Hi everybody and welcome to another edition of Vet Chat, and it is great to start the new year with something a bit aspirational. We've all had a little bit of a sucker punch from Uncle Boris last Monday. And er I dare say people are in not the best space, so it's always great to have something upbeat and look at people that are doing positive things in the profession.

And I'm delighted today to be joined by Laura Massey Pugh, who has er taken it upon herself to For some reason, embark upon a a world circumnavigation on a tandem bike. So Laura, it's great to have you here. I am certainly intrigued to find out a little bit about, you know, sort of what you're doing and why you're doing it.

But I just wondered if you could just tell people a little bit about you and about your partner, and about the challenge that you've taken on and, and sort of what's, what's driven you to this point. So, yeah, so I'm a, a, a small animal vet. I've been qualified about 11 years.

And I've basically, I've always ridden my bike. So I think, you know, colleagues from Edinburgh Uni will remember me turning up, usually dripping wet or covered in snow or something on my daily commutes. And since then I've, I've commuted to and from work and done a few longer runs.

But I think it was when I met my husband, Stevie, we actually, we met at a beer festival. I was serving the beer, he was buying it and he, he spun me this tale of how he'd cycled Land's End, John O'Groats both ways in a ridiculously short amount of time, and I thought, hm, really? And, well, a few more years later and the rest is history, but it turns out he's a fairly epic long distance cyclist and took me on my first long distance ride on the back of a tandem and yeah, the rest kind of carried on from there and has escalated out of all proportion, I think.

So yeah, we've . So he's a fairly epic long distance cyclist. Does that mean that you get to sit on the back seat of the tandem, you know, with your feet up in the news or is there, is it an equal share?

How obviously sort of like, I mean, you know, I do, I've done some, some long distance. Triathlons and I have to say I absolutely hate the cycling part, it's my, my weak point. And there's, there's nothing worse, just as, you know, one person on a racing bike getting to a hill.

But, but when you get to, you know, a hill on a tandem. What, what, how does that work? Because presumably like obviously for anyone that knows about cycling, you, you've got cadences to how does that work on a on a tandem?

Yeah, so I mean I do enough riding my own accord now. I've, I've actually passed few years I've outdistanced Steve with total miles, so I'm fairly fit myself now too, even though he he's far faster than me, he always will be. But on the tandem, we're actually linked by a timing chain, so every time he turns the pedals, I turn the pedals as well.

And this has interesting implications for communication has to be quite strong between us, and, yeah, hills are one of the big issues causes tandem's a very heavy bike and essentially we grind to a halt when we hit a hill, so it takes a lot of power to get up. We've done some of the fairly epic climbs in the UK on the bike, but they're not easy, and it's, it's definitely easier getting up on a solo bike. But having said that, the downhills and the flats, the tandem absolutely flies.

So they get a really good pace on there, but yeah, it's, it's got its challenges, certainly. So what's, what's the driving force behind the challenge that you're doing, sort of, you know, obviously it's . Not everybody wakes up and goes like, OK love, you know, let let's go and circumnavigate the globe on a tandem, so you know what what's, what's the driving force behind that?

Yes, so I think we're, we, we, yeah, have a propensity to take on fairly bonkers challenges anyway, and I think this is a culmination of a number of years of, of doing different things and I think the main thing was for us was the current record holders, which are 22 lovely ladies came in just before lockdown. And this the first lockdown this year and got the world record for the circumnavigation as a female couple. So they did it.

We somehow managed to squeeze on a holiday this year, where I say a holiday, we cycled from Lans to John O'Groats and London in 10 days, which with camping weight, was reasonably fast. And it kind of made us think, we looked at their record and went, well, that's amazing. But we think we can go faster, and I think particularly I'm quite a planner, so the fact that we've, I've not had holidays, trips, challenges, things to plan, you know, throughout this year, suddenly the idea kind of took off and before you know it, we're, yeah, kind of looking into roots and researching, you know, ways around and things like that, so yeah.

So in no way, shape or form fit the the stereotypical competitive vet. Description where it's sort of thinking, yeah, you know, we can do this bigger and better and faster. It's yeah no I like it, it's really really cool and I think obviously, you know, from your side of things, cycling is obviously, you know, an escape, you know, everybody has their own, you know, sort of ways of letting off steam.

I can certainly empathise, although my bike over the last year hasn't really made it much further than the turbo in the garage. But obviously, you know, this is. Your, you know, that, that, that release valve if you like.

And obviously we're working in a profession that is at the best of times, stressful. Mhm. But obviously, you know, over the last 12 months, you know, veterinary teams are, are very, very stretched.

