Tara Llane’s incredible story is not one of how she became paralyzed crashing in a downhill mountain bike race back in 2007 but rather one of determination, drive and the positivity.

The four-time national bike champion may have lost the use of her legs but she is living proof that you can always come back fighting and if you have the will, energy and competitive spirit can help you to achieve what others would deem impossible.

In 2009 Llanes set her sights on Ironman Hawaii. As she trained and her time on the bike got longer, she realised the size of her bladder would mean she would need to be lifted out of her chair every 30 minutes to use the bathroom. To right this problem she underwent surgery to double the size of her bladder. Ironically, it was this surgery that ultimately prevented her from realising her goal.

The training however still proved to Llanes that despite her injury, she was still an athlete and a talented one at that. She is now back on the trails on a four wheel dirt bike and is a champion in raising awareness for spinal injuries.