Written By You: Pedalling Through Pain and Inflammation
In his own words, this is Brett Lamper’s story of cycling with Chronic Inflammatory Rheumatoid Arthritis
My story- I’ve been diagnosed for over a year now with Chronic Inflammatory Rheumatoid Arthritis - it all came on rather suddenly and hit me like a tonne of bricks. Just over a year ago I struggled to walk and shower, let alone do a pedal stroke and the future was very uncertain, especially where bikes are concerned. My knees and shoulders were incredibly inflamed and painful and I was in a very bad way physically.
With the right medication, gradual exercise on the bike and absolute resilience I still managed to compete in enduro racing for 2023 and won the Pedalhounds series on Hardtail and came 2nd at the Southern Enduro South-East series on Hardtail.
This all kicked off at the same time as my wife and I welcomed our second child to the world, I had just got my first sponsorship deal with Dawley Bikes (legendary UK steel bike manufacturer) and clothing brand Dirty Rides Apparel. Thom, owner of Dawley Bikes, built me a stunning customised steel hardtail to race on in 2023. He has been a massive motivator for me to get on the bike and keep pedalling through the painful days and his no pressure approach has been far more than I was expecting too.
For 2024- I am going to be riding for Dawley Bikes again as well as join the legendary enduro race team ‘Steel is Real’. I am of course incredibly honoured and grateful for their support, and this has made me even more determined for 2024.
I’m not going to lie, although the disease is under relatively good control with some hardcore drugs, every day is still challenge; it’s fair to say RESILIENCE has been the resounding word that people have fed back to me.
In my mind, there is no option to give up pedalling #motionislotion. To me, riding not only takes my mind off having rheumatoid arthritis, but the exercise really helps to stimulate my cardiovascular system, increases blood flow to joints effected and helps reduce pain and inflammation. I wholly believe the disease shouldn’t be called Arthritis at all, because unlike the very common osteoarthritis that we have all heard of (which is basically the general wear and tear of a specific joint), the autoimmune disease Rheumatoid Arthritis is in a league of its own and involves the ongoing pain inflammation and destruction of multiple joints throughout the body.
I will be turning 40 this year and keen to share my story and raise awareness about the resilience required to battle and strive to overcome rheumatoid arthritis and give hope to those that have recently been diagnosed with it or needing to hear what can still be achieved when truly suffering with it.
Who would have thought I could still be throwing it about on a Hardtail eh!
Thanks for reading!!!
Brett Lamper
Instagram: @blamper__
Nils, thank you for inspiring me, and showing us all what it truly means to be resilient.