Blog

I'm very, very excited to announce that The Race of Truth, the book about my 2018 record-breaking cycle across Europe, will be published by Summerdale on 13 July 2023...

Our team doesn’t just break records; we ensure every performance gain is identified and maximised, to achieve the ultimate in human performance. That's why we've partnered with Huub Design...

When it comes to breaking world records, you can’t miss a beat. This year I'm wearing a Garmin Fenix 7 smart watch to capture a whole-of-life view of my health 24/7. Read about my favourite features in this blog...

This Mental Health Awareness Week I share how loneliness impacted my mental health, how cycling helped me to overcome it and why I’ve launched the 7 Days of Smiles charity campaign...

I recently spoke on a panel with the record-breaking team, from which delegates took away lessons learned on an elite sports project that could be directly applied to achieving their own personal and business goals...

On the 18th of October it was my pleasure to take 70 business owners and senior managers behind the scenes of my record-breaking fastest cycle across Europe, in a keynote speech about delivering a world-class performance...

Cyclist Leigh Timmis has smashed the Guinness World record for the fastest cycle across Europe by an astonishing eight days....

Struggling with depression, a chance adventure led to the realisation that to feel fulfilled I needed to challenge myself, to try something I’d never done. To push myself to new limits...

On the 10th of September, Leigh Timmis will leave Cabo Da Roca, Portugal, on his modified Cervelo S3d bicycle at the start of an epic 4000-mile challenge across the continent to Ufa, Russia...

This mental health awareness week, I want to share my struggle through depression and why I came to cycle around the world. When it all began, I felt overworked, lonely, and unfulfilled but I just thought it was normal...

Training at the University of Derby’s Human Performance Unit has exceeded expectations and I am in better physical condition than expected at this stage of the plan, testing data points towards achieving an incredible result...

In the pursuit of a World Record, focus is on performance. Over the course of the World Record attempt, there is no piece of equipment that can influence the outcome of this endeavour more than the bike...

The body is a machine and without regular TLC and maintenance, the working parts will start to fatigue and break down. Ruth Machej, the team Physiotherapist, explains the importance of physiotherapy in sport...

Extended periods in the saddle mean the choice and fit of bike for the world record must be correct. Cycling biomechanics expert, Andy Brooke, takes me through a professional bike fit...

This week I share my personal journey that led from depression to cycling around the world, the lessons learned on that journey, and how that experience applies to breaking a world record....

Dr Philip Clarke, Performance Psychologist on the Fastest Cycle Across Europe team, explains psychology for multi-day endurance events. This begins with a measurement of my current capacity and self-awareness...

At the Marketing Derby Annual Business Event, I delivered the keynote speech "Dared to Dream"; exploring how only by taking the more difficult path and overcoming the challenges along the way, will we discover our greatest potential...

The Fastest Cycle Across Europe (Cabo da Roca to Ufa) was established by Guinness World Records in 2014 and is a distance of 4000 miles from the most westerly to the most easterly extent of Europe...

While logistical and strategic planning for the World Record began three months previously, the start of 2018 brings the beginning of physical training. With 22 weeks to the start line, Dr. Mark Faghy explains the science behind the attempt...

For 2018 I am raising the bar. Taking everything I learnt from cycling around the world and applying it to significantly breaking the Guinness World Record for the Fastest Cycle Across Europe...

Only weeks after returning from cycling around the world, I delivered this talk for TEDxRNCM, discussing my discontent at finding socially expected "success", stepping out of my comfort zone and discovering my place in the world...

Adventure cycling in the Lake District National Park with myself, Leisure Lakes Bikes and Kajsa Tylen to catch up, hit a bothy and share some amazing stories about where bikes have taken us over the past few years...

Aren't we all looking for an escape from adult pressures and the key to success? For me, both stemmed from a core sense of happiness from a childhood experience; getting on my bike and starting an adventure...

Congratulations to Mark Beaumont on smashing the round-the-world cycling record! I like to think I would have achieved a similar time if it wasn't for a few incidents that added 2,427 days...

