RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

Gavin Towers is setting out to cycle 230 miles a day for 21 days in order to break the British Coastline Cycling record. Not only that, he has Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative eye condition that can severely affect his vision while on the bike. BIKE Magazine caught up with him to talk about the challenges he’s facing, and embracing, on this epic undertaking.

Q: When did you start cycling and what about it do you enjoy so much?

A: My love for cycling started when I was 12 or 13 and we moved briefly to the Lot Valley in France. A total unknown, the language, the place, the people and school were all welcoming, but it was a big change. Cycling gave me a chance to explore the area, meet new people and to race in a country that was all about cycling. It was great. I would cycle to school, a 30 minute bike ride instead of a 1 hour bus trip, with, what seemed like, two decent climbs and on the way home if the season was right, a cherry tree you could stop at to refuel.

The school had an old changing block that was no longer in use, I’d arrive early, set out my clothes and get a wash before anyone else arrived. It was cool and felt like freedom. In France we would have a half day of sport on Wednesday, initially I continued to play football like I had in the UK, but over time cycling took over, I loved the feeling of peace and independence when I was in the saddle and I loved the challenge, the cycling was not easy but it always felt rewarding.

On the weekends I’d go for long rides to explore new routes. Sundays were always interesting, as hunting was really popular where we lived and every Sunday there seemed to be more hunters than wildlife, I was always a little concerned I might be mistaken for a wild boar!

The city closest to us, 36k away, was Cahors and the bike shop there was called Cycles 7, the owner Alain Cabrignac took my under his wing and started to get me into the group rides and races, it was really a great time, the people were great, the race atmosphere was fun, the weather was invariably good, it made for a great mix and made it a lot easier to feel part of the community.

Q: You’re aiming to cycle 230 miles a day for 21 days in order to break the British coastline cycling record. Why this record in particular?

A: I had plans for this year that were crazy and more ambitious than this. But lockdown and Covid meant I needed to reassess, which was a good thing. What had been two record attempts in one year became one, The British Coastal Circumnavigation record attempt. Initially planned for May, we postponed to August and it has given us more time to prepare and build a team, it’s nice.

On one level the record attempt is a bike ride, with an amazing team, passing through amazing places and encountering amazing people – raising awareness about Retinitis Pigmentosa and how we are all people experiencing things in different ways.

That said, the record attempt represents a deeper moment of acceptance in my life, a meeting of me and my eye condition. A meeting with and acceptance of fear and appreciation. A recognition of a need for care and support to achieve a goal an acceptance that after the record attempt is over the deterioration of my eyesight will continue.

It is a strange feeling, one that I know I

need to be aware of but struggle with. In many senses the only way I could bring myself to start and accept that was to attempt the unthinkable.

Undertaking this record attempt is a choice and I’m really looking forward to it. There are elements of the challenge we can be sure about and elements that are out of our control. We do know it will come to an end, hopefully having completed 4802 miles in less than 22 days and having set a new record.

The challenge is exciting, amazing, unknown, reassuring, uncertain and fear creating. Everybody faces challenges, every day. We all have challenges, we all experience things differently, we all deal with things differently. I am doing this to encourage me to be more accepting of myself and of others both in moments of joy and of adversity.

Q: Please could you tell us a bit about your eye condition and how this affects you, in particular when cycling? What special measures do you have to take?

A: My eye condition is called Retinitis Pigmentosa, it is a confusing space in which to live.

I have limited peripheral fields, tunnel vision, this also comes with blind spots, night blindness, overcast day blindness, flashing lights and floaters. Some days it’s like an electrical storm, others it is like someone has pulled the plug on my vision and brain connection, some days it can be lovely and clear, others a blurr, and every day there are areas in your field of vision you can’t see. As such every day is full of uncertainty, which can easily lead to feelings of fear and anxiety.

My condition is genetic degenerative and it has been getting progressively worse for years, on the bright side that has given me time to adapt and start to understand how to alleviate some of the challenges it poses.

Cycling has helped me to overcome some of the issues posed by my condition, getting me out and about and in a way that caused less injury than running. It meant I could stay

active and be outside and still stimulate my need for challenge.

I have to take my condition into consideration when cycling, first things first there is always a feeling of trepidation before I set off on the bike, normally this quickly passes.

I know my eye condition makes me slower and that cycling places strain on my eyes but there is a balance in those things that leads to happiness in the moment. Dynamo lights, and visible clothing, a good helmet reassur,es me people can see me and if I crash I am as safe as I can be. I have to be sensible and realise my own shortcomings.

Riding in low light is a lot harder and at night requires bright lights to light the way, ordinarily I would avoid riding in such conditions but the record attempt will require riding night and day and in any of the Great British Weather conditions! On the record attempt I will have a support rider in built up areas as well as a support vehicle helping with directions. I have to be open to the idea that things will not always go to plan, but that we will get there.

My vision is the biggest unknown of all of this. Physical and mental fatigue and a lack of sleep will, I imagine, affect my vision. We will be well prepared and once we start I’ll be taking things one pedal stroke at a time. Our approach will be fluid whilst still determined to break the record. I know stress makes my eyes worse so I will try to keep smiling!

Q: Have you undertaken any other challenges previously to this? If so, how has this prepared you?

