Jamie Ramsay is is a British Endurance Adventure Athlete who has covered over 26,000km of human-powered traveling, through 27 countries over the last 5 years. But life wasn’t always this way, before adventuring Jamie spent 12 years working in the city before reaching ‘burn out’ and new he needed to get out and change his lifestyle. I caught up with Jamie on his current adventure , cycling 10,000 miles around the UK in 80 days. Jamie had just jumped off his bike in a near by field to chat with me so you might hear the odd tractor and sheep noise in the background - but it adds something to it right!
Find Jamie on Instagram - @jamieisadventuring
Jamie's website - www.jamieramsay.net/
This series is proudly sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, the outdoor experts working to change the fabric of outdoor retailing. Find out more about their sustainability mission and services on their website.
If you have any questions or would like to suggest a guest please get in touch! You can email India via indiapearsonclarke@gmail.com or send a message via Instagram @india_outdoors / @finandflow / www.indiapearson.co.uk
~Music - Caleb Howard Almond ~
You can find this episode on iTunes, Spotify and many other podcast platform
If you have any questions or would like to suggest a guest please get in touch! You can email India via indiapearsonclarke@gmail.com or send a message via Instagram @india_outdoors / @finandflow / www.indiapearson.co.uk
~Music - Caleb Howard Almond / @oakandalmondcarpentry
Jamie Ramsay is is a British Endurance Adventure Athlete who has covered over 26,000km of human-powered traveling, through 27 countries over the last 5 years. But life wasn’t always this way, before adventuring Jamie spent 12 years working in the city before reaching ‘burn out’ and new he needed to get out and change his lifestyle. I caught up with Jamie on his current adventure , cycling 10,000 miles around the UK in 80 days. Jamie had just jumped off his bike in a near by field to chat with me so you might hear the odd tractor and sheep noise in the background - but it adds something to it right!
Find Jamie on Instagram - @jamieisadventuring
Jamie's website - www.jamieramsay.net/
This series is proudly sponsored by Cotswold Outdoor, the outdoor experts working to change the fabric of outdoor retailing. Find out more about their sustainability mission and services on their website.
If you have any questions or would like to suggest a guest please get in touch! You can email India via indiapearsonclarke@gmail.com or send a message via Instagram @india_outdoors / @finandflow / www.indiapearson.co.uk
~Music - Caleb Howard Almond ~
You can find this episode on iTunes, Spotify and many other podcast platform
If you have any questions or would like to suggest a guest please get in touch! You can email India via indiapearsonclarke@gmail.com or send a message via Instagram @india_outdoors / @finandflow / www.indiapearson.co.uk
~Music - Caleb Howard Almond / @oakandalmondcarpentry
India 0:03
Hello, I'm India and welcome to the second series of the starter rebel podcast. This series is proudly sponsored by Cotswold outdoor, the outdoor experts working to change the fabric of outdoor retailing. And you can find out more about their sustainability mission and services on their website. Now, this podcast is a platform for me to chat with inspiring folk that are making ripples in their lives by moving in nature. And I'm here to find out a little bit more about how this connection with movement and nature is having an impact on their mind, body and the environment too. And I hope the conversations that come from this podcast will encourage you to get outside, move, dream big, and see what happens when the ripples you create. Alright, it's time to introduce my guest. Jamie Ramsey is a British endurance adventure athlete who has covered over 26,000 kilometres of human power travelling through 27 countries over the last five years. life wasn't always this way. Before adventuring, Jamie spent 12 years working in the city before reaching burnout, and knew he needed to get out and change his lifestyle. I caught up with Jamie on his current adventure, cycling 10,000 miles around the UK in 80 days. And Jamie had just jumped off his bike into a nearby field quite literally to chat with me. So you might hear the attractor or sheet noise in the background. But I think it adds something to it right. All right. So hi, Jamie, and welcome to start a rebel podcast. How you doing?
Jamie 1:49
Very well, thank you. And thank you for having me on. I have to admit, I'm a little bit tired of cycled up a really long Hill. But apart from that I'm on an adventure. So that makes me happy.
