Cycling Saved my Life: Clarky the Cyclist’s Story from Burnout to Balance

Champion Cyclist to Burnout

Phil is a cyclist, it’s always been part of his life, so much so that he is known by friends as Clarky the Cyclist; you could say it’s very much part of his identity.

Phil has always been sporty; he played badminton to near county level as a junior and at that time running and cycling were means to attain the endurance he needed for the matches. Turning to competitive cycling as a working dad in his 40’s Phil did “all right really.” 

What is “all right really’?

• Top 100 in the national 25 mile time trial championships
• 6 x winner of the Club 10 mile championship series
• 5 x winner of the Club 25 mile (40k) championship series
• 6 x winner of the Club Masters championship series
• Multiple Top 10 finishes in Local Open races.
• Completed a 50 mile (80k)  TT in under 2 hours

You could say Phil has always loved to ride…fast!

The Breaking Point - When Stress Takes its Toll

And then, something broke. In the space of a year Phil went from winner of the 10 mile, 25 miles and masters championship series to needing half an hour to get out of bed in the morning.

“I couldn’t move, the pain was horrendous; every morning it would take me half an hour after waking to slowly sit up and get out of bed.” What happened? 

Stress had hit Phil and hit him hard. Years of pushing himself to the max in work and training finally took its toll when the stress at work increased. “It must be more than just that” muses Phil as we discuss how the work culture at his place of employment had changed and a growing frustration with management who did not seem to care was what seemed to finally tip him over the edge.

Understanding the Factors Behind Burnout

After years of working with people often at the very worst points in their lives, Phil’s story of stress and breaking points is a familiar one to us; he is right it is rarely ‘one thing’ but ‘clusters of things’ that come together at one particular moment in time, but often built up over years. We are so grateful that Phil has agreed to share his story because with this gift we can share with you how it is possible to recover and come back from that place and how cycling and endurance sports can help you do that.

For Phil there were a number of issues that built up over time which fall into three main categories

1. Personality Traits 

These are things that we cannot necessarily change about ourselves as they are stable factors about who we are that will manifest over our adult lives in several settings. But we can change how we manage these so that we can exploit the strengths they give us.

For Phil these traits included:

• A passion (bordering on obsessive by his own account) to perform in the sport that he loved leading to hard training
• A passion to succeed at work leading him to both aim high and expect and deliver high standards for himself and others
• A tenacious personality - he will not give up!
• A ‘naturally anxious’ personality

2. Life And Environment

These are things that happen to us like natural disasters, relationship breakdown, loss of loved ones, being made redundant. 

For Phil these included:

• Crises in the work environment with social and political consequences 
• A stressful work environment where the culture changed from supportive to KPI focussed and ‘getting the job done’ probably as a direct consequence of the above. This left Phil without the energy to train as all his energy was taken up with the stress of work
• Aging - this happens to us all and it changes our capacity for stress, our ability in sport and many other biological aspects. For Phil this meant he could no longer be competitive in the way he loved so cycling no longer had meaning.
• Work life balance - for Phil long work hours with long commutes meant he simply didn’t have the time to get on his bike, let alone the normal self-care and down time we need to stay balanced and healthy. 
• Having stable pro-social relationships socially and intimately helps keep us as social beings fulfilled and balanced. For Phil, once he began to express his feelings through anger and aggression his relationships with colleagues and at home became strained. He admits he was at risk of losing his job due to his aggressive approach to customers and employees.

3. Coping Strategies

These are the behaviours we use to cope when things get tough for us. Problematic coping strategies are sometimes called ‘maladaptive’ they can be changed and modified with time and work.

For Phil these included

• Difficulty expressing weakness 
• Using anger and aggression to express emotions as a direct result of the above
• Sport - Phil likely used sport to channel his anxiety and aggression; the decline of his cycling left him with no healthy way to channel his anxiety and stress.

Finding a Way Back through Cycling

Phil eventually, with the encouragement of his wife, Di, went to his GP, who was a cycling associate and managed to convince him to take some time off work. Even at this point, Phil, while knowing he was not well, was not ready to give up. He recalls how he resisted the 6 months signing off and eventually they reached a compromise at 3 months. Phil took this time to take some counselling and requested a change in his work circumstances; he also started to think about cycling again. 

His return to work, however, saw a return to a different situation, but the same stress and when the company were offering voluntary redundancy Phil was pushing his way to the front of the queue and asking where he needed to sign. Having started work young he had 40 years of employment behind him and ‘enough’ to manage. As he wryly reflects to continue to 60 would have left him with more money, but likely very little health with which to enjoy his retirement.

