Possibly the biggest thing I want to overcome is the anxiety around travelling but if I was to break it down travelling actually isn’t the problem as such, it’s more the duration of traveling, doing multiple hours in one day.
The issue is not having a private or safe space to go to that’s my own to rest or sleep if I need to.
I’m happy to travel by any means to any country, but knowing I can’t stop and relax if I need to for multiple hours is the problem.
If I go to an event that’s 2-3 hours away and know I’m going and coming home the same day I’d stress and wouldn’t be able to relax while at the event.
The longer I have to travel the more my anxiety goes up.
I could possibly go to a quiet place to rest but the fact I know I can’t stay the night is the big problem and I know my traveling isn’t finished until I get to the destination.
The anxiety and fear of being ill in some way while travelling a long time is that bad I’d rather avoid it altogether so I don’t have to experience it and it’s a massive shame.
The best way I can describe it is that if I could be anywhere in the world and know at any point I can come home instantly by magic I’d be fine and love going places.
I know at any point I can come home and traveling hours has completely been removed is the perfect thing.
If I could have done, I’d have travelled to all the places around the world I wanted to, go around the UK with Tracy and Sophia to the places we want to go, go to the events all over Europe, go on lads holidays with my friends and more…..
It’s a lot about feeling unwell, if I feel sick, headache or stressed I want to be in my own private room where I know I can stay to relax.
It’s not even being away from home that’s the problem, it’s just not having private place of my own to go and rest for the day/night, it could be 5, 50, 500 miles from home.
If I’m traveling I know I can’t stay and relax and it’s not private, I’ve got to keep going until I reach the destination, that just makes things so much worse and I struggle to control things.
I’ve got to the point of just accepting things now but it’s a massive regret of mine that I haven’t been able to to and go to all the places I want and I want to change it not only for me but also for Tracy and Sophia.
I also often get frustrated that I’m able bodied but can’t go places and do things because my mind is stopping me but other people who aren’t able bodied would do anything to have my body to go travelling and do all the things they want.
TotalMTB for me is a great organisation that helps give back to the mountain biking community. Helps bring awareness to something that most people can’t see within a friend or family member. Mental health is something to be mindful about. Health mind, health life.Blake Samson
Mountain biking is vital to my mental health, and I think it's rad how TotalMTB is spreading their message and building a community around this topic. It doesn't matter who you are, everyone is going through something and knowing you're understood and supported goes a long way.Mark Matthews
It gives me great pleasure to support the TotalMTB community. These guys do so much in the global cycling community to help people that need it most in an area most people struggle to talk about. I'll always be backing TotalMTB and anyone who stands alongside them.Ben Moore
