Until she was 13 years old Katie Ford suffered an average of a dozen or so epileptic seizures per day and she will always carry the condition, yet part of her mission in life is to let people see how lucky she is and do what she can for those less fortunate.

“I was one of the one in 20 who was eligible for transformative brain surgery. It completely changed my life. I had 4600 seizures a year pre-surgery. I would now have about one a year max,” she explained.

The 29-year-old Glaswegian will consequently, next month, be aiming to set British and world records as she sets off on her bid to cycle further than any woman has before in 12 hours on a track.

There are interim world record targets along the way at six and eight hours, while she hopes to set another for covering 100 miles on a track faster than any woman has before, while it is perhaps most telling of all in terms of what she is taking on that she knows that she will be the British record holder for the 12 hour challenge come the evening of July 2 because no-one has made an official attempt at it previously.

She knows she has the mental capacity to take it on because, while at University a few years ago, she attempted and completed the 3000 mile Race Across America, but she discovered earlier this year that having the necessary mental fortitude is not sufficient in itself when, after coming up less than eight kilometres short of her 348 km target, she was hospitalised after attempting to break the women’s 12 hour static cycling record.

That experience brought about the realisation that a more comprehensive, professionalised approach was required and she has duly acquired the support of Hampden Sports Clinic and in particular the woman who is now coaching her, former Commonwealth Games cyclist Charline Joiner.

“This time it’s been so much more professionally organised in terms of the approach to training, but also Charline’s knowledge of how to ride the velodrome is massive,” Ford pointed out.

In all, if she is to achieve her ultimate goal, she will have to circumnavigate the 250 metre velodrome some 1666 times, a total of 404 km, more than 252 miles, but she believes it is achievable and seems far from daunted at the prospect, expressing huge gratitude to Glasgow Life for granting her the necessary access to the facility at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome after her requests had previously been rejected by both London, where she was previously based and Newport.

“I’m excited to have the track to myself for the day and I’m excited to see what we can do,” she said.

Yet her real goal is to attempt to address some of the prejudices associated with a condition that many find unnerving.

“I think success would be for people to be aware of what individuals with epilepsy can do. I guess my hope is for people to essentially take a look at what we’re doing and what I’ll be doing on the track and think: ‘I don’t have epilepsy and I couldn’t do that,’ so their perception of the condition is changed,” said Ford.

“I really love my bike because it’s given me independence so it is wonderful to be able to use that love for what is a fantastic cause, to raise awareness of epilepsy and try to help smash the stigma around the condition as well is just brilliant.”

She has been encouraged by medical developments that have improved the lot of others since she was told that there was a 95 per cent chance that surgeons would be unable to help her lead what she describes as the normal life she now enjoys.

“What’s amazing is that when I went back to meet some of the kids in the neurology ward I’d been in recently I found out from one of my neurologists that the chances are much better now,” Ford noted.

However as she pushes herself ever harder towards her various targets she believes that it is all those who cannot yet be helped as she was who will help make the difference.

“The one thing that gives me a massive advantage over other ultra endurance and ultra marathon riders is the fact that I’ve got sick kids mentally pushing me round the velodrome, because they are just inspiration personified,” Ford explained.

She will be raising money for two charities close to her heart, Epilepsy Action and the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, where she underwent her brain surgery in 2001 and whose Director of Fundraising and Marketing Rachel Baxter, observed: “We are in awe of Katie and her determination to break not one, but four world records whilst raising much needed funds and awareness for two charities which are very close to her heart.”

Her challenge begins at 9am on July 2 and free entry to the velodrome is offered to anyone in witnessing her efforts first hand, the first of her targets comes just after 1.35pm when she aims to break American Anna Mei’s 100 mile indoor record.

Thereafter it is a case of clocking up as many miles as possible until 3pm when she hopes to set a new six hour mark in the Ultra Marathon Cycling Association (UCMA) record books, then 5pm, if confirmation comes through from Guinness that they will ratify the eight hour mark as a world record, building to that UCMA 12 hour record and another mark set by Mei at 247.6 miles.

Those inspired by her story can find out more, including details of how to donate to her challenge on epilepsyforward.com/about-katie.