David Millar sets out on his bid to raise money for spinal research

The former Scotland under-21 back row, who was paralysed in a rugby match in New Zealand in 1989, arrived back in the Land of the Long White Cloud on Sunday and on Tuesday was given a massive vote of confidence by All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, the Crusaders' former All Blacks and Edinburgh players Todd Blackadder and Daryl Gibson and a handful of current Crusaders who invited him to their Super 14 training camp.

Millar has been heavily involved in media interviews as New Zealand gets behind his bid to hand-cycle 250 miles around the South Island with what will be the equivalent of a marathon every day. He is being supported by his wife Lynn and many friends, including a New Zealander who lost a leg in a car accident and is also hand-cycling.

He set off on Thursday morning off from the spinal unit in Burwood, Christchurch where he was first treated after the accident, heading out across the Canterbury Plans towards Geraldine, which is 109 miles away, knowing he has already passed his intended fundraising target of 25,000 and is now close to the 30,000 mark. The money will be used to aid research into reversing the effects of spinal injuries and, through the Hearts and Balls charity, to help support rugby players who have suffered such injury.

Millar completed his first 28 miles in five hours, with a good wind behind him, but heading into the wind yesterday found the going slower. He did, however, complete his target of 26 miles before dinner and planned birthday celebrations for wife Lynn, ahead of another 7am start and 26-mile journey across New Zealand's South Island today.

For more info and to post messages of support visit: www.themightypush.com