Why on earth would an otherwise level headed Person with Parkinson’s (PwP) decide to cycle from the UK to the World Parkinson Congress? A flight would take 2.5hours, cycling will take around 2.5 weeks when 100 hours of pedalling is factored in along with the essential refreshment, recovery, rest and rehydration stops. Preparing for the flight might take a couple of hours, preparing to cycle is taking months of planning and training, clocking up hundreds of hours and hundreds of miles.

In terms of practicality, the flight wins every time. However, practicality, convenience and ease are not on the agenda for any of the team of 20 cyclists who will set off from Brighton in the UK on 16th June 2023 to reach Barcelona in time for the World Parkinson Congress which takes place 4-7th July 2023.

For me, this challenge is intensely personal, yet, at the same time, it is a very public challenge. My personal challenge is about making me feel I have some control. It is about proving to myself that Parkinson’s has not yet got the upper hand. It is about providing an incentive to make me exercise, more than I would otherwise. Even with the knowledge that exercise has been shown to slow disease progression, at times it can be hard to maintain the motivation to keep exercising. Setting myself a challenge works wonders for this.

The organization required to co-ordinate 20 people from three continents to join together and work as a team certainly provides the type of cognitive challenge that is good for my slightly wonky brain. It also serves to give me a sense of purpose and something positive to think and talk about.

The public side of the challenge comes from the attention this kind of adventure attracts. I am trying to embrace the public side and use it to raise awareness of Parkinson’s and the challenges it presents to those of us living with the condition and those closest to us. As an ambassador for the WPC in Barcelona, I’m hoping this will raise awareness of the wonderful opportunity that the WPC provides, not only educationally but to connect with the Parkinson’s community.

Perhaps most importantly, this challenge serves as a reminder and source of gratitude that life can still be fun, fulfilling and full of adventure despite the toll that living with Parkinson’s places on my body and mind. It certainly promises to be one of life’s great adventures, made possible as a result of the support of so many people but more about that in another blog……..

Alison Anderson (UK) is a WPC Parkinson Ambassador. Alison spent more than 30 years working in the nursing and healthcare management space. It was after being diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s in 2015 she took up cycling for pleasure, adventure, and to stay socially connected to others, which helps her overall well-being. Alison is leading the Bike to Barcelona team from the UK, and she is also moderating at the World Parkinson Congress in Barcelona. Follow Alison’s blog at: Ramblings of a Cyclopath and catch her on Twitter: @alisoncyclopath.
For more information about Bike to Barcelona check our page.

Ideas and opinions expressed in this post reflect that of the author(s) solely. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of the World Parkinson Coalition®