I am delighted to share my stories of adventure in schools, giving practical examples of qualities such as resilience, motivation and raising aspirations. A recent newspaper report explores it's impact on the students...

I have encountered much wilderness in the world but never more so than in the vast empty expanses of Alaska and Canada; sparsely populated by people, the landscape alive with the creatures of horror stories....

Devastated after losing 7 friends at sea, stuck in the north of New Zealand with the dilemma of what to do, I decided to join a crew and sail into the South Pacific. Could things get any worse? Read on to find out what happened...

Autumn 2010, five weeks waiting for Iranian and Uzbek visa's punctuated my pedalling and, wandering between the mosques and bazaars of Istanbul, meeting people and reading, I began to reflect on changes in myself....

June 2010, two weeks until departure and still don’t feel ready to leave. From the comfort of a suburban family home in central England it’s hard to imagine Uzbekistan or the Peruvian Andes, let alone know how to prepare for them....

The first time I cycled through France, in 2010, I watched Lance Armstrong compete in the Tour as a hero. While Lance would go to great lengths to beat anybody, I began to experience a world of kind strangers....

  • It’s was a real honour to partner with Leigh, he’s such an inspirational person and a great business speaker. The aim of the session was for delegates to leave in a positive, can do frame of mind, feeling confident that they can use some of Leigh’s tips to bolster team spirit, harness potential and exceed expectations. This is something I’m confident the event achieved

    Mary Maguire, MD, Astute Recruitment

  • The TEDxRNCM audience were utterly captured through Leigh’s account. This wasn’t just an account however, but an experience. Eloquently delivered but with real personality, Leigh gave inspiration, insight, enjoyment and even humour - a talk I won’t be forgetting for a long time

    Hayley Parkes, TEDx Event Organiser

  • Leigh delivered a fantastic presentation during our Global Health and Wellbeing day. We had a lot of positive feedback from his inspirational talk which definitely raised the profile of mental health within our organisation. Leigh is an inspiration to everyone

    David Wilson, Global Head of Health and Wellbeing, Victrex

  • Leigh is a natural communicator, using humour and his modest personality, Leigh's account of his fascinating experiences was delivered in a completely natural way that immediately connected with both the students and the teachers.

    Claire Tresidder, Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School Ashbourne Academy

  • The young people of Kingsmead School are generally from disadvantaged backgrounds and have low aspirations for their future. Leigh held the attention of the young people superbly, he was entertaining and funny and the pupils engagement was not lost at all. I would heartily recommend Leigh and his inspirational story to anyone, it left pupils and staff inspired and awestruck.

    Huw Lloyd, Assistant Headteacher, Kingsmead School

  • Leigh delivered one of the most professional and engaging talks at the festival this year. It was clear that Leigh had put a lot of thought into what he wanted to convey in his talk, carefully pulling out the key stories and themes from all his years on the road. Leigh's talk was engaging throughout and delivered with a real sense of humility.

    Laura Moss, Cycle Touring Festival Organiser

  • When we invited Leigh to present to our staff about his experiences in creating a support echo system and team to help him break a world record, we never imagined that it would have had such a positive impact on everyone who attended. Leigh influenced, motived and inspired our staff to be the better version of themselves and gave them guidance and the tools to achieve this individually and within a team environment

    Steve Reynolds, CEO, TBS Mobility

  • Leigh articulates his passion and learning so well that his enthusiasm and motivation transcends the world of sport and is relevant for physical, psychological and organisational wellness and performance. He is a truly phenomenal speaker and comes highly recommended

    Deputy Chief Constable, East Midlands Special Operations Unit

  • Wow. Utterly, wow. Leigh certainly was inspirational and indeed such a breath of fresh air, he created such a buzz around the school. I was impressed by not only the attendance of staff and parents, but the volume of students who came along. Thank you – Leigh really has touched and motivated a lot of our students

    Roberta Keys, Deputy Headteacher, Malvern College


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