India 1:59
Yeah. And the sun is shining. Can you just start by telling us a little bit about yourself, your background and how you came to cycling up the hill? right this second? Or Wow, that's
Jamie 2:12
a long answer, sir. I am from Scotland, born just outside Edinburgh. And I had a pretty good childhood I went to had schools had brothers have parents who loved me and sister who is very cool. And really outdoorsy kind of upbringing with doing lots of sports, sailing, and horses and all that kind of jazz and went to school and university. And then I think that's where my little story goes a bit lost for a while. Because when I was like 18 1920, I had no idea what I wanted to do with life. So I just jumped on this path that everyone else was going which was go to university, go to London, get yourself a job. My father works in the city, my brother worked in the city. So I just kind of blindly followed this route into into a big city, and got myself a job at a PR company. And just I think my life then kind of stagnated for 12 years, I just sat there in a job, which I didn't really enjoy, which was financial communications. And I kind of find I got hooked on the kind of how would you say like life, I think lots of things like jobs like kind of expectations of people, you kind of get every year you're expected to do a little bit more get a little bit more money, you get your promotion, you get a bigger house, you get a better car, you kind of get roped into this world somehow once you get on that bandwagon, you end up having to work harder to be able to sustain it and you can a drags you in and it's all encompassing. And the proposal didn't make me happy. I didn't, I didn't receive any of the good bits out of it because it wasn't something I was passionate about. So there was no fulfilment or reward. And I think as the time I spent in the city of delong, I became bored, I became distracted and I needed to look for other things to get satisfaction. And for me that was doing things like sports. So I kind of that typical person who does like half, like a 5k 10k half marathon than a marathon then a 10k swim and then a half. I'm always looking for that next big thing. And then I think if I'm honest, the other side was I just partied too much and got to the point where maybe I was doing a bit too much for both of them, and really not enjoying the job. And then one day I just had a realisation I wasn't happy, and I needed to kind of at 34 I was like if I carry on do this the rest of my life. I'm just not gonna be proud of What I do and who I am. So I've kind of thought back, when was the last time you remember being truly happy, fulfilled, content, proud of yourself. And it was when I'd finished a run through Vietnam 2013, there's 240 kilometres through just a solo run, I meant to be part of this competition, which is 240 kilometres through the jungle, and it would be cancelled. And I remember being bummed out about that, thinking, I've bought the tickets and done all the training, I've raised money for charity. And now I cancelled it. And I just decided on a whim as I want, what's stopping me just go to Vietnam. Go run to do it yourself. You don't need a organisation around to do it. So I went to Vietnam did it. And as I was hitting this low, I remembered that little moment in my life and thought, you need to cap you need to capture that and work out how to keep it as the kind of forefront of your life and what you're aiming for and what you're pushing and striving for. So 2014, I quit my job, flew to Canada. I think I quit my job. And I finished my job in the end of July 15 of August, standing in Vancouver, and then around 17,000 kilometres to Argentina. Six years later, seven years later, sitting on top of the hill having just cycled up cycle home for three and a half 1000 kilometres in the last 28 days.
Jamie 6:32
They go to Vegas sounds so simple, but I you know, I'm gonna dive into all of that right now. And, yeah, okay. Wow. I mean, I can totally appreciate where you're coming from kind of doing something because you thought you had to, I actually went to university as well ended up doing PR, funnily enough, I hated it. And, yeah, in London, and then just had this kind of epiphany and moved to the coast and changed everything. And so yeah, it's it's that it's that feeling, I think, and you said, obviously, it was something that you remembered that that memory of you in Vietnam, that kind of you work backwards to grind, recreate that. And I think that's a really important thing, actually, to if someone is stuck in a rut to think, when were you most happiest last? Yeah. How can you recreate that? So? So why was it that? What What was it that made you go to Canada? And do this epic trip? On the in the first place? What what came to mind when you thought that is what I'm going to do to make me leave my job?
