and only sam said something. some of sam is still in the cotswold _ sam said something. some of sam is still in the cotswold hills _ still in the cotswold hills somewhere, we aren't sure where. this was— somewhere, we aren't sure where. this was hugely ambitious, this project, you just decided to do it, you didn't spend very long thinking about it. lewis is now laughing! 36 about it. lewis is now laughing! 7515 days from start to finish of prep, and it started off as a bit of a joke. in the team room. we were going to finish at twickenham to start with which would have been a great idea. and then fraser said, not sure it's long enough to be a proper challenge and that was it. so that really was a proper challenge, then. ., ~' , ., that really was a proper chal