Les Roberts is retired and lives in Keston in the London Borough of Bromley. Apart from getting out on his bike as often as he can, he remains closely associated with the activities of Blackheath and Bromley Harriers Athletic Club. He was their President in 2007. Les has enjoyed a lifetime of athletic pursuits, training and competing, firstly in cycle racing, where he featured prominently at regional level, and then running, where he established himself in the successful Blackheath Harriers Track and Field team of the 1980s before going on to become the World Masters 5000m Champion in 1985.  

Being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 1993 wasn't, of course, part of his grand plan but he has seemingly embraced this as an opportunity to confront new challenges. Determined not to let the PD get the better of him, Les has kept very active satisfying his need for athletic expression by returning to the bike.  

In the summer of 2008, he took on the challenge of cycling from Land's End to John O'Groats – 1030 miles in 12 days – in order to raise funds for The Cure Parkinson's Trust. He subsequently wrote the whimsical and uplifting little book “From Wits’ End to John O’Groats”* about that experience and all that led up to it. 

In 2009 he rode from Dieppe to Marseille in 6 days and in 2011 it was End 2 End again but this time the aim was to also cycle back - down the full length of Ireland returning to London via the Swansea ferry. However, having completed the 1000-mile outward leg to Dunnett Head, his ride was brought to an abrupt end when he crashed and broke his collarbone and had to be flown home. 

*   Available through Authorhouse Publishing – www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore - Amazon and all good bookstores