Thursday 4 August marks Cycle to Work Day, and also happens to be one of the few work days of the year that I won’t biking to office – instead I’ll be cycling to the beach, on my summer holidays.
CYCLE
For many of us, one of our earliest memories will include being on or around bicycles. Whether it’s learning to ride without stabilisers or flying down a hill for the first time a little too fast and not having complete control. It ending well. It ending badly.
Cycling is somehow universal. A bike’s iconic shape – five lines and two wheels – adorns t-shirts, socks, watch faces, wine labels and key rings, it has long been is a staple in modern design.
It’s also become part of the common lexicon. If something’s easy it’s like “riding a bicycle”, whereas an unsightly view might be suggested by “parking a bike in there”.
The point is that, whether or not we’re the ones in the saddle, bikes surround us every day. Today is a day to celebrate that.
WORK
I joined Prologis in 2022 and in that time I’ve cycled to the office 90% of the time. I’m lucky to have great amenities in the office which makes it easier – great showers, secure bike racks and breakfast on arrival.
Prologis, like my previous employers, have a passion for peddle-based fundraising activities. This summer sees me take part in my first two Prologis charity rides – the Prologis 100, with 100KM / 100m routes rambling through the hills of the Cotswolds, and the Stelvio for Life with European colleagues climbing 1,500m up the Stelvio pass in North Italy.
I’ve always enjoyed the close connections and camaraderie endurance cycling events generate. There’s always “tribes” of cyclists – and that’s the same in a large group. They’ll split into the speed merchants, the midfield first timers and the laggards. I prefer to be at the back, it’s where I’ve found the most laughter. But wherever you are in the pack, you always find likeminded people who want everyone to succeed together.
One of the biggest appeals of Prologis, for me, was their ambitions in placemaking. A large part of these efforts focuses around ParkLIFE which, amongst many other efforts, creates mixed use trails and paths in and around our logistics centres for the use of our customers and the communities we serve. There’s also one around our offices in Solihull and I love the connection to nature they provide. On a particularly nice morning when time is on my side, I’ll cycle straight past the office and do the loop around to soak up the weather, wildlife and views.
TO
Despite being only two letters long, it also represents endless possibilities:
To work…
To the beach…
To climb mountains…
To see friends…
To skip city traffic…
To keep fit…
To raise money…
If I think about my cycle to work, it could be easy to assume that, like driving in, it’s somewhat monotonous. But in actuality? The possibilities are more varied. There are easily 30 routes I can choose to explore. Sometimes I might be head-down focused on my road bike, whilst another day I can go off the beaten track and have an adventure through the local woods on my mountain bike.
My route to work is only five miles but every day, every ride is different. It reminds me to focus on the journey and not only on the destination.
Donate to Stelvio for Life, supporting research in personalised, patient-orientated cancer treatments.
