Paul John Smith Athlete Ambassador

Paul has a passion for mountain biking and has broken a few bones over the years. He talks to Sundried about training and racing.

Have you always been into sport?

I did road cycling in my mid-teens but lost motivation in my late teens. I returned to cycling and took to mountain biking in my forties after a long term injury.

What has been your favourite race to date and why?

Open bike race in Gruyere, Switzerland. I lived in Switzerland for three years and miss it terribly. This race involved racing through the castle village of Gruyere. I am looking forward to racing this event again in 2021.

What is your proudest achievement?

This is an ongoing thing, I strive to make each event my proudest moment and live in the now.

Have you ever had any racing disasters?

During my first 8-hour endurance race, in truly vile conditions, I lost traction and broke my collarbone.

How do you overcome setbacks?

As a person with autism, my obsession is in mountain biking and to a lesser extent running. I have broken several bones and maintain my passion. Crashing and injury are a by-product of sport and whilst frustrating, we need to accept this and find ways to motivate ourselves through these struggles.

What advice do you wish you'd been given when you first started out?

Don’t expect overnight results.

What are your goals?

To compete in the nations in the MTB marathon discipline.

Who inspires you?

Julian Absalon, Emily Batty, Isla Short.

Why work with Sundried?

I am pleased to be working with an environmentally conscious clothing brand, who produce quality items within an attainable budget.