Scottish adventurer Mark Beaumont

On a personal scale I can say that the Edinburgh Festival of Cycling was a full-blown success this year. I had not engaged with the festival in recent years, mainly due to a busy summer schedule with swimming events, but got involved with the festival people earlier this year. After finishing my day job just at the start of the festival I had more time to enjoy what was on offer, and personally think Edinburgh should consider itself very lucky to have such an event. My highlight for sure was organsing the Capital Trail and, I would have not thought that in my wildest dreams, finishing fifth. But there were many more highlights, amongst them Emily Chappell‘s talk, the premiere of Inspired to Ride, another utterly inspiring talk by fellow singlespeeder Shannon Galpin, and in between all of those little conversations with likeminded people. For a bit more than a week I did feel in very good company.

Fortunately it is not over yet, as there’s one more highlight still to come. On Friday you will get the exclusive opportunity to listen to Mark Beaumont, who will, for the first time in public, speak about his recent record breaking ride from Cairo to Cape Town.

As I am planning a big expedition soon (watch this space), I am keen to hear what Mark squeezed in his Apidura bags. I am not new to the idea of cycling 160 miles in average a day, a few of you might have read my words from a few years ago, when I clocked 424km on a road bike in typical Scottish conditions. For an outsider to the sport is sounds absolutely daunting, and cycling long distances over 42 days in a row is a huge achievement. Mark is no new face to the game though after having cycled the world and across the Americas, but it will be interesting to get his views on lightweight travel and hear the stories from the road.

Tickets are still available but I would better hurry up, make your Friday night an inspiring night and come to the George Square Lecture Theatre in Edinburgh on 26 June at 7pm, you can book tickets here.