Jamie 7:46
Well, I think we just go back to what you said, right, getting the kind of going down the blind route. I think one thing that I learned, which is very important was when I kind of quit my job, I remember speaking to my father and kind of having this kind of conversation, I was like, you know, this is kind of what you expected of me to go and do the city thing to go and do that. And my dad just turned around and said, not once in my life, Did I ever tell you that this is what you have to do. This is something that you have created in your own mind, because of everything around you. You have put this pressure on yourself to go and do this thing. And I was like, well, you don't care if I just go off and do. He's like, you got to do what you got to do. So I was like, I think a lot of people sometimes feel they're trapped because of people around them. But actually the people around them are actually wanting them to be happy for for most. So just to be able to just remember that. But then why did I go to Canada? To be honest, the simple answer is that was the easy option. I sat down in a pub, and thought, right? If you're going to quit your job to go and do something running related, because I thought what are the things that make me happy. So it was like travelling, kind of learning about new cultures, running, outdoors stuff, camping and all that kind of stuff. I wanted to encapsulate that into one adventure. And then I thought, well, I can't just quit my job and go run a marathon in a foreign country, I have to do something a bit more epic. It has to be at least a year because, you know, I've been in my career for 12 years, I've been a partner and I was about to just kind of put that aside and go off in a different direction. So I kind of thought right away for a year running. So it's 30. I can do probably 30 kilometres a day. 365 days quick math, that's roughly 11,000 kilometres. Where can I go straightaway on a run around the world and then looked at the map on one sheet that's really dangerous and don't speak that language. That's going to be tricky because of admin. I've never done anything like this before. So I kind of scrapped that one quickly. And then I kind of went right. Johnny grows to Cape Town, and the same things came out now and I couldn't afford it and like myself, so then I looked at the map and for all thank you it's been a series that's kind of nice. It's 17,000 kilometres. You can British passport will get you into every single one. But I haven't apply for a visa. There's only two languages. Yes, easy options kind of follows good starter adventure. So yeah, how long did that take you? So the, because I was in PR, I would say that it took me 367 running days, it actually took me about 15 months, because I, I am not someone who is motivated by records or firsts or anything like that. So it's just things like when, when I got from, I'd run down through America, and I got to encompass like Santa Barbara. And then my little sister very selfishly got engaged. So I had to fly back from Panama, because there was no way I was going to be that guy was like, Oh, no mana adventure, I'm not coming to your wedding. I was like, you're my little sister, I'm coming to your wedding. So I flew back. And that added a bit of time on things that so it was about 15 months, I would say,
Jamie 11:03
wow. And and, you know, Canada is one of the most beautiful parts of the world. I've never been I've always wanted to. So was there an appeal to it, about sort of the side of being immersed in nature, because obviously, this podcast, I found it because I was fascinated by the power of moving in nature. And going from an office job, you know, in the city, to wanting the total opposite was that immersion, you know, in the elements, something that you were after? As much as the insurance side.
Jamie 11:37
So insurance thing does push me a lot that does drove me it's, it's that whole kind of how far can I push my body day in day out without taking risks or with minimal rests, and but being in nature, I think is equally as important for me, I love you know, I'm sitting next to the field of sheep right now. And it's amazing. There was a fear, because like, when I first started, I was working in the city, I was partying a lot and I was kind of life and soul party, centre of attention load. Kind of feeding off everyone's kind of energy. And everyone was a bit worried the thing that when you go into the middle of nowhere, like how is that gonna affect you? And also a little bit for me, I just kind of ventured out into the middle of nowhere. And I was just like, Oh, this is amazing. I don't need a, I don't need to be playing up to that. The sooner that I was playing up to before was like, you're in the city, you guys drinking you doing partying? Duh. I don't need to do that anymore. And the kind of I've I'm very conscious that I used to care a lot about what people would think about me. Angela, you obviously just like, what I need to get to the gym. I know what my wearing that. And everyone's asking everyone asked questions about and it's almost like a kind of competition. But when you're in nature, it's just like, it's the nature that's just like Quiet, quiet and peaceful and tranquil.
India 13:10
You find company in with with everything that's around you rather than people and trying to impress and and I know that can be a scary thought for a lot of people I think you know, because all your you've obviously gone continued to do all these different adventures since then. But they've all been so low. Is that right?
