Magic of the mind

Endurance rider Leigh Timmis on the powerful link between mental health and cycling performance

Long before I broke the record for the fastest cycle ride across Europe, I knew that cycling had a powerful connection with my mental health – and that the two were mutually beneficial. I always remember how happy cycling made me as a kid. Even today, when I get on the bike, real life can’t catch up with me. One day, my bike came back to help me, at a time when I was really struggling. I’d left university and was soon caught in the endless pursuit of success. I worked as a film-maker in my mid-20s – great job, good pay, but I sacrificed important things, such as friends and cycling. In the end, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. But the bike became my salvation. After a…

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Cycling Plus (Digital) - 1 Issue, May 2025

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