What motivates you to keep climbing?
I love a challenge. I love the hard graft, the constant focus, the teamwork, the competition, the strategy, I love the success, that's why I love being a CEO, and in my spare time, why I love cycling.?
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I love to keep fit and healthy and for me cycling is the perfect sport. I ride to the office, ride with friends, ride with a club, and ride at home on zwift.?I love to travel with my bike and have ridden in Spain, France, Tenerife, South Africa, Mallorca, Portugal and in the UK, mostly around Manchester, the home of British Cycling.?
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I recently tackled one of the world's highest, longest, and steepest paved roads, a real bucket list ride - Mont Ventoux in France.?
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The Giant of Provence - The clue is very much in the nickname. This mountain utterly dominates its surroundings, making it a beacon for cycling, and it's a regular presence in the Tour de France. With punishing lower slopes and an incredible moonscape peak, Ventoux is one of the most out-of-this-world climbs you could ever hope to conquer. Not only will you have to contend with the steep slopes, but the descent is fun too as it can be very dangerous doing 54mph on tires that are only 28mm wide!?
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It's a real classic and takes around 2 hours to climb the nearly 2000 metres to the summit. And the best bit is that there is not just one way to the top but three separate and iconic routes. I had to do all three.?
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So job done, all three routes complete (two in one day) and what an experience. It's prompted me to reflect on the parallel of cycling and business - the challenges of cycling and the challenges of business. Some of the similarities in drive, teamwork and endurance are striking, and it's no wonder I love them both so much.?
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Preparation. Like in business, you can't just get on a bike and cycle up an iconic mountain. There's the training, the planning, the clothing, the eating before, the eating during, the eating after, the mental phycology, the pain, the endurance, and of course the bike itself; we can't forget the bike! But all the cool kit in the world makes no difference unless you're properly prepared and everything is aligned. In the same way, plush offices, shiny new laptops, meeting rooms, swanky marketing and websites mean nothing in isolation. For you to get where you need to go, the core has to be strong, and as with most things in life, preparing is key, the preparation and planning make the difference.?
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Teamwork. Many people may not realise, but cycling is a team sport, and riding in a peloton is built on trust, practice, and experience. If you're not communicating, keeping an eye out for each other, and listening to those around you, you're at worst in trouble and at best not maximising your output. That need for trust is the same in the workplace. You look out for each other for the sake of the business and its output. In fact, when you're drafting – cycling behind a teammate – you get 20-30% more power, a benefit that you'll later give back when it's your turn to take the lead. Often the stronger riders take the lead for longer, suffering more, for the good of the team.
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Foresight. When cycling down a mountain, you don't look at the road directly in front of you. Your focus is way ahead. My motorcycle training taught me to look as far up the road as you can, you look where you want to go, not directly at the kerb in front. You're already imagining going through the corner, anticipating the speed and movement of you and the bike. That same foresight is critical in business. Thinking and planning ahead, making quick decisions. Holes and obstacles can appear quickly and need navigating. You can't afford to be asleep at the wheel, or the handlebars, not for a minute.?
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The detail. In life we win by doing lots of things really well. The small things make such a difference, those important marginal gains. On a bike there might be two dozen points that can be minutely adjusted to improve your comfort and performance. It's about becoming more powerful with the tools you have. Finessing little details – your deck, your vision, your positioning, your team – can help you to meet any new challenges heading your way.
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Dedication. Climbing a hill or mountain means going pedal stroke by pedal stroke. It's a long process, and consistency is key. You can be hours and hours in the saddle and need to be in tune with your body. You have to break down the journey step by step. It's impossible to crack tough challenges in one go. But it's worth persevering to be able to look back and see how far you've come. Cycling like business is a data-driven sport. While riding, you monitor in real-time; heart rate, cadence (RPM), power (watts), speed, and distance. You get to know how long you can spend in each heart rate zone, or at each power level.?
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In business, as with cycling, you can't fake it. Both endeavours involve a lot of hard work, some blood, sweat, and tears. It can take years of practice to reach a summit and to win a pitch. In cycling, we have a saying: pain is weakness leaving the body. It doesn't get any easier. You get harder, faster, and stronger. But the benefits of that hard graft, for you and those on the journey with you, can be invaluable.