My Difficult Second Album

In 2020 I realised a career highlight. In a turbulent year, the stars aligned and I was able to successfully pitch a concept, secure the support of global brands and produce a mini-documentary film. To be starring in a film backed by brands like Wahoo Fitness and Santa Cruz Bicycles was a dream come true, and to be producing this film with my former colleagues at Cut Media, a Global Sports Content Studio, made this achievement all the more meaningful.

'West Highland Way: Rab Wardell's Record Attempt' premiered on the Wahoo Fitness YouTube channel on December 3rd 2020. In the first week, the 22-minute film was watched by over 50,000 people worldwide, and the feedback was fantastic. The film has been watched over 150,000 times so far and went on to be selected for the Peaks and Valleys event at the prestigious Banff Mountain Film Festival. I felt incredibly proud of the film that we created collectively. 'What's next?' is the statement I make at the end of the film, and that really was the question I asked myself.

What had surprised me was the physical condition I achieved while training to make an attempt on the West Highland Way record. I had retired from competing as a mountain biker 6-years previously, following hospitalisation at the Cape Epic in South Africa. I subsequently failed to reach my goal of qualifying to represent Scotland in the 2014 Commonwealth Games at home in Glasgow. I never imagined I would feel motivated to train without compromise again.

In a few months, while training for the West Highland Way, I felt really motivated and was enjoying the process. My fitness improved to a level that even I hadn't expected and I was seeing 'numbers' similar to when I competed in World Cups in my 20s. I didn't just increase my physical performance; by making the film I increased my public profile too. I felt like I had an opportunity to ride this wave and to continue developing my career.

I planned to set a goal that would motivate me enough to train without compromise, and I wanted to document the process too. This would be my 'difficult second album', and I was ready to make it happen.

I was conscious that whatever I did, it needed to be similar enough to the West Highland Way film, yet different enough to stand out and be original. In March 2021 I pitched a 4-episode mini-series with the working title Old Enough To Know Better. This series would follow my return to competition and would focus on the HSBC UK National Cross Country Championships.

This was a race that would really push me, as I'd be racing the best in Britain including riders half my age who are just starting their careers. I believed that my story would resonate with the audience we had built through the previous film. The title 'Old Enough To Know Better' is intended to be lighthearted, and it plays on what I consider to be a common mainstream belief that adults should grow up, get a career and not waste their time playing on bikes. At 36 I'm by no means old, but I've retired from racing twice before and I'm likely past my prime as an athlete.

I secured the backing of six brands to produce the series: Wahoo Fitness, Santa Cruz Bicycles, CHPT3, CushCore, Continental Tyres and Red Bull UK, and I contracted the young production team at Sleeper.co to produce the series. Old Enough To Know Better presented by Wahoo had the green light, and it was time to realise the concept.

Although I had worked hard to make sure that the series happened, and I had the belief that we would do a great job, I felt apprehensive about the project. Although in 2020 I had effectively starred in the film, it wasn't about me. It was about the West Highland Way. It was about the beautiful scenery and the epic journey from Glasgow to Fort Willaim. Old Enough To Know Better was about me. It was about my past, my career, my achievements and my failures.

Max, Glen and I worked closely with Matt Porter, Head of Content at Wahoo, while ensuring all brand partners were kept up to date on how the project was progressing. It was a great feeling to realise the concept and deliver the project in time to premiere episode one on December 7th 2021.

I feel incredibly proud of how we pulled together to create an inspiring, engaging, and entertaining mini-series. It felt great to share what cycling means to me and how it has shaped my life, and to bring attention to the British Cross Country Mountain Bike scene, which is often under-represented in the media. It was also a great opportunity to show my appreciation of the cycling community in Scotland, which I feel so fortunate to be a part of.

Episodes of my difficult second album premiere on the Wahoo Fitness YouTube channel every Tuesday in December at 12:00 noon GMT. Episode one is out now with Episode two premiering tomorrow.

The only question I have now is what's next?