And, and our, you know, people are, are, are struggling. And, and what, what about what you're doing gives you, obviously, you know, not everybody is gonna go and cycle round the world, but but you know what, how do you get that balance between getting your your fix for you but getting work as well? Yeah, and I think it is tricky sometimes and there's kind of there's times on the bikes so if I'm commuting to and from work, that's massively beneficial to my headspace and my mental wellbeing, cos if I'm sat on my bike, I can't be checking my emails, checking Facebook.

I might be thinking through the cases of the day, but in a very kind of slow, ponderous fashion. And I pick routes specifically that kind of, you know, get me out in the fresh air in the countryside rather than busy roads, so that, that headspace for me I think is absolutely vital. And then the challenge aspect as well, so when we do our bigger eyes which could be more extreme, you sometimes get to the point there where you cannot think about anything apart from.

How are you gonna stay warm, how are you gonna stay fed, where are you gonna get water, at that point, you know, the, the, email sitting in your inbox is, is long dead to you, so in some ways that's a balancer as well, but I think there is, you know, I've got to, I try and be quite careful not to, I have been guilty of kind of over planning and overburdening myself and trying to do everything to the extreme before, so it is a bit of a balance. But hopefully, because I've got a lot of time to plan this trip, it will kind of pan out along along the way and, and yeah, by the time I get there, we'll be ready to go. Yeah, it's, it's properly cool.

So, how have you found, obviously, you know, for, for, for many of us in practise, you know, sort of March to now as being, you know, a real, A a real change, and, and for many people an eye opener, you know, and I think, how, how have you found that, that sort of COVID veterinary world, you know, has it impacted on you or have you, have you managed OK? I think it's impacted on everybody massively and I've changed jobs a couple of times during that period, so there's been a lot of change for me and I think everybody struggles with change, so it's dealing kind of with the implications of that. But we have been really, really lucky in a lot of ways and we've been so, so grateful that we've been able to do things like go on the, the Amazon John O'Groat trip, we bought the Pennine Way as well.

So we've done some really big adventures within the remits of the COVID restrictions which we're so, so grateful for having that. I know a lot of people haven't been able to, you know, get away or do what they wanted. But it certainly has been challenging, so I think the cycling has, has helped with the balance of that.

And I think having gone through all the changes and kind of developed my skills dealing with change, I think it's made me more open to ideas and I'm, I'm not sure I would have considered a trip like this, you know, if we were in the same place we were last year. I just, I think I would have written it off as that's something somebody else does, whereas I think COVID really made me feel like, well. You know, that's, you know, you've got to take opportunities when you can cos you never know what's gonna happen next year.

And I think that's part of the reason that spurred me to do it was you can't take, you know, what you've got for granted. So I saw an opportunity and I think I had the, the, you know, push to, to take it. Yeah, and I think it's, it's it's interesting, isn't it, when you sit there thinking like, you know, it is, we're we're part of a profession where people have a, a vast.

Plethora of things to offer, you know, clinically yes, but also outside of that clinical setting, but, you know, what is it that you're, what are you hoping to achieve, you know, with all of it, other than obviously the obvious of, of going round the world on a tandem faster than anything else. You know, what, what, what does success for this look like, you know, to you and Steve? Yeah, and, yeah, our names in the Guinness Book of Records would be pretty cool, I must admit.

But, no, and it's, it is a lot more than that. So, we, we'll be riding for, for charity as well, when we get to that point, we'll be only on charity pages and Vet Life is gonna be one of our main charities for all the obvious reasons, but also because I think it links in with it quite well, the mental well-being of getting outside, exercising, you know, taking opportunities, and I think. As well, kind of reassessing things as well as I say this wasn't something I'd necessarily ever thought I'd consider doing, and I think it's very easy in the veterinary profession, you get into a job, you get stuck into it and you, you just go from day to day to day doing the same thing without really kind of appraising.

Your situation and what your goals are for the long term, so I think I'd really like to think a challenge like this might inspire people as well, whether it is to do something different, taking a challenge of their own, or even just to get outside, be it on a bike, be it on foot, running, whatever, and, you know, I'm starting to build up social media channels and things like that to kind of show, you know, the ways I get out and about and outside and it doesn't necessarily need to be. Riding around the world, but sometimes just kind of a walk to work, for example, instead of driving can make a big difference. So I'm kind of hoping it might kind of show people, you know, other ways to to do things and kind of see things from a different perspective as well.

Yeah, and obviously you know you touched earlier on the fact that you do, you do love a plan. So. I dare say, you know, a challenge of this magnitude certainly involves a little bit of planning.

But, but is there anything, you know, obviously, you know, not all of the world is safe, not all of the world is fully mapped, not all of the world has roads. So, you know, are there any areas of this challenge that you're, you're looking at with, you know, a little bit of anxiety or, you know, a, a little sort of reservation about the thing that you're doing and kind of going, oh, you know, when we get here this is gonna be. A test of our relationship.