Jamie 13:27
No. Well, they are predominantly solo. Yes, I do prefer solo I have. I've done some adventures where I've brought people along. Aconcagua, which was when I claim that back in 2019, my friend owl came along. Because I was partly because he's a really good friend of mine. And then partly because he actually understands about mountains. It's the first mountain and ever claimed, so I actually needed someone who knew what they were doing. Because we did it without a guide who just went up by ourselves. So I needed his expertise. And then he came on the next adventure with me. And that kind of didn't really work because I was about pushing, I had a plan, I'd rate I'd come up with the idea in my head of how I wanted to do it. And he came on it with a different idea which wasn't compatible with my idea. And he was meant to do 30 days and after 12 days, we came to an agreement that we'd go different ways. And going forward, rather than one of us come out with an idea for adventure. Like our next adventure together, we'll be trekking in Nepal, is going to be his adventure. So I'm going on at his speed. So he gets to set the pace and he wants to do something. He's a more spiritual person. So he's going to enlighten me into the world of Nepal. And meditation and all that kind of stuff, which I don't really understand. So other adventures that people come along that they don't prepare as much they don't want to push themselves as hard. And it sounds ridiculous. But if you're like running across as Iceland was the one that was a bit of a problem for me. If you're running 50k a day, that's cool. But you don't get your kind of kick comes from doing the 70 kilometre days. And if you're with someone who can't get past the 50, you just take something you know you can do every day you want to be able to pushing, you get that high from pushing yourself to your limit. And I wasn't I'm not able to do that if I'm with other people,
India 15:22
right? Yeah, yes, I know that I've read some of these, you say? It's all about human powered adventure. And so I guess for you it's, it is it's your human body? How can you take it to that next level? And it does become quite addictive to think how can you push yourself that little bit further every time? Oh, yeah, it's
Jamie 15:43
absolutely it's, it's like a drug. You know, you, the way I like to look at it is, when I started, I lived in this little circle of what my self perceived limitations were. And when I push through that circle, and push the boundaries out, this kind of area of that circle, is what you're actually then you believe you're capable of doing. You're like, wow, I can do all this other stuff. And then you push yourself to that boundary, and it moves back even further. And you're like, we just got to keep pushing, we've got to keep seeing how far we can go. What's next, what's next. And I realised quite quickly, because I started off as a runner. And I realised quickly that I was, I was pushing, I was running and I was pushing myself and I was finding it pretty easy just to do long runs. It's like what am i proving to myself, I can run a long way. So that's why I started cycling. And then I've taken on mountaineering and wilderness tracking, ski touring, and with because with outdoor just learn how to stand up paddleboard. So it's like that will be a new thing. And I've just yeah, that's my school. Yeah, so yeah. So and then, and then I was with a group of people, and they're all mountain bikers, and I'm out right now. And it's got a mountain bike. And so once you know, it's not just about pushing yourself on what you're good at, it's about broadening all the different things that you can do. And especially as you get older, like pushing now 41. So your body, sometimes it's good. If you like doing running and you get injured, then you can jump on the bike. And if you get injured during the bike, you can go and do tracking or something. So by having by, and each one's got a different buzz to it. So and it sounds a bit crazy. But yesterday, I took a day off from the day 27 of my cycle having not had a day off. So take a day off yesterday, when did when did the trail run instead? And I just like got my bugs as that I haven't done programming for it forever. So now I'm already like, well, when I've done this one, which is 80 days, I'm not going to get back into running. So because I need to get that buzz back again. So yeah, it's about getting the buzz.
India 17:50
Yeah. And do you do? Obviously, I think I think I know the answer this but you feel mentally so much more healthy. from before? And this, that decision to go to Canada? It was was it a lot to do it was a lot to do with your mental health, I'm guessing and healing that? And do you feel like you've found the answer for you now, in order to keep a healthy mind.
