I found my love for cycling in 2008, wanting to reduce my carbon emissions by commuting by bike. I was hooked and bikes quickly became a major part of my identity, I’d found something that made me come alive. 

Cycling was my decompression chamber at either side of the work day. As someone who has always struggled with anxiety and uncertainty, the routine helped and I found both my mental and physical health improved.

It’s not been a smooth journey and after being involved in a nasty incident cycling home from work I was diagnosed with PTSD and high levels of anxiety which took away the ability to enjoy the activity that made me happy. I was too scared to cycle for a long time and when I got back to it, the joy was gone. 

I met so many people and heard so many stories on my many bike trips. I love stories and people and that’s the bit of being out in nature that I love – hearing people’s connections to places, the reasons they visit them. It meant I started talking to people I’d passed for years on my commute, telling them about the challenge. I properly met Peter, who walks his dog every morning at the lake. He loves birds and always tells me what he’s seen around. 

Mick flagged me down to ask me if I was a pro-rider(!) and was amused when I said I was ‘just’ taking part in a local challenge. Turns out he is one of the Burnley naturalists I’ve been emailing for years through work. 

Stu will call across the lake “There she is!” and if I see Michael in Bank Hall, I know I’m late for work – but we always share a cheery greeting. I call these people my Greenway crew, they are part of my day, and I’m part of theirs. If we don’t cross paths for a while they’ll ask each other if I’ve been around. It’s such a lovely feeling to have people looking out for me. 

The map of Burnley I now have in my mind is a patchwork of stories and people. They have become my community, and I finally fit in somewhere. 

Beat the Street 2025 starts this week – and you bet, I’ll be out there tapping boxes, riding my greenways and chatting to pretty much everyone I meet.