Cycling the world and other challenges
‘It’s very hard to be the athlete but also to be objective enough of your own situation to be able to stop’.
This week, World Extreme Medicine Education Lead Will Duffin is joined by Mark Beaumont; public speaker, author, broadcaster, rower and world-record breaking cyclist (he’s cycled 18,000 miles around the world….twice!). Mark considers how his life as a professional athlete has changed under lockdown and how he’s staying positive.
We delve into Mark’s career and how he’s broken the mould to forge an exceptional career. From home-schooling on his family farm to horse-riding and skiing to taking up cycling and breaking a whole host of records.
Mark explores his world-record attempts and successes, from his obsession with planning, process, margins and ‘controlling the controllable’ that proved fundamental to his 78-day circumnavigation of the globe. The pair also consider how Mark reconciled his setbacks with his mission. Mark details how a fall, causing a fractured elbow and broken teeth almost derailed his plan. He explores how a healthy balance of a desire to succeed with a fear of failure kept him on the bike – as well as some much-needed pain management.
The pair also consider the importance of his team, not just in arranging the nuts and bolts of each expedition, but also in contributing to the overall morale of the team. Mark considers the centrality of emotional leadership, self-awareness and how your actions are pivotal in setting the whole mood within a team when under stress.
‘Trust me when you’ve cycled around the planet twice it’s not about the finish line and a bit of paper on the wall like that it’s about being able to get through these moments when the entire projects get derailed and everyones wondering can you carry on??’‘You’ve got to be inspired by the art of the possible… but when you’re in it you’ve got to be scared of failing, you’ve got to have the ability to suffer… it’s just a harsh reality which people want to avoid’.
Mark’s incredible lockdown project > https://worldinaday.com
Every Thursday join us on your home trainer and count your miles to support frontline healthcare workers.
#donateyourmiles – £1 per mile.