Jamie 18:18
So it was definitely a mental health. And I believe that if I'd stayed in that job in that environment any longer. I was at the beginning of a spiral, I think and that spiral probably would have taken me something like drinking way too much or becoming dependent on that kind of stuff. So I knew I had to get out. A lot of people do like there are these like groups and they're like, yeah, go into an adventure. If you go do adventure, you'll be happy. I don't agree with that myself. I don't think I don't think doing a big adventure means that you change and you come out of it, like a new person that's got new, like you can just deal with, like you just all your problems go away that I don't agree with what I think is we all have little demons inside us. And I know I do. I'm not bad, but they're demons. And when I was in the kind of city life, those demons had the ability to take a bit more control over me. Now I've spent a lot of time self analysing that kind of thing. And I think I've worked out how to manage my demons and live a happier life. So I don't think it's about getting rid of them or changing or anything like that. It's just about learning who you are, and learning how to live and lifestyle that keeps the little demons quiet longer. And you happier than you were before basically.
Jamie 19:45
Yeah. And really tuning into that I think, are you saying earlier that you took a day of cycling to do a run was probably you actually listening to your mind and your body to say actually we need to change up today. Yeah, let's do that. So that you don't Get stuck in a rut or, like you say, keep those little demons at bay. And it's just important to be really aware. And it's that self awareness. I think,
Jamie 20:08
a lot of people a lot of people when I was late, I was like taking a day off. No, like all your legs feeling tired, there's no it's nothing to do with my legs, I'm fine. Every single day, thinking about I have to be here, I have to do this, where am I going to camp I need to get through. Everything is like thinking thinking thinking that you need to take a day off for the mind not for and like I'm going to a wedding on Friday. So I'm actually cycling to a wedding to do a best man speech and then carry on my adventure. And that's that everyone thinks that's like taking a day off. It's like, it's taking a day off a little bit, but my mind will not get any rest because I'll be doing a speech and, and doing all the kind of wedding stuff. So I actually wanted to take a day off to have a proper day off to let the mind you know, do running go I went down to a river and that kind of just completely switched off. So it was it was the mental side that you need to recover more than Yeah. And I think that actually, what's quite weird is a lot of people asked me about the mental side of like, when you're on an adventure, they're like, Hi, you must be so mentally strong. How do you cope? How do you cope? And it's like, you go the clearly wrong ID but the wrong question. Like is how do I cope when I'm not on adventure, but that's when I struggle. Like when I'm on the advantage? Easy. I'm having an amazing time. I'm like, getting up every morning, doing what I love doing. pushing myself. My mind knows how to deal with that. There's a routine. There's a goal of when I'm not on an adventure, you just like sitting at home going, oh my god am I gonna do today? It's like, and his sense of purpose. Yeah, it's his sense of purpose. And that's why like, you look a lot, quite a lot of adventures. And they'll do like one big adventure a year. Like me, I'm like, I just want to go from one to the other. So 2019 I did. Aconcagua. Then I tried to cross Utah, then I ran across Iceland, and I cycled across Australia, then I was meant to run across Madagascar, Madagascar, but I got injured. But it was like, there was no stopping. I was just wanting to jump to the next one. It's like, I when I when I switch off. That's when I struggle.
India 22:17
I think obviously, this is the past year, a lot of us have experienced that and realise that that sense of purpose is so important. And so finding some sort of sport or way of moving outdoors, I think is a really great, great way to generate purpose outside of that sort of tick box. You know, do the life thing. And how did you find how did you find lockdown out of curiosity then?
Jamie 22:44
So yeah, lockdown was hard. So lockdown, one I found pretty easy. I got into a nice, easy routine of yoga and exercise and working and trying to keep it together. Because at the beginning, it no one thought was going to last very long. I was just like, yeah, I'll just do it. And what's really bizarre for me is like, I've never done walked before I like I never went for a walk. It just wasn't something I did. And then I just kind of started going for a walk every day. And I remember thinking, Oh, it's good for us. Because normally everything I do outside like big. So I just went for a walk and was one kilometre I got back up quite good. And then as lockdown continued, I did struggle I really like struggled not being able to go out and do what I was meant to do. I was meant to be cycling to Tokyo, and I got canned. And there's like this adventure that you get so emotionally attached to, and you're working with a company to do it, and then suddenly gets taken away. That was difficult. But it was going out for that daily walk every single day that allowed me to have, I was getting up to about 10k a day just walking in the morning. They gave me an hour and a bit of just chilled out looking at the flowers, but really into like birds and trying to find animals and take photos. And we're actually starting to notice the seasons taking effect and all that you're like this this is this is what saving me on a day to day basis is that switching off, not looking at the news not worrying about what you should be doing or or could be doing if it hadn't been for COVID. It's just like, just take an hour and be present in yourself and just have an enjoyable, quiet time.
