Keith Atkinson has been a long time friend to all of us at Concept2, and was the instigator of Concept2 Education programme. He was diagnosed with MS in 1974, but did not find out about the diagnosis until 1996 when he was forced to retire from competitive running due to the deterioration in his balance due to the illness. Keith is a qualified rowing coach and umpire, is the president of Nottingham Rowing Club and was honoured by the queen in 1996 with an MBE for his services to Education and Rowing.

Watch Keith Atkinson in our 'people' section as he chats about rowing and passing 30 million metres