Jeff Connor was born in Manchester and was educated at Bury Grammar School where his studies lost out to sport at the age of 15. A retired ruby player at both codes of union and league he is also a former champion professional hill runner, a keen skier and a five-days-a-week gym addict. He is divorced, lives in Edinburgh and is the rugby correspondent for Scotland's leading Sunday newspaper, Scotland on Sunday. His previous books include 'Wide Eyed and Legless: Inside the Tour de France' and 'Creagh Dhu Climber' (short listed for the Boardman/Tasker and Banff Mountain Festival prizes for mountain literature in 1999/2000).