India 24:31
Yeah, well, that's a sign of meditation. You know, that's very meditative. So he said earlier that you went into meditation, but I think Yeah, you've already found it to an extent there. And so I'm really interested to dive in to talk about your cycling trivia on right now. And so what is the crux of it, if you could sort of explain the mission that you're on right now?
Jamie 24:56
so I was I was approached by a whole lot of people 2022 cycle to the Olympics because there are 10 gb supplier. And that was my adventure, then it was cancelled. So then we kind of planned it again for this year, then it was cancelled. So we decided to reroute it, and just do 10,000 kilometres around the UK visiting and basically I just wrote a list of all the things I wanted places I wanted to go and all that kind of stuff. And just go and see them all go and see Britain go and enjoy. Everything like whales is amazing. I just went there, like, I changed my route, like I was like, I need to spend more time in this area, I need to go in cycle round and loops and stuff. And you know, down like the lizard and lands and Jonah groves like Cornwall, Devon, a mate, super hilly. And I realised that this adventure, like cycling around the UK is it's beautiful. It's far more difficult, I think, than cycling to Tokyo statement. So physically, I've done over 40,000, well over 40,000 metres of ascent already. So that's like nearly five times the height of Everest. And what else is big, like, there's a there is, if you're on an adventure going from A to B and you're just going in a line, you can't stop, you just have to keep going. When you're in the UK from a kind of emotional point, you can stop at any time, like his homes just there, you just stop. So you're actually trying to like keep trying to keep yourself going forward. When the end is like an hour and a half away, like I'm really close to where I'm going to be ending in 52 days, but I've got to do 52 days going round that place to end up there. So it's kind of mentally a little bit more difficult. Whereas at the end, you're finishing it. So I was meant to be ending in Tokyo. So the PR creators behind it came up with spokeo. Finishing and hopefully collecting some some people doing some chairs for Team GB, or the Olympics and all that kind of stuff. So but yeah, it's it's just the, for me, I try just to focus on the fact that I'm getting to see the best of Britain, I'm getting to camp in some cool places. I get spend all day every day outside. I get to kind of meet the people of Britain as a tourist, which is kind of fun. Like, can you go down to like the deep, deep wails and you're standing in the shop and you have no idea what anyone's saying, because they're all speaking Welsh. And you're like, Sachi feels like I'm on an adventure and somewhere thing and you just you get continually continually surprised by Britain. It's It is amazing.
India 27:57
Oh, I can't agree more, I've just come back from Cornwall, actually. And I love it that we try and go down as much as possible. But it does actually feel a little bit sometimes like a culture change. Because the Cornish they have very much their own kind of food and they have their own language, their own web doing things. And you do get that that feeling without having to jump on a plane and you know, fly to your side of the world, you can definitely get that within the UK. And I think that's what's so incredible about it. And you mentioned just a minute ago that you can ping. So how are you finding that sort of finding spots? You're wild camping? I'm guessing.
Jamie 28:35
Well, I'm sorry, you're not I do. Like because I work with companies. I do like to respect the laws. So I tried to find farmers and ask them if I can use the land. Because you know, I don't like wild camping is amazing. And where you can and you get permission to do it. And you do it responsibly. It's brilliant. But when you see all these kind of people going out, setting fires up, which ruins the soil, leaving litter roads, like abusing farmer's land I tried to try not to encourage that. So yeah, I'm I do I kind of I do go to campsite as well. Because, you know, I love watching I kind of do all these videos about camping equipment and stuff like that. I love going places to watch people in their campsite and just look at the joy that people have of being out camping. I like to kind of I revel in that a little bit just like you know, I can welcome whenever I want. So it's just Yeah, I just oh camp wherever I can.
