After two decades of health problems, 57-year-old Karen Cox never envisaged herself as a cyclist. However, one day, the charity worker climbed on a e-bike, and her life changed.
Karen Cox has a condition called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), with fibromyalgia and arthritis, as well as other underlying conditions.
Between them, they gradually reduced her mobility over the years, and her deteriorating mental and cognitive skills left her with low confidence, meaning local trips to her local town were fraught with anxiety. After receiving a life-changing scholarship from Flying Scholarships for Disabled People in 2016, Karen felt able to challenge herself and found the confidence to get a job with a local outdoor learning and adventure youth charity, Outfit Moray.
It was at one of their bike festivals in March 2020, that her colleagues finally persuaded her to try an e-bike.
It was love at first cycle.
“Before I climbed on that e-bike, I hadn’t cycled in over 20 years, due to health issues. I soon realised that the motor took the resistance out of the pedals, and it was amazing being able to ride a bike.”
“I live in Lossiemouth, on the Moray Firth coast, and we’ve got so many amazing places to visit, but so much of it is inaccessible to me, especially as a mobility scooter or wheelchair user, but cycling changed all that. I had always wanted to get up a local hill called Ben Rinnes, which you can see from Lossiemouth, but never thought it would be possible.”
However, during a conversation where a friend mentioned that it he regularly cycled up the hill, Karen decided she was going reach the top.
Assisted by friends and colleagues from Outfit Moray, plus family members, Karen fulfilled her dream in August, and scaled the 2759ft to reach the summit of Ben Rinnes, on a converted electric mountain bike.
“I am a fundraiser for Outfit Moray, a charity that provides adventurous activities for young people in Moray, particularly those who are vulnerable or disadvantage, but we also get funding to deliver cycling confidence sessions to adults and I’ve witnessed first hand the difference they can make to people, including those who’ve had to give up cycling due to age or health issues, but have tried an electric bike and are cycling again”.
In May 2023, Karen went on to complete Cairngorm to Coast, a 100km bike challenge which starts in the stunning Cairngorms National Park and finishes in Lossiemouth.
“I actually set this event up in 2015 and never thought I’d be able to do it, so completing it with my son on our Volt e-bikes was incredible, and very emotional.”
Karen has more adventurous of plans for the future, including ascending Cairn Gorm on the 13th July, which is the sixth highest mountain in the British Isles. She’ll be supported by Able2Adventure, using their electric ICEtrike, a recumbent mountain trike with fat tyres, she is also hoping to take part in Ride the North, a 70 mile road cycle event, after having to pull out last minute last summer due to health issues.
“I am keen hoping to use the challenges to raise funds for Outfit Moray, because I’ve seen the difference they make to people’s lives, including mine. Without their encouragement, I wouldn’t be cycling and my mental health would be in a much different place.”
To find out about Cairngorm to Coast fundraiser, visit: Cairngorm to Coast 100km Duathlon – Outfit
Moray
To find out more about Karen’s cycling journey, visit: Facebook
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