4 October 2024 | Stories

My Bike Life Balance – Louise Wren

Learn how one committed rider balances a career on the front-line of the NHS with a passion for riding her bike

Working as an Intensive Care doctor is one of the most demanding jobs out there. Louise Wren has been a doctor for eight years with the past few focused on Intensive Care Medicine. Despite working 12.5-hour shifts, three to four days a week, Louise still finds a way to balance her demanding career with her love of cycling and racing her bike.

Read our Q&A with Louise below as she explores the ways in which she balances her riding and training with work and the positive role cycling plays in her life.

Take notes, learn some lessons and maybe there’s a small piece of advise that could help you find a better balance.

Tell us about your journey into cycling?

My cycling journey started back at Norwich Medical School, when my grandparents bought my a hybrid bike from Halfords to commute to my hospital placements on. I really enjoyed sports in general, but there was something about riding a bike that I just really loved. I wasn’t due to start work for a good four months after finishing university in 2016, so my first night home I bought an aluminum frame Scott Contessa for £350 on gumtree, and googled “cycling clubs near me”. I turned up in kit from Aldi, and a mountain bike helmet. The rest is history.

What kind of riding do you love?

Alongside gravel racing, I’ve done some crit and road racing. I love the diversity between the disciplines; it keeps things interesting and exciting. This year my eyes were firmly locked on the National Gravel Championships in Galloway Forest, Scotland. World Champs come in October.

Edit: Louise had hoped to race the Gravel World Championships in October but unfortunately crashed out and got injured during her preparations. We all wish her a speedy recovery!

What impact does cycling have on your daily life?

Your life priorities are not fixed, they constantly ebb and flow. I am in a period of my life where cycling has naturally come to the forefront. Cycling is black hole for time and money, that’s for sure. But that’s heavily outweighed by what it brings on a personal level. It’s brought me some direction, and has become my constant, my pressure release valve, and, I’m loathed to cliche, but it really is my escape, and my peace.

It has taught me about suffering; I know pain is, for the most part, temporary; the climb plateaus, the interval finishes, the race ends.

There’s generally good stuff on the other side; the view, the fitness, the podium, and satisfaction of overcoming. Managing the suffering has carried into my life outside of cycling, when dealing with life’s hurdles, and that’s invaluable.

The social side of cycling is something I value the most, it has brought me so many treasured friendships. Riding with friends, chatting rubbish, be it in the sun or the rain, down the Essex country lanes or the hills of Girona, is one of the most beautiful parts of my life.

What role does cycling play in working life?

My work is obviously very full on, I’m used to the constant academic commitment, but it is emotionally quite taxing. You do, and have to, harden to this to a small extent, but you most certainly do not become immune. As I mentioned earlier, cycling is the escape, the pressure release, and the peace.

How do you find time to train and ride?

I think it comes down to priorities. I know I’m not going to be able to ride at this level forever, and that carries a lot of motivation; my physiology and priorities will change in time.

How do you motivate yourself to train?

Having an event to work towards, be it a cycling holiday, to a big race. This year when I had the National Gravel Championships coming up, it was definitely the highest volume and most consistent training I’ve ever done. I’ve never needed a coach to hold me accountable, but I do find having a coach invaluable for their expertise on training and, importantly for me, removing decisions from my day, in terms of what kind and duration of session I should do.

What advice would you give somebody who lacked the time or motivation to train or ride?

I’d ask them why they’re cycling, firstly, you have to enjoy it, and be doing it for you.

If it’s a blip in motivation, or schedule pressures, I’d probably say let it happen. Sometimes you do need a scale back from time to time. Cycling will always be there.

But if it’s just to edge motivation and time management forward a little, my top tips would be:

1. Plan ahead: plan your sessions ahead of time, and be realistic about what you are setting yourself. Once you have made the decision to ride in advance, it’s a non-negotiable, done deal that is factored into your day. The other thing that helps with this is getting kit and nutrition ready in advance.
2. If money allows, get a coach. This can add an element of external accountability, and it frees up brain space when they are the ones making decisions for you.
3. Book something to work towards, but it has to be something you actually want to do. A holiday, a sportive, or a race, for example. Booking it with friends makes this infinitely better.

What challenges do you face when trying to balance work, life and training?

No one has time or energy to do 100% of the things they want to do, to 100% of their ability, 100% of the time. Something will always have to give. And it’s deciding what that’s going to be on a day to day basis that I struggle with.

Any other advice would you like to pass on to another cyclist?

Despite all us cyclists looking fairly similar, our why, and our journey are wildly different. So I’d say don’t compare yourself. I have previously felt fairly inferior to other cyclists, until I realised you can’t possibly be inferior when there is no standard, and the hundreds of variables in everyones lives are nothing alike. I’ve been more fulfilled by cycling since. Enjoy your journey, take cycling for what it is, and know that the bike will always be there when you need some time away.

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