India 29:35
And I'm sure that after a long day on the bikes, fancy shower.
Jamie 29:40
So it can't say, I know I'm not one of those people, are you? Oh good. So the wonderful one of the other wonderful thing about doing in the UK so I'm getting to see so many friends. So I do go around to if I got a friend's house, I'll go around and see them and stay there. And I have a shower at their house. But I like being dirty. So for five sick days, I wouldn't even take this clue these clothes off, I'll just leave, I'll sleep in my shorts against his skin then the skin Yeah, you've got to be dirty. That's part of the fun of being out camping. Oh, unless you can find I have got like my towel is on the side of my bike. So I can just pull it out really quickly. I've got swimming trunks there so I can go for swims and rivers and stuff. So and that's also very good for your muscles. So that kind of works as a double double thing but did you get to enjoy it any other waterfalls in Wales. I didn't know that is one of the things that becomes a little bit tricky when you have a bike which is which has got all your stuff on it, you're kind of stuck to the bike. But I'm I kind of you always have to find silver linings. So I am using this 10,000 kilometre cycle to see some amazing things and also make a list of all the places I'm going to go back with my camper van. And the idea is I'm going to do another loop in September but in my camper van and I'll go back and I'll have hopefully a stand up paddleboard in the back and I'll have my bike on the back and I'll have I'll be able to stop and actually go and see place places properly and do a bit of kind of away from the road exploring but
India 31:12
yeah, because I guess that's the thing you you equally you know you're you're on a you know you've got to get from A to B and you've got to keep going on this one so you can't quite sit back relax in it and enjoy it for too long. And where's been your most special place in the UK so far. Snowdonia lizard.
Jamie 31:37
I loved the problem is the whole of the south coast is not wasn't seen in his best light. It rained every single day all day. So I was wet. Sleeping a wet tent, wet clothes. Grey, he never I didn't get to see that in his best light. But you know, I kicked on to lakes and David. Which Davis was absolutely gorgeous. I definitely go back there. Where do I go? Train down in Cornwall. And they're such a lovely campsite. They're just been really nice people. So yeah. How have you
India 32:14
found it then those so I've been following your journey. And seeing these these Instagram stories with it pouring down with rain? How does does that affect your mood? You know, every day It felt like it was I think you put one point you put you know? Just don't? Don't go where I am. If you want good weather? Yeah. How do you know those days,
Jamie 32:39
it can get you down. But in all honesty, it's that whole thing. There's no such thing as bad weather. There's only bad kit or the wrong kit or something. Now I had a jacket on they kept me completely dry every single day. So my body never got wet. And hands and feet doesn't matter if they're wet. So you just have to find you just have to find the fun in it and just revel in the, you know, aim for the puddles, let them get, get dirty, get wet and enjoy it. Because if you let it get you down or you let it conquer you, then it wins.
India 33:16
I think that's a really great way attitude, actually. Because, yeah, you can sort of fight it or you can embrace it. And if you're going to, you know, be outdoors and nature, especially in the UK, a bit of holiday down the Cornish coast or doing a trip like you're doing. You're going to get good days and you're going to get bad days. Yeah, have to embrace it for all it's worth and actually draw the contrast and enjoy the difference. Yeah. I think I,
Jamie 33:46
I would say just by the right kit, if you have the right kit, then then it really does. But you see people just walking around, or like with the wrong tent, or the wrong jacket and you're like, for like 20 quid more, you could have really enjoyed this whole experience a lot better. So you know, do the research before you before you go and make sure you've got what you need to make sure you can enjoy it no matter what.
India 34:12
I know that on your website is that you've got a quote that says, When things get tough, I simply sit back and remember the life I used to live. That's all I need to get me back up again. Do you do sort of find that? Every now and again that little, little trigger comes back and you go having a down day? No, that's what I could be doing? Does it give you motivation still?
