It’s been a wee while since I completed my Biggest Journey challenge… which was a huge success in all ways. I’m yet to write up a report of the whole thing and, to be honest, I was so overwhelmed by everything that I kinda needed a bit of a break from it all and concentrate on the home life a bit.

The family had been a bit neglected for a while, what with all the training and organising, and with our second baby due at the beginning of August, I thought I should make myself a bit more available. Beautiful babyb girl, Orla May, arrived safely on 4th August and she’s bee keeping me busy since.

This post though isn’t really about reviewing how it all went – but where to go from here. The most common question I got after making it to London was, and still is,

So, What next?

I didn’t really know what to say, I hadn’t really thought that far ahead. When I cooked up this whole project, I didn’t have any idea what it would become, or even if I could make it to London in the planned 3 days… never mind what I’d do once I’d finished that! I always thought this would be a metaphorical journey, a fitting end to the journey I’ve been on for the last 18months, or even 18 years. The truth is though, that this is just the start… How can I leave it here? After the incredible support I’ve received, the money raised, the amazing comments, and the awesome new friends I’ve made, how can I stop at that.

The one thing I was sure of at the end, was that I left Edinburgh on my own, but arrived in London as part of a whole new community. Whatever I did next, it had to involve other people.

Something I’ve always enjoyed is meeting interesting people. I believe you can only benefit from it, your life is enriched by hearing about other’s experiences and talking to new people about your own. Another thing I’ve really interested in is personal development, self discovery, challenging oneself. With these two subjects in mind, I have now come up with a plan for my next ‘biggest journey’…

I am seeking cyclists with an interest in mental health, to take part in a multi day adventure of openness, self discovery and cycling. I want to gather a group of individuals who want to challenge themselves, while also challenging the stigma around mental distress. It’s not going to be an epic distance, it’s all about personal challenge… which can mean many things. The route will be enjoyable, yet challenging. The topics of discussion will be similar. Some people may want to sign up for the whole trip, some may just want to join for one day’s ride. The most important criteria will be an open mind. We’ll be sharing with each other, as well as documenting the whole experience to share it with lots of other people. I hope it will be an enjoyable experience that will result in a richer understanding of yourself, as well as a feeling of belonging that comes from shared experiences.

This may all sound a bit vague just now… I’m yet to put a full plan together and really trying to see who’s interested. If this sounds like something you’d like to be involved in, then get in touch…. head over here and sign up for updates.

I look forward to hearing from you!