Your letters and photos, including how mountain biking brought a reader back from the brink, a positive coaching experience and more of your best riding snaps
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This starts as a bit of a sob story, but it has a happy ending, I promise! Four years ago, I was a keen MTBer – any chance I had, I’d be out riding. Unfortunately, that ended when I got sepsis from a rusty nail going through my flipflop. I collapsed a few days later and was rushed to hospital. Although I recovered, the incident left me with anxiety and PTSD (my silly brain had seen it as a near-death experience), and the anxiety led to depression. Over the next few years, I decided to try and overcome this without medication – helped by the amazing support of the NHS – but still, mountain biking was something I thought I’d never have the confidence to do again. Even walking on my own seemed unachievable.
Fast forward to March 2019 and I’d finally built enough confidence to venture back out with my son. My mental health had robbed me of a few years of fatherhood, and I wasn’t going to let it take any more. I saw MBUK in my local newsagents’ and bought it. I made the decision to start biking again and, after spending a bit too much on a new bike, helmet and gear, there was no going back. I started easy and was surprised by the high I got from it. After biking, I felt no anxiety or stress. Within a few months, I was hitting Coed y Brenin, Nant yr Arian and Llandegla again, and my fitness was returning. I’m now looking into buying my first full-sus.
What I’m trying to say is, thank you! Without your magazine I’d never have had the inspiration to start riding again. Your reviews helped me pick the kit I wanted, your guides helped me relearn lost skills and the photos gave me goals to work towards. The benefit that biking’s had on my mental wellbeing is incredible. Like most,
I still have dark days, but the good ones are far more frequent and now I know a cure – just start pedalling! Mental illness is such a taboo subject and we don’t talk about it enough. Coming to terms with my issues and learning to live with them has been hard, but I wouldn’t be the person I am today without it. In the end, it actually changed me for the better by making me far more patient and understanding. I still buy your mag every month and it remains the only magazine I’ve ever read cover to cover. Thank you for your help and, to anyone going through something similar, please get help so you can help yourself. Once we all start talking about it, everything becomes so much easier. Brynmor Bryce, via email
We feel honoured to have been part of your recovery, Bryn! Maybe you can help us campaign for MBUK to be placed in every hospital waiting room up and down the country – photos of people getting rad on bikes must be more inspiring than a five-year-old copy of Good Housekeeping, right?
Coach Connell
Inspired by February’s MBUK, my son Finlay asked if, as a birthday treat, he could have a coaching session with Joe Connell for him and three of his friends. Boy, was it good! Joe’s a fantastic coach and had us doing manuals, mad-fast cornering and whips off jumps. We absolutely loved our time with him and hope we get to do it again. It’d be great to see more of him in your magazine, and we hope he has a top race season. Colin Ferguson, Dingwall
Thanks for the feedback, Colin. Joe’s a top guy, isn’t he? Be sure to recommend him. For more tips from the pros, keep your eyes on our How To section over the next few months. We’ve got plenty of expert advice coming up.