Techbikers Blog Why I ride with TechBikers: Beth Rowe

Beth Rowe is an Implementation Consultant at ecommerce marketplace, Brightpearl and signed up for her first TechBikers cycling challenge this year. She shares why she's happy to cycle 420km Copenhagen to Berlin fundraising for Room to Read, her favourite cycle route in the UK and the books that have had an impact on her. Take a read... What inspired you to drop your laptop and join TechBikers?Mmm, in the beginning I thought 'this would make good dinner conversation'! Seriously, I was really keen to complete a group activity abroad, meet new people and gather some great stories to tell back home whilst raising money for a great cause.Do you generally cycle regularly? Before May this year, no.Where's your favourite place to train and why?There's a route that goes from my home city of Bristol out to the Severn Bridge, which links England to my home country of Wales. It's a beautiful route and I always take a photo from the bridge to send to my mum.Tell us about your wheels. What'll you be riding?I'll be on a Cannondale Synapse.How will you stay motivated cycling 420km Copenhagen to Berlin?The fear of being left behind will be a BIG motivator.Which book did you love when you were younger?Michelle Magorian wrote a book called A Spoonful of Jam. It was a WW2 book about a girl trying to achieve her ambition to go to a grammar school. I was always fascinated by the war period and the stoicism that people demonstrate when things get really tough.Name a book that's had a big impact on you as an adultWhen Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. It's a book about a chief resident in neurosurgery at Stanford who documents his own challenge dealing with terminal cancer. He describes the science behind his terminal illness and his own personal relationship with family and friends as the disease progressed really hit home. I cried lots reading this book!What are the next three books that you're planning to read?I haven't had the patience to read lately, so three books will be a challenge. I would like to read White Teeth by Zadie Smith as a friend recommended it to me.What's going to be your biggest personal challenge cycling Copenhagen to Berlin?I've been getting some back pain while training, so it will be dealing with that. Three things you'll do to celebrate after crossing the finish line? Phone my mum and dad, take a picture with Kat (my fellow racer and colleague) and drink a beer. 

Beth Rowe is cycling Copenhagen to Berlin with TechBikers to raise money for Room to Read from 15 - 17 September 2017.

To support her with a donation, click here