Phil started to prioritise mental well-being and for him that always means moving; he got on allotment and began cycling regularly again, not for competition but to get out in the fresh air, enjoy some movement and the head space moving on a bike provides. ‘I always come back more relaxed from a ride’ he says, noting this is particularly the case when he rides alone. There is definitely something very mindful about cycling that can be calming to the anxious mind. The nature of riding requires you to focus and to focus just on what you are doing; the worrysome moments of the future and the past are irrelevant for those hours on the bike where the only thing to focus on is the road in front and your pedal strokes.

It can be difficult to balance training, work and life and like Phil we find many people struggle to get the balance. That’s why we developed our Traffic Light Tracker as a way of helping you monitor stresses that training apps can’t account for. You can download a free copy of the template below to keep you on track with your life and training.

Redefining Goals: The Journey to the Seaside

So what to do now? Phil needed a goal, but couldn’t go for the wins he had always chased in the past.

For Phil to continue being Clarky the Cyclist his relationship with cycling needed to change; he knew he wanted to continue riding and he knew that riding helped him stay mentally well and physically fit. In addition to this, like many people as they age, outright or scratch wins are no longer accessible and like many cyclists Phil is not as interested in age related podiums, ‘I like to win,’ he says and for him age related wins are simply not the same. He needed to be in it for the long term to see the benefits as not just the ‘win’ but long term health benefits and mental wellness that consistent training and time on the bike away from the stresses of every day life could bring. 

He began doing some research and got himself a free TrainingPeaks account, but there is a lot of information out there and the concept of having to decide what to do and the danger of doing too much meant this in itself could become a new source of stress for the man who aims high and likes to do things right. 

Phil eventually came across our EBR Club Plan and reached out.  ‘I like a plan and I like to have a goal…that’s why your plan is great because I can jump on the turbo and I don’t have to think, I know the session will be downloaded to TrainingPeaks Virtual and I can just do it.’ 

Phil is also a regular attendee at our weekly club meetings and workshops where he began hearing stories of people doing longer distance events. The supportive non-competitive environment of these meetings became a great way for Phil to stay in touch with cyclists without the pressure to perform and win. It began to sew seeds for new things to do on his bike.

Phil started experimenting with longer rides and through this began to discover a new type of cycling: going long. For Phil this was a new concept; not pushing all the time to the max trying to get the most out of every pedal stroke to come in as fast as possible but enjoying a journey; stopping for a coffee and cake, taking in the view whilst gently moving along.

He did a few 200km audax events and wondered about doing a Randoneur Round the Year (completion of 200km every month for a period of 12 consecutive months). He enjoyed building up the miles and even the first few 200’s, but he soon realised that repeating the same thing month after month did not fit his personality type. “I knew I could do that now so having to do one every month just felt like having something hanging over me.” He began to realise that he needed to create his own goals; things that he was excited to do and the concept of ‘my longest ride to the seaside’ started to build in his mind.

His dream was to ride to the seaside and enjoy fish and chips and a companionable beer with his son on the sea front. The goal was perfect - it would stretch his endurance capability just enough without creating too much stress; it would involve a lovely day out and it would include some quality time with his son when he got there, not to mention the beer and chips.

With coaching input from us; Phil developed a weekly routine which gave him the opportunity to ride, socialise and spend some quality time with his wife of 40 years Di. A typical week of training is just 4 cycling sessions and a Pilates session; being consistent is key for Phil, not doing too much, mainly just varying the length of his Sunday ride.

'This was so much less training than I had ever done, I couldn’t really believe I could be fit from doing so little.’ In fact after some gaps in the routine due to family difficulties (life is always messy) Phil began re-thinking his goal and aiming for a shorter distance. We assured him that despite the gaps the fitness was there; he could do his 140 miles without a doubt.

And so on the 10th of September Phil woke up…to the beginnings of Storm Amy! ‘I almost abandoned it…but decided to go for it … It was a pretty challenging day as it rained relentlessly and heavily for the very vast majority of the time. There was a strong headwind / crosswind from the SW too.’ Notwithstanding the elements, Phil  kept his power steady, holding back on the hills and trying to  keep things in zone 2. He had been working on his nutrition and hydration strategies in longer training rides ‘having a gel or an energy bar every 30 mins, along with a swig of electrolyte every 10 mins…I probably didn’t eat enough towards the end, but I ploughed on into the wind and rain ok.’ 12 hours and 31 minutes of riding and Phil made it to the seaside where his son was dutifully waiting; no beer or chips however in the wind and rain, the bike got shoved in the back of the car and they hurried to the Bed and Breakfast they had booked to get warm and dry…a classic example of everything going to plan except the weather, a natural hazard of living in the UK.