A: I have always loved challenges, physical and mental. As a rule though, if I took on a physical challenge I’d never train specifically for it, it would more be to see how I could handle it in my current state, the Marathon of Great Britain is a good example of that, finishing in the top three on the first two days before my knee gave up on the third due to lack of condition and training.

I had cycled in my younger years, competing in mountain biking, triathlon and martial arts competitions on and off through my teens and twenties. I always thought things were meant to be hard work or a challenge, so I just get on with it. That was also my approach with my eye condition, just work harder, focus more, be more diligent. I clearly like the struggle!

On the whole life is a challenge, sometimes we are better equipped than others or we have better tools at our disposition.

To this point, the Coastal record attempt has drawn on a life of experience. It has not all been plain sailing, there are plenty of ups and downs involved in getting to the start line, there are a lot of moving parts, people and expectations we are all trying to keep in balance.

To make this happen my life is fairly structured with a comprehensive bike training plan, put together by road cycling coach, John Wakefield, having this plan gives me peace and clarity of mind, I don’t need to think about the bike session I am doing I just do what he has told me to do.

I also have a nutritional framework provided by Gorka Bellver, which helps give the day a good structure, all I need to do is fill the gaps with stretching, core, breathing exercises and the like. All that said there aren’t many gaps, with family and work I need to be a disciplined as possible without turning into the dad, husband or colleague nobody wants to be around. I have stopped drinking alcohol, caffeine and am eating fairly clean I’d say but other than that life goes on at its usual hectic pace.

Q: What has been your most memorable cycling moment to date?

A: In 2018 my daughter, aged nine at the time, and I did the English Coast2-coast and then the Scottish Coast-2 Coast-there and back. On completing that she said she would fancy doing Lands End to John O’groats when she was 10. The following year she did just that, aged 10, in 22 days of cycling.

Three days after we finished, her younger brother and I did 150 miles cycling around Scotland. Being part of these two rides was epic for all the obvious and some less obvious reasons. All in all it was a really memorable month spent with my children and watching them overcome some amazing challenges, they make me so proud every day and getting to share time with them like that was amazing. It is also in part what motivated me to take on this record attempt, they were inspiring!

Q: Could you tell me about the support you received from helmet manufacturers, HEXR, and how they are supporting you in your challenge?

A: Building a team to undertake a challenge like this is mix of relevant expertise and outlook. HEXR are an amazing crew, clearly passionate and dedicated individuals. Their helmets are not only made to measure, specifically for your head, but are made from 100% plant based materials, sourced sustainably and looking after the people involved in the process and the planet. Produced with a 3D printer, HEXR Helmets are at the cutting edge of production, they are super safe too, which gives all my loved ones peace of mind! And despite the fact they already look cool, if you want to they can personalise your helmet as well; they put my logo on mine.

A good fitting helmet is a fundamental to any cyclist but unless we have compassion for each other and our planet we won’t be able to enjoy that

which we currently take for granted. HEXR are employing a business model we often hear people talk about but very few actually deliver.

We are aiming to break the British Coastline Cycling Record, it is going to be an amazing few weeks; on the road to raise awareness and acceptance of others, to motivate people to get out on their bikes and enjoy the world around them. HEXR are helping us to do that whilst being on their own unique journey. I am really grateful to have them onboard and happy to have their helmet on my head!

Q: Finally, what advice would you give to someone who wants to take on a cycling challenge on the scale that you are?

A: Be accepting of the person you are, love, nurture and support that person as best you can. You are great! Smile and take that in. For me this is a lot easier to write than to do.

I have been wanting to do a ride like this for more than 20 years. I always wanted to cycle around the world but it never happened. I’m really happy to be in a position where now I can start to follow a dream I had all those years ago. I once read a great blog about cycle adventures and how best to start them, it was really short – get a bike, get on it and go. I loved the message but I was not that person.

For me I had a dream, ambition and drive, but they were not aligned, I also needed a job, a family, money and so on. There was a lot and I was never able to just ‘go’.

This makes the ride in August all the more special, I now realise I need support and I’m accepting of that, my eye condition does not help with much but it has facilitated clarity in that regard. I used to think I could do everything myself, I now know I can’t, that I need support and I’m ok with that, most of the time. I am a lot happier now, and despite my age and eye condition the record feels more tangible and accessible now than ever.

If you are not convinced by my opening gambit then I would say for an undertaking like this you need to be clear about why you are doing it personally and on a larger scale, in the challenging times this will carry you through!

We have two great charities on board in RNIB and Save the Children helping raise money and

awareness for their great work. We have a great team some of whom will be on the road and others behind the scenes, all helping make this attempt happen and letting others know how it is going.

There have been and will continue to be a lot of ups and downs on the build up to and during the record attempt. Metaphors for life are everywhere in cycling, organising this attempt and then doing it is no different. Some days are really hard, others uplifting. The life force that keeps everything flowing comes from each of the team members, and is nurtured by the support we receive in person and online. The record attempt is a seed that people and their support will bring to life. For me knowing other people are prepared to share in and help with your vision and passion is an amazing feeling.

This whole process is teaching me to trust myself and others. With this outlook anything is possible. So, my advice is to trust yourself, and trust others and for a cycling challenge like this, pack chamois cream and a smile!