Yeah, I think, yeah, the, there's certainly some areas, and I think because of the, the situation, the travel situation at the moment, we haven't got a set routers yet, and I feel we're kind of still 18 months away from when we're travelling, so political situations could change before that. So we, we have not. I've got a set route in this kind of the, the Middle Eastern range of things is where we'll have to be quite careful with the planning, but I think from my perspective I'll, you know, hopefully by the time we get there, that'll be all planned, that'll be all sorted, we'll, you know, we'll know what we're doing, we'll have things in, in place.

And have kind of the, the safest route through and hopefully the flattest as well. The Premier highway looks amazing, but that, that's probably not gonna be an option if we're racing around the world, for example. So it's yeah, there'll be, there is a lot of planning involved, but that's kind of what I thrive on, so I'm kind of up for that challenge, .

As for the, yeah, day to day on the bike, that will be probably a challenge to take on itself and we've done kind of enough of these trips now that I think we, you know, between me and Steve, we both know that, you know, being tired, cold, wet and hungry does not make for a, you know, wonderful married life sometimes. And it's a bit of give and take, but I think. I think it's the experience that we've already got of, of doing these sort of things that, yeah, hopefully, you know, we, we'll work through everything and I might sulk for a day or two, but I tend to get over it.

Yeah, and, and like, will you need to take breaks? I mean, you know, goodness knows over the last year, I think any married couple, you know, we've all had our moments where one of us needs to go and stand in the corner. And you know, there's there's that element of, you know, when you, when you're in such close confines with, you know, pressures and stresses and strains of, you know, the, I'm sure there will be days where, you know, you miss mileage targets and stuff like that and it's easy to become deflated, you know, have you guys got plans and strategies in place for that, or has Steve just accepted that, you know, he needs to duck and cover at times?

I think, yeah, I think we'll, yeah, just have to kind of take it as it comes, essentially, and it is gonna be a challenge. I mean, we'll be looking at averaging 100 miles a day. So, any time we have to take off the bike and, you know, there's other things to consider as well like yeah.

You, you, sicknesses, bugs we could pick up while abroad, that could wipe us out for a day or two, and then that will be 100 miles, we'll have to make up over subsequent days. We will have to take some flights because there's not a strip of land all the way around the world, so we'll have to take those into account as well and. And I think we're just hopeful that, you know, our experience, we were kind of averaging the same on London's End John O'Groats when we did that and we kind of treated that as a holiday.

We still managed to get a couple of beers in in the evenings, so I'm kind of hopeful on that basis that, yeah, it would just be a case of, of keeping it, keeping it going and, you know, being quite organised about everything, so. It's, yeah, but it will certainly, it's gonna be a a a big big challenge and a lot of people said well why don't you do it slower, but it's, yeah, I think it's the challenge how you're hardwired. And obviously, you know, one of the, one of the really fascinating things for me is that, you know, you, you've clearly, you know, as you say, you've had a couple of job changes over the last, last year, you've landed in a job that by the sounds of things you quite enjoy, .

And obviously you have that conversation with your employer, by the way, I, I'm planning on disappearing off to to circumvent the globe, and I just wonder, you know, again from that perspective, you know, how is, how, how has she taken to that, but also I think, you know, is, is there a lesson in, in, in employment here, you know, in terms of having somebody as part of your team who, you know, does have an aspiration, does have a goal, does want to go away and do something. But how as, as your boss. They, have they taken to that, or are they absolutely livid and not speaking to you at the moment?

Well, it's, it's funny actually because I actually, I took on the job recently with, I'm working first opinion for Sarah Smith Cardiology, so they do all the fancy stuff and I'm still a small animal vet. But I actually, I, I had the plan in place by the time I was being interviewed for the job and I, I. Actually thought it would be a deal breaker.

I thought when I come out with this crazy, crazy idea I've got, they'll go, No, no way, that's fine, we'll get somebody else. And I, you know, I sat there and kind of said, Well, you know, this, this all sounds amazing, and, you know, you, your job looks fantastic, but there's one small hitch. And I, I told them what I had in mind and so I expected it to not pan out, but oh my goodness, yeah, Sarah and Booth employ me, they were, they were just so excited.

About the plan, so the rest of the interview just went to pot. We didn't talk about, about that. They just bombarded me with questions about how I was going to get around the world all the time to bicycle.

So that was amazing, and they just basically, they instantly agreed to give me the sabbatical time off work. They've agreed to sponsor me as well, and yeah, they've been so, so supportive and I think that was so open minded of them to. To take me on on that basis and you know because we have got the time, it's there's already looking at ways to kind of cover my absence and things like that and I think, yeah, being brave enough to stick my neck out and ask for that, I think.