So what next for Phil? For now he is taking some time off and enjoying a well-earned rest. He is looking forward to celebrating his 40th Wedding Anniversary with his wife Di, who continues to support him in the way someone who only truly knows a person can. ‘I’m not having you doing that’ will make Phil stop as Di gently draws the reigns in knowing that a lofty goal will bring out the obsessiveness and stress he needs to avoid reminding him ‘it’s just for fun’ and to enjoy his riding. He is looking forward to thinking up some new adventures for next year.

How Cycling Promotes Mental Wellness

So how did cycling help Phil  to come back from those dark days where getting out of bed was such a painful struggle? Well it wasn’t a quick fix for sure, how could it be? Phil had to make some drastic lifestyle changes in order to destress. 

He has to taken a good look at his approach to life and how being ‘all in’ can work in the short-term to achieve great things in sport and in the work environment, but doing it year after year takes its toll on mind and body and at some point the mind, through the body will say ‘stop.’ For Phil this was waking up every morning with a panic attack so terrible it took him half an hour to get out of bed. 

As Phil realised a need to approach life differently he began to see that his approach to cycling could change too. He doesn’t need to keep chasing the wins and can enjoy some self-made goals that provide him with enough focus to keep riding promoting his longevity and mental wellness. He has  come to understand that moving and cycling are for him key ways to manage his anxious personality. This new approach also enables him to spend quality time with his grandchildren, with his ever supportive wife Di and with his old work colleagues with whom he regularly walks and who have now re-christened him ‘Mellow Phil.’ 

Phil seems to have found a good balance and can look forward to enjoying life and cycling for many years to come.

Conclusion

I think we could all learn something from Phil's story about slowing down, taking a good look at how we live our lives, and creating better coping strategies that harness our personality traits for good rather than letting them drive us to burnout.

Phil found that by redefining his relationship with cycling—shifting from intense competition to mindful movement and personal challenges—he created space for wellness, relationships, and joy. His journey reminds us that sometimes the most significant victories aren't measured in race wins but in finding sustainable ways to do what we love.

What can you learn from Phil's experience? How might your own relationship with exercise, work, and stress benefit from a thoughtful reassessment? The path to balance looks different for everyone, but the first step is always the same: deciding to make the journey.

Further Questions

How do I Know if I am Approaching Burnout?

Signs of burnout are different for everyone but common signs include:

• Regularly waking up with a feeling of helplessness, anxiety or dread at the prospect of the day ahead
• Worrying about work on your days off to the extent that it interferes with your down time
• Panic attacks - which can take many forms, often involving chest pain, difficulty breathing and a feeling of ‘unrealness’ or ‘out of body.’
• Increased irritability and anger
• Lack of motivation to do the things you normally enjoy
• Social isolation (not seeing your friends and family any more)
• Unusual depression and tearfulness
• Inability to cope with normal life problems (e.g. you spill the milk and it feels like the end of the world).

How do I Avoid Burnout?

The best way to avoid burnout is to keep an eye on yourself and have some significant people around you to help you. Take steps to reduce stress to make sure you have some down time each day, and enough time each week for self-care, time with your family and friends and time for your hobby without compromising sleep.

This might take some drastic changes like changing your job or just small changes to keep you in line. Remember everyone is different; so your tolerance level for stress and work might be much less than someone else’s don’t be afraid to act on what is right for you.

What should I do if I am having a panic attack?

There are many ways to deal with panic attacks and it’s best to find the strategy that works for you. The most important thing to remember is that you are safe and that once you have calmed down you will start to feel ok again.

Strategies can include:

• Sitting down, leaning forward with your forearms on your knees and breathing slowly in for 5 and out for 5; remind yourself that you are safe and well; some people find breathing into a paper bag helps.
• Focussing on the here and now: identify 5 things you can see, 4 things you can here, 3 things you can smell, 2 things you can touch and one thing you can taste can be a good way to do that.
• If you have regular panic attacks go to your gp and get referred for some counselling to help you.
• Always get any unexplained chest pain checked out by your GP; if in doubt go to the emergency room.

Can Exercise Help with Stress Management and Burnout Prevention?

Exercise can absolutely help to both ease stress and prevent burn out when kept in balance with the rest of your life. Endurance (zone 2) exercise, especially in green spaces does the following:

• Reduces levels of stress hormones in the body
• Can provide a social outlet through social training
• Provides structure and an impetus to stop work so you can do planned training
• Boosts our auto immune system protecting us from illness
• Can provide good paradigms for life, as in Phil’s case where his changing approach to life was complemented by his change in his approach to cycling.
• Can provide a routine when you are forced to take time off work
• Can improve your sleep quality