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Purpose in the Pedal.
Blake Herlihy's Man Ride Story.
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When a global pandemic hits and takes away not only your business, but lifestyle you set up in Bali, you can feel a little lost. Blake Herlihy didn't know what to do with himself, but the bike helped him find the purpose he had suddenly lost.
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It was late 2015 when I had my first road cycling experience.
I still remember borrowing my mates bike, with the shoes that clipped into the pedals. I couldn’t believe that’s how you cycled! As you can imagine, I learned the hard way at the first stop sign.
I’ve always found myself learning the hard way, so it came as no surprise to me as I lay on the road with my feet still clipped in. Ever since that first 50km ride I was hooked. I couldn’t believe you could ride 50km’s on a bike, in a couple of hours.
“I remember borrowing my mates bike with the shoes that clipped into the pedals. As you can imagine, I learned the hard way at the first stop sign.”
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Fast forward 6 years and here I am preparing my body for a 24hr ride in aid of the World Bicycle Relief foundation and the Black Sheep Man Ride movement. I have planned this ride to take place on a 4.8km open road circuit, that myself and some local cyclists know as the “Palmy Loop”. Since that first day I clipped in back in 2015, I have always used the bike to gain mental clarity and perspective on life.
"The hard moments on the bike really put things into perspective and made the everyday life hurdles become easier to navigate"
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It was at the time I found cycling I needed it the most. I was becoming burnt out from concreting in the construction industry for the past 15 years. Prior to the bike, I had always used surfing and training in the gym as an outlet. Now cycling had become my place of reflection. A place that I really felt comfortable in my own mind. The hard moments on the bike really put things into perspective and made the everyday life hurdles become easier to navigate. It was in those hours on the bike that I realised how important mental and physical health really are.
The bike became a tool to freedom, both mentally and physically.
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Over the next few years from my first ride, I completely changed the way I lived life. From living and working abroad in Bali, to taking on cycling and surfing adventures I will never forget. I became a Yes Man. Yes to experiences. Yes to challenges, big and small.
That’s when I started to create a story I deemed worth sharing. A story worth living.
As the world started to lock down in 2020, I was living in Bali and didn’t really know what to make of it all. I made the decision to head back to Australia as I was unable to make an income from the business myself and a good mate of mine had created in Bali.
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I came back to Australia and fell back into the construction game, but only part time. My aim was to make enough to afford food and a new bike. I hadn’t been cycling much in Bali and I really needed to get back out on the bike and clear my mind from everything that was going on in the world.
It was then I decided to challenge myself to start riding long distances. I really wanted to ride 300km in a day. The day I achieved it was an emotional roller coaster I will never forget.
Since that day I have become addicted to the process of planning and attempting long days in the saddle. At the beginning of the year I set out on a 4-day adventure with a mate. We were so excited to take off. We had decided two days before that we would head south on the highway with no plans.
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The first day we took on relentless rain, headwinds and 6 flat tyres between us over 200km. We were absolutely beaten by the time we pulled up to a small town pub in Maclean, NSW. Even though we endured some pain, that weekend ignited a desire within me to start planning a solo bike tour from the Gold Coast to Perth.
There is something about riding your bike to a new destination each day and meeting people along the way that is just so satisfying. The value of experiencing the roller coaster of emotions is second to none in my opinion.
So after 3 months of planning and thousands of dollars setting up a bike to endure the adventure, I had to postpone the big trip due to border restrictions and state lockdowns.
“This ride was all about freedom to me, so I was feeling a little lost with everything”
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I had started a fundraiser for the World Bicycle Relief and to be honest, I felt like I was letting those who depended on a bike as a means of transport to school and work down, so I decided to set a new challenge by attempting to ride my bike for 24hrs.
The bike has become a tool to keep creating purpose in my life and I will forever be grateful for all it has taught me.
To me, this purpose comes from creating experiences that help you find meaning in yourself, and who you want to be.
I can’t thank the Black Sheep community enough for supporting me on this journey and I truly appreciate the platform they have created for people to share their mental health battles on.
Stay safe legends, and remember to always enjoy the process.
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