He hopes bike ride inspires disabled

A determined USF student with cerebral palsy prepares for a 100-mile challenge.

By COURTNEY HERRIG, Times Correspondent
Published November 12, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Gandy Family] USF student Clayton Gandy, 30, who has cerebral palsy, plans to ride his special-order recumbent bike in the 100-mile The Ride Without Limits event this weekend through North Tampa and Pasco County. Gandy says bike riding helps him fight the aging effects of his disorder and build strength.

After a lifetime of battling cerebral palsy, it wasn't exactly easy for 30-year-old Clayton Gandy to learn to ride a bike.

But a year ago, he did it. And now, he is tackling an even bigger challenge: on Saturday and Sunday, Gandy will ride his bike for 100 miles through North Tampa and Pasco County in the Ride Without Limits event organized by United Cerebral Palsy.

Each rider in the event agreed to raise $500 to take part - Gandy has raised $3,000.

Gandy says he would like to be an inspiration to people with CP and other disabilities.

"I think overall, it is attitude and will that gets me on the bike," he said. "The training will help you, but unless you have the motivation and the inspiration to do it and to overcome pain you won't succeed."

Donna Gandy, his mom, says it's pretty typical stuff from her son.

"He is a pretty determined dude," she says.

Gandy shrugs off most of the praise.

"I don't think I am unique in my situation," he says, going on to say that he is no different from anyone determined to achieve better health.

But his modesty can't erase what has been a struggle for 30-plus years.

Donna Gandy knew that something wasn't right with her boy when he was a year old.

"He wouldn't even try to sit up on his own" she says in her Mississippi accent. At 16 months, he was officially diagnosed with CP. Gandy now has some upper extremity symptoms of CP, but the majority of his symptoms affect his lower extremities.

Finding a bike he could ride wasn't easy, either.

"I ordered the recumbent bicycle from Bike Works in Brandon and I had to special order the pedals," Gandy said. "They had to fashion a guard that extends several inches from the bottom of the pedal to keep my foot from turning in - so that my foot does not unlock."

Gandy is a senior majoring in computer science at the University of South Florida and was just offered a graduate assistant position designing wireless networks. When asked about special equipment for computer use, his mother explained, "In the beginning he used voice recognition, but once he got used to the keyboard he did not need the software anymore."

And, the more he used his finger muscles, the better motor skills he developed in his hands.

People with CP develop atrophy in their muscles as they get older.

"That is the whole problem with a child who develops CP, if they don't ever push it and use those muscles, they will never work," said Donna Gandy. "The more you use the muscles, the better they will function."

When Clayton Gandy got older he decided he had to make lifestyle changes if he was going to fight the aging effects of his disorder.

"It was basically a draw to become active," he said. "I knew that I was able to balance and pedal on a stationary bike. When I began, I had no stamina at all; I could do barely any miles. With time and persistence I was able to bring my average mileage up."

Since he began training for the Ride Without Limits event, he has noticed better movement, better muscle tone and better strength overall.

"It is also improving my gait, my knees have a tendency to draw together, turn in when I am walking. The training is giving me the strength to keep my knees apart," he said.

Training for the average athlete is tough, but for a person with CP even the process of putting on cycling shoes and helmet and getting onto the bicycle is a challenge in itself. What takes the average triathlete two minutes in transition time at an event could take Gandy up to 15 minutes.

But the obstacles don't seem to deter him. Quite the opposite.

After Gandy finishes the Ride Without Limits event, he said he hopes to travel to Quebec and ride the P'tit du Nord, a trail that runs for 120 miles from Saint-Jrme to Mount-Laurier on an abandoned train route.

Fast facts

Riding for a cause

Ride Without Limits takes place Saturday and Sunday.

Call toll-free 1-888-547-3239 or visit www.ridewithoutlimits.org for information.

To learn more about Clayton Gandy's ride, visit his blog at www.tourdetampa.com.

[Last modified November 12, 2007, 01:29:47]