In this episode we speak with Laura Massey-Pugh, one half of the team that recently set a Guinness World Record by cycling 18,000 miles on a tandem bicycle in 179 days and 12 hours.  

Stevie (Steven Massey) is a very experienced ultra-distance cyclist, completing his first 100+ mile ride at the ripe age of 11. In his racing days, he achieved 4th in the National 24 hour time trial championships (725km in 24 hours) and has finished London-Edinburgh-London, and Paris-Brest-Paris in the top 5%.  He has and unofficial record of riding the length of the UK and back again (~2000 miles) unsupported in 9.5 days and has cycled over 250,000 miles in his lifetime, over half the distance to the moon. He was an accomplished tandem rider when he met Laura and encouraged her to take the stoker seat on his tandem.

Laura (Laura Massey-Pugh) has ridden bicycles since a young age, commuting to school and work. Before she met Stevie, she had completed a 100 mile ride but it was he that introduced her to the world of ultra-distance cycling. She has completed Super Randonneur series (a 200km, 300km, 400km and 600km events) both on solo bicycle and tandem.  She rides “stoker” on the tandem and despite popular opinion does not “have her feet up on the back” but is able to assist with navigation and nutrition as well as providing a rear-wheel drive function.  She likes to mix her challenges up and prior to the record had trial run "coast to coast" of the UK and after completed an "Iron-distance" triathalon.

Together as SteLa Tandem some of their achievements include completing the 1000km Mille Pennines Audax, Land’s End to John O’Groats self supported on the tandem in 10 days and an epic 850 miles ride around the country of Wales in 8 days. They are the only tandem to finish  All Points North, an ultra-cycling event.

This all lead to their record breaking tandem ride around the world, covering over 18,000 miles in 180 days, self-supported on their tandem bicycle.

Their book "Backseat Rider" is available on their website here:  http://www.stelatandem.com 

You can find their YouTube channel (including podcasts) here:

https://www.youtube.com/@stelatandem2702

You can follow them on social media here:

Twitter @SteLaTandem

Instagram @SteLa_Tandem

Facebook @SteLa Tandem Round the World Record

Enjoy the conversation. Be bold. Be intrepid.

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To find out more about host George Balarezo's adventures, you can find the book Unhinged in Ethiopia: Two Thousand Kilometers of Hell and Heaven on a Bicycle at the following link- https://intrepidglobalcitizen.com/

Contact me at george@intrepidglobalcitizen.com and let me know your thoughts and feelings about the podcast or if you have a story you'd like to share.