My Bike and Me
3000km into the North Sea
Susanna Hocking
I can’t remember ever not being able to ride a bike. I can however remember zooming around a cul-de-sac where I grew up when I was probably 7 or 8 and then when a little older cycling the 8 miles from my town to a friend’s house just to hang out for a few hours. In later life, during university years, I commuted around London on my bike for 5 years, dodging traffic, stray pedestrians and other cyclists on the crazy streets of the big smoke. I trained and competed for a while in triathlon, enjoying the cycle rides the most, covering vast distances with clubmates on Sunday morning rides.
As a mother it’s been a priority for all my children to cycle from a young age and cycling became a family past time, focused on reaching the café or ice cream shop that was the motivation the kids needed to get out.
Living in Worcester and through connections made when the children started primary school, I met other like-minded cycling women. I was introduced to Bike Worcester, an amazing organisation promoting active travel and cycling in Worcester. Through Bike Worcester my family have become involved with Bike buses and Kidical Mass cycling events. Most recently I was profiled as one of 124 Worcester Women who cycle for Bike Worcester’s celebration of International Women’s Day 2024. I am proud to be associated with such a forward thinking and inclusive organisation that is promoting health and well being and a sustainable future for the residents of Worcestershire.
Now my children are older I have returned to cycling for me and most recently have found that exercise combined with the solitude of being on a bike is the perfect head space for de-stressing and reconnecting with myself in a life that is hectic and busy. On Thursday 21st March I will drive to Scotland, get the ferry from Oban to the Outer Hebrides and begin my journey along the Hebridean Way. Over 3 days I will cycle 300km over 10 islands, crossing 6 causeways and using 2 ferries. I have planned the trip myself and although the route is well cycled, I will be tackling it alone.
I’ve been training for the past 6 months, increasing the distance covered and the time in the saddle. Combining training, work and motherhood has been a challenge and I frequently get up at 6am to run or swim for an hour before getting home for breakfast and the school run. I’m fortunate to only work 4 days per week so the bike rides, which generally take a little longer, have been twice a week, a shorter one midweek and then a long one at the weekend. Even then I’ll be up and out at first light and back in time for brunch and the rest of the day with my children.
As a (young!) middle aged women and mother there are certain challenges that impact on physical and mental well-being which can make a sporting event such as this even more difficult. Our changing bodies can make training difficult, peri-menopausal symptoms create good days and bad days, impact on joints, bone and muscle strength. As well as energy and motivation levels. An unpredictable menstrual cycle makes planning complicated and needs to be factored in if you’re going somewhere remote. I’ve had training rides where I’ve just felt utterly exhausted, fought the urge to just crawl back under the duvet and eat sweets – and I am not a duvet loving sweet eating kind of women. But hormones can be vicious and, on some days, I feel I need everyone in the office to give me a big clap just for turning up!
As a mother we often have an innate need to be near our children. Ensure their needs are
met and prioritised above our own. This will be the longest I have been away from my children since they were born and my eldest child at home is 14 years old. It’s not easy balancing the guilt of leaving my children against the knowledge that it’s the right thing for me as a person. I know it also sets an example to my girls that women are strong and independent, can be brave, achieve great things and that sometimes it’s ok to put your own needs first.
As an older cyclist I’ve needed to take a holistic approach to training. Fuelling right is important and on a training ride I avoid high sugar foods and drinks, sticking mainly to complex carbohydrates. I drink loads of water on and off the bike, especially with hot flushes and night sweats, rehydrating is vital to maintain energy levels. I try as much as possible to eat a high protein low carbohydrate diet, even with all the exercise I find my metabolism is against me now and white carbs and sugar just make me pile on pounds and extra weight is not what you want when pedalling up a hill!
I’ve combined cycling with running, swimming, stretching and core exercise. I think this has helped me avoid injury and muscle sprains. I need to start really slow now and spend the first couple of kilometres whether its running or cycling just warming up really steadily. Stretching is brilliant and on a training day or not I will always try and stretch. Older joints need to be worked regularly another consequence of depleting oestrogen levels; I think. Its also an activity I can get my kids to do with me, some more keen than others, but it’s fun and easy to to do at home and again teaches, my girls particularly, good habits.
My bike for this trip is new, replacing the one I commuted around London on and have ridden for more than 20 years. It’s actually the first one I’ve ever bought for myself – the last one being a present for uni from my parents! I am slightly concerned that I don’t have much knowledge about how to fix it when it goes wrong. This is a weakness I don’t have time to fix now but will work on when I am back before the next adventure is planned! I have been told to switch to tubeless tyres so hopefully I will at least avoid a puncture (although I can actually change a tube, but that’s about it!) I know I’ll need to clean my bike off and oil the chain while I’m away as the salty wind will quickly cause problems if I’m not careful. I’ve got mud guards to protect me from inevitable rain and luggage racks fitted. I’m borrowing waterproof paniers from cycling friends and have thought about what I’m going to take but not packed yet!
The route is going to be easy to follow and I won’t have to do much navigating as there is pretty much just one road running the length of the Hebrides. I’ve booked accommodation along the way as not even I’m crazy enough to camp in the current climate, 3 days of being wet and cold with nowhere to get dry and warm is not appealing.
Along the way I hope to raise as much money for UK Sepsis Trust as possible. UK Sepsis Trust is a life saving charity promoting, education, awareness and early detection of sepsis. It also supports survivors and people effected by sepsis. Sepsis kills more people than cancer every year but survival rates are improving and the work of UK Sepsis Trust is making a difference.
I’ve advertised my event on social media and through this I’ve reconnected with old friends, the power of social media and Facebook has put me in touch with someone who will be on one of the islands during my trip and I have on offer of a hot meal and a tumble dryer which is just amazing. The support through my JustGiving page has surpassed my expectations and the kindest and generosity of humans is inspiring, motivating and moving. I can’t wait to see the beauty the western isles have to offer but it’s the people supporting me, believing in me and who I have met and shall meet along the way that will leave me with the fondest memories and rekindle my faith in human kind in a world that is struggling so much right now.
Thank you for reading my story.
You can follow Susanna's journey and make a donation to UK Sepsis Trust on her Just Giving page here.
