Tough Girl Podcast Helen Langridge - cycled LEJOG solo and unsupported in 2015, then in 2017 cycled 30,000km around the world with her future husband Mike.
Helen shares more about her journey into cycling as well as the different challenge she's undertaken.
In September 2015, Helen took her first foray into multi-day, solo bike touring by cycling the classic route from Lands End to John O'Groats (LEJOG). Helen cycled a distance of 1,000 miles in 13 days!
In January 2016, Helen met Mike on Tinder! Through a mutual love of cycling and wanting to travel the world. They started planning a cycle trip around the world! After moving in together, working multiple jobs to save money. They started their adventure on the 4th April 2017. They returned in August 2018, married, completely in love with the world and one another! They rode over 30,000 km, through 30 countries. Helen shares more about the planning and preparation as well as the challenges of being on the road and what she learned from the experience.
Helen also shares more about her next big challenge in 2020! It's a BIG challenge!!!!!
- Please note during this podcast episode we do talk about mental health, and depression. Please make sure you are in a good space before you listen.
Show notes
- Starting cycling in 2011
- Being nervous while commuting
- Growing up by the sea in Dover
- Where her passion for cycling came from
- How it helped her mental health
- Signing up for a 3 day trip from London to Paris with the British Hearth Foundation
- Deciding to do LEJOG (Lands End to John O' Groats)
- Having a year to plan the trip
- Why it was so tough getting to the start line
- Wanting to do something for her
- Some of the issues with the route
- Learning to be flexible
- Doing the LEJOG challenge solo
- The kindness of strangers
- The mental side of the challenge
- Learning how to become self sufficient
- Dealing with the breakdown of a relationship
- Getting the support needed to help with depression
- How Tinder turned her life around
- Meeting Mike…
- Wanting to cycle around the world
- Is it possible….
- Taking multiple jobs to save money
- Building the bikes from scratch
- Connecting on a deeper level
- Turning a joke/dream into a reality
- Taking about the money and starting from scratch
- Selling everything they owned, doing extra jobs, & getting small amounts of sponsorship
- Making the plan!!!
- Saving £26,000
- What it was like in the run up to leaving
- The route, leaving Glasgow and getting the Ferry to Amsterdam
- Making changes to the route and how they made that decision
- 2.5 months in China
- Documenting the journey while out on the road
- Cycling from Perth to Brisbane
- Knee and glue problems
- The wedding!!!!!
- The honeymoon and why it wasn't the best
- The end of the trip….
- The transition back to normal life
- The next big challenge!!!!!!
- Dealing with the pressure of the next challenge
- Costs of the challenge and doing as much preparation as possible before 1st May
- The power of setting a date
Social Media
Website - https://helenlangridge.com
Twitter - @HelenCycling
Instagram - @helen.langridge