This story was provided to the organisers of the London to Brighton cycle after the event. We are keeping the name of the person anonymous....
I got on a bike on the 24th of May and cycled 3 miles on the recommendation that doing some exercise would be good for me, I had been to the doctors, signed off work and was in the middle of something that I know a lot of people go through, cycling gave me a bit of time out, a bit of head space and got me focusing on something else other than my head. I signed up for the London to Brighton around 3 weeks later, with the idea that a goal would give me something to aim towards. And I honestly do believe it saved me.
Finishing this was more than just finished 54 miles. I know it’s not the biggest challenge and that in the grand scheme of sporting events is actually pretty minor but it was, for me, completing something that I signed up to when I was struggling, and getting to this marked the finishing line of something which was giving me a solid purpose and goal at my lowest. I am unbelievably lucky to have the most amazing network around me that finding someone to talk to has never had to be something I have had to look for. How lucky am I? But I am aware that you can’t always find the right person, or the right situation to offload and that some of us are fighting battles no one will ever know about. I am in awe of a service that is providing that listening ear to people who can’t find the right listening ear. There is no greater service, project or aim more important than that. So I rode the ride yesterday for the heroes at the Samaritans. A charity so close to my heart, and one that I would not shy away from encouraging people to reach out to.
The ride itself broke me physically, I really really struggled. I had never cycled that far before. But it was more than just the physical challenge for me, it was for everyone else and every single pedal was motivated, inspired and pushed for and with by those people who are pedalling against the wind to whatever there finish line may be.
I cycled 54 miles yesterday... for a project that is literally saving people every single day. What a privilege.
It’s good to reach out, it’s good to talk and it’s good to do what makes every day just that little bit easier. Cycling seems to be it for me, right now.
Thanks for reading this!
