From London to Scotland: an update on the cycling adventures of Lis


11 August 2022

In May 2022, Lis set off on an epic, 5,000 mile challenge, cycling around the coast of Great Britain to raise money for the MS Trust. Three months in, we caught up with Lis to find out how she is getting on and what some of the highlights have been so far. 

1.    Where have you reached on your journey, so far?

I’m currently on my way back down through Scotland. I’ve been past Ayr and am travelling down the West Coast. 
 
2.    How have you found it up until this point?
 
It’s been amazing up until now, although I have had some quite trying days and there has been a lot of rain recently. I’ve felt as though I’m swimming in a pool!

Recently, a woman in a car came by to alert me that one of my new yellow bags had come off and was sitting by the side of the road, about a mile away. I hadn’t even felt or heard that it had fallen off!! 

The next morning, I woke up to find coffee grains all over one end of my tent and water from my bottle leaked onto it. There are coffee stains everywhere so it’s completely wrecked. Not such a good look! 

Then, I was about to leave for the day but couldn’t find the keys to unlock my bike. I looked all over the dunes, the beach… everywhere! I sat on the dunes crying, then got quite cross and emptied every bag for the fifth time to find them at the bottom of my sleeping bag. Such a relief though!  
 
3.    What have been some of your favourite parts so far?
 
The positives are the stunning scenery, great chats with new people and the fact that I’ve been able to wild camp in Scotland. Plus, the freedom of being on a bike means that you see more things than if you were in a car or on a train.  
 
4.    Are there any unexpected challenges that you’ve come across?
 
Due to my MS, my right side is weaker. When I hold the handlebars on my bike for too long, it feels like my hand goes into a tight claw and I know I need to stop for a bit. My left hand has also had pins and needles near the top of my fingers. 

When there’s a stressful situation, I get chronic headaches so that needs to be managed well. My right side is noticeably slower and I have fallen over quite a few times, even when walking but this could be due to tiredness. Apart from that, my MS seems to be at bay! 

Other challenges have been managing water and food provisions, making sure I’m not carrying too much weight and tackling hills in the heat. My body temperature feels like a hot furnace already but coupled with the hills and headwind, the heat definitely makes everything harder.

5.    If you could go back and start the journey again, is there anything you’d do differently? OR What tips would you give your past self if you could go back to the start of your cycling journey?
 
Don’t take more than you should because you think it would be useful! 

•    Start perhaps with a new chain, cassette and derailleur. These three things work well together but problems start if one of them has not been thoroughly checked. (Bike problems and necessary repairs have often needed to be done all in one go so that has been a bit expensive!)
•    Get a few power bank chargers, not just one
•    Be careful with food as this can build up in weight. Keep it very simple!  

6.    What has the support been like along the way?
 
Support has been amazing along the way! People constantly stop me whilst I’m cycling or when I stop for a moment. They want to know everything about me. A lot have donated using the QR code or provided cash donations. Some just leave it to a chat which is also a great boost. If they haven’t heard about the MS Trust, it’s a great opportunity to tell them all about what you do. 

It’s great to meet new people. Everyone has been so kind and I often get asked if I need money or food. A few are envious too!  

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