Laura in her own words:
“I’m a 35 yo Veterinary Surgeon, ultra/long distance cyclist, hiker and runner who loves having adventures... and this year, 2022 I plan to break the tandem around the World Record with my husband Stevie.
I started out in life not at all sporty or fit but adventurous: white water kayaking, cycling, hiking and camping.
I realised mid-twenties I wanted to get fitter as well and this coincided with meeting Stevie and being introduced to long distance cycling where I completes a range of long distance events on solo and Tandem including the infamous Paris-Brest-Paris solo and Lejog on a tandem.
I then took up running and after a couple of false starts ran wainwright's coast to coast by myself in May with Stevie as support, 190miles in 5 days. We have also completed some of the more epic long distance walks I the UK such as Offas Dyke and the Pennine Way, camping along the way with our dog Geoffrey (as well as West Highland way, Ridgeway and Hadrians wall)
2022 is the big one though! 18,000 miles, 180 days, 2 people, 1 bike!! We set off in June to attempt to break the current Tandem World Record!”
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Show notes
- Who is Laura
- Her passion for long distance cycling
- Growing up adventurous, but not being sporty when younger
- Getting into Lyrica!
- Drifting away from sports during uni and work
- Starting her fitness journey again
- Audax - a long distance cycling club
- Studying to become a Veterinarian
- Meeting Stevie at a beer festival
- First dates and getting the tandem bike out
- Never being a gym goer
- Getting back to the basics and building things gradually
- Say hello to the dogs!!
- What she loves about long distance cycling
- Being competitive with herself
- Her first 100 mile race
- The Super Randonneur award
- Tactics for riding on the bike as a team
- All Points North an unsupported cycling event across the north of England.
- The planning and the logistics
- Magical moments!
- The challenge for 2022!
- Deciding to cycle around the world on a Tandem!!!
- The route…
- Starting in Berlin, Germany
- 180 days…
- The money, the budget and paying for the challenge
- Getting the initial sponsorship
- Wanting to be sponsored by Alpkit
- The approx start date… 5th June 2022
- Having supportive bosses
- The final bit of preparation and what’s involved
- Riding throughout winter and getting use to riding in all weathers
- New podcast - Stoked to be here!
- How to follow along with the journey
- Final words of advice for other women who want to take on a big, exciting challenge
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