Jamie 34:35
Yes. 100% right. It's like you're if you're no matter where you're on the world, and everything's going wrong, like on the bike and your flat tires and things brake pads go and all that and it's raining and you just use I do literally sit down and go well, if you weren't doing you made a decision to leave the office where everything was comfortable, predictable, and set out for you to come to a world where it's unpredictable. But you're outside and you're getting to do what you love, and there's less of a, there's less certainty. At any point, you can make that decision to go back to that world, but you made the decision to be here. So don't complain. And I guess I just get up and carry on. But I also found that the more you adventure, the more you get, the more you push yourself, the more you meet people, you learn the what was happening every day. So if there's ever things going wrong at lunchtime, if you keep pushing on, something will probably happen later that day, which will make you think that day was completely worthwhile. Or, like, if you look, if you're on a long Hill, and it's really hard or something, that I just look back through my little memories and think, well, this hill is about a 10th of the size of the one you did last year. So you know, you can do it. So shut up and just keep going sort of complaining. And that kind of stuff. So yes, I think
Jamie 35:59
it has this sort of you being in the midst of the midst of the elements nature has that changed your relationship with the environment. And earlier, you were saying, you do like to make sure that you're staying in farmer's fields that you've got permission for a campsite, because there is a danger of destroying the environment otherwise, and has has all these adventures change the way you think, as well about the environment and how you look after it. And you're kind of space with the nature.
Jamie 36:30
Yeah, 100%, like when you're going through it every day. And when you've done is like I've done 37,000 kilometres of entry now you like and like in the UK use you see how we're abusing it, and how that are the negative impact of human beings. And there's lots of little things that we could do, which would make such dramatic changes to the environment, make it better, make it nicer for other people like when I remember quite often I take a beanbag if I'm going up a mountain or something and pick up all the letter and it's like, why would you letter like why would you come all the way here? And then drop litter you came here because it was beautiful. So I kind of Yeah, I and I just I get sad. Sometimes I see what we do. So but and it is overwhelming when you think how could I do something to help. And then you start looking at the logistics of I remember the worst one for me was a beach in Madagascar, I was like, I want to clean that beach. And then when you start taking you killing the onion back home, I love to do that you have to do this, you have to do this, you have to do this, you have to do this. It costs a fortune. You have to change this. There's people who get out and you're like, Oh, so I think I'm probably one of the people will pick small battles and try and win them. That's difficult.
India 37:54
Yeah, you know, we all need to do that. Yeah, within our possibilities. And if everyone does that, then it makes a huge difference. So So yeah. So the big question I do like to ask everybody is looking back at the ripples you've made in your life? What is what are the biggest lessons that you've learned? to keeping your mind and body healthy?
Jamie 38:18
Oh, wow. Okay, so I think the biggest lesson I've learned is when you're about to do something challenging, a lot of people will say you can't do this, you can't that's not possible or that kind of thing. And quite often I find that that is people projecting their, what they think they're not able to do onto you. Because if they don't think they can do it, they don't think you should be able to do it. And you should just like when I was doing running the Americas, or standing in Vancouver, and people were saying, You can't do this, you can't run over the Andes, you can't run over the Atacama Desert. It's not possible. And when I arrived at the Toronto across the Atacama Desert in the Andes, I've been running for 12 months. And by the time I arrived, I realised that yes, the person who was standing at the starting line would not be possible, it would not be possible for them to do that on day one. But because I was conscious of what I was setting out to achieve, I spent everyday trying to learn all the skills I needed, that when I would arrive at any of the obstacles I would come to, I would be in the best position to be able to to overcome them. So now every day I'm doing something I'm like, what, what skills do I need to cultivate for whatever's coming next? How can I? What can I learn today that's going to help me tomorrow, that will allow me to overcome a bigger obstacle and that kind of thing. So it's always just kind of Yeah, be present in the moment to get the skills for what is coming in the future.
Jamie 39:55
What is your question? No, it
Jamie 39:58
is a very personal question. So I think whatever comes comes from you is what it is. And so what what is what is coming in the future be what have you got coming up?
Transcribed by https://otter.ai