Warmest welcome to Ian, ultra-distance racer and race organiser, championing diversity in the ultra scene.
From: UK
Lives: Wiltshire
Socials: @itultracycling @via_race
Tell us about yourself.
I'm father to three lovely girls, and in 2023 I founded the ultra race called "VIA" with my partner Ingeborg. She is an accomplished ultracyclist and, together we broke the UK 24hr TT tandem record last year. We ran a successful first edition of VIA this year, 4,000km from the south of Spain to the south of Italy.
I love to ride far and have been mostly road cycling for more than 2 decades, doing 16 long-distance events since 2016, from 24hr national time trial championships to 4,000km ultra races, winning or breaking records in 9 of them, this year winning the 1000km Solstice Sprint again, and coming 5th in the gnarly off-road ultra "Further East", run by Camille McMillan. At VIA, we're looking for more good people to join our friendly, wonderful community, and we are trying to break down barriers for everyone for greater diversity.
What do you love about cycling
I love the freedom cycling gives me, the feeling of empowerment - the ability to travel far and high, on my own power - the feeling of being alive and existing in just the here and now. The bike is an amazing invention. It's so versatile that it can be used for sport or as a tool for transport and recreation. This is my excuse for having all sorts of bikes, from road, TT, gravel and cargo bikes! Next on my list is a fat bike for riding in Norwegian snow.
What barriers have you faced in cycling
I'm unaware of having faced any barriers in cycling.
However, I experienced a lot of racism as a child where, at school, out of a thousand students, I was one of only two kids of colour. The other was my sister.
Nowadays, I sometimes get a vague feeling that people may treat me differently or negatively sometimes, as I look different, but I'm inured to racism, having lived through a childhood full of it: racist remarks, slurs, name-calling, or making fun of my name, usually every day.
Why were you interested in contributing?
I live to look after and help people be it my family, friends, local community, or the sport of ultra-cycling. I have a strong sense of fairness and justice, which is what motivates me to look out for those people who are under-represented, who have been bullied or discriminated against, and this isn't limited to gender, sexuality, colour, race, but also financially disadvantaged or who have lacked the opportunity earlier in their lives, as well as neurodivergence (one of my daughters is autistic).
Although I don't view the world from the eyes of a "Chinese" person, but simply as a human being, I am aware that there are so very few people of colour in cycling, fewer in ultra-cycling and almost none racing for the win. I wonder why - I'd like to find out and help those who want to join our community but are hesitant to do so.
Your fondest memory on the bike
I honestly can't remember one singular fondest memory as I have so many great memories, but the best ones are shared, either through stories after an event with other riders, or with my partner, Ingeborg, or on a family bikepacking trip including my youngest two daughters. As the founder and director of VIA, hearing the stories and sheer happiness of riders made the year of 100-hour working weeks, to make the event successful, worthwhile. Although, the ultra racer in me was somewhat envious of the camaraderie, friendships and stories which the riders created together... which has made me hungrier to do more ultra races myself!
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