Actually, a lot of employers want their employees to be happy, and I think I'd made the assumption it was, it was not gonna be a, you know, a possibility, but I think you've just got to ask the question sometimes and yeah, their response was, was, you know, just blew me out of the water. It was not what I expected at all, so it's, yeah, it's great. I think there's, you know, that's a really encouraging message because of course, so many vets, in practise, you know, we, we know that there's a shortage, we know that, you know, teams are stretched, but I think, you know, you have obviously, you know, I think one of the distinct advantages you have here is that you have got the time for the practise to put a plan in, in place for that.

But I think, you know, if you're . To send a message to other employers who, you know, many, many members of our profession have some kind of aspirational goal, some of them nearly as bonkers as yours. But, but, but, you know, if you had a message to other employers across the profession, you know, what, what would you, what would you say to them about, you know, engaging with their teams and, and, you know, sort of opening up these, these career breaks as options, you know, what, what do you feel that will, how, how has that strengthened your relationship with the practise?

And you know, how has that improved your sort of long term plan or well maybe not improved, maybe er impacted on your long term plan for, you know, your, your work life like in the aftermath of all of this as well. I think, well, I think it for the start, it, it developed my trust very quickly in the practise cos it made me feel like they're there to support me whatever I choose to do, and, you know, they were so quick to kind of put things in place to, you know, provide cover and OK, that's great, you want to do this, what do we need to do? And it's think it's that that level of support and I suppose it kind of reassures me, you know, if me or any of my colleagues had to take time off, not out of choice, but again there's there's things that can be done and I think as vets it's very easy to.

Take it all on yourself and you know, you, you know you've got that consult list booked in for the day and you think if I don't do it, nobody else can do it. And I think realising that your employers are there to support you and to help you, I, I think we can be a bit guilty of overlooking that sometimes. So yeah, as I say, all I had to do was ask the question.

And I think the same could go for other people that did want to take time out from the role. I kind of touched on it earlier that you can kind of get sucked in sometimes to. I think it's especially the fast-paced kind of work I do, you know, one consult every 15 minutes and then you rush through a couple of ops and then it's straight back in again, and you don't ever kind of come up for for breath to reassess what's going on in your life.

And having a way to take the time out, have that supported and to know I'm coming back to a job is, is amazing. So I, I actually think. A lot of employers would be open to to that sort of thing, particularly because of the shortage of vets in the profession.

If you've got a good vet, you want to keep them and you want to keep them happy. So if it's a a bit of inconvenience of covering for a few months as opposed to that vet moving to a different job, I think a lot of employers would be a lot more open to ideas like that than than maybe kind of employees might think, so. Yeah, I think that's the, the, the message is maybe just ask the question.

Yeah, I know, and I think, I think you're, you're very right to point that out, and certainly, you know, I look at, you know, mistakes I've made in my approach to things over the course of my career, and there's that assumption that, you know, bosses won't understand and and and get your reasons for doing stuff. So I think, you know, from that side of things it's . It it's good to see that, you know, there are bosses out there that are, are keen to engage and, and to, you know, to keep the the members of staff, you know, it makes much more sense to have a high retention rate, doesn't it?

Than than having to, to find a replacement for, for, for when, you know, people are looking at doing these, these challenges that, as I say, some of us think of doing so. Obviously a sabbatical is, is a great opportunity, you know, in, in this case to do something cool. Others would say I, I think it's, I think it's awesome, bonkers cool like just.

Really exciting time for you guys, obviously you've made mention of, of doing it for various different charities. Obviously, you know, the, the great thing about doing huge challenges is that, you know, you do get to, to highlight and support charities invariably. Now, obviously one of the things that I, I have noticed that's the your other half shares something very much in common with another endurance athlete in the veterinary sphere, Rob Pope.

And that is that, you know, they both seem to have ridiculous beards. And so I think there's potentially a research paper there er into the er the the the the correlation between the size of a man's beard and the the level of bonkers challenges that he'll go to. But in terms of, you know, people engaging with, with you and, and Ste and and the challenge, obviously, you know, you're not planning on going until summer of 22.

That you're off, how, how can people across the profession and outside of the profession, you know, engage with you, guys, support you guys, and you know obviously everything that you're looking to achieve. So, as I say, we've, yeah, recently we've kind of building up our social media presence, so we're on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. Under Stella Tandem, so S T E L A tandem.

And yeah, I'm just starting out with a YouTube channel as well, which has got some very dodgy footage on it at the moment, but it would be great to think I can get to the point where I can film some of our adventures and what I'm hoping to do is build that up with kind of a say, content of being outside, be it on the bikes or or or anything else and. Yeah, we've been doing a bit of blogging as well about our preparations. So it's, yeah, trying to engage with people in the run up to that, it'd be one of the things I'd really like to think would be to bring a whole load of people virtually around the world with us.

So if we've got a load of followers and when we've done other kind of challenges before, you know, friends and family have followed us on blogs and things and it's so nice when. You get to the end of the day and you can see there's a little message of somebody going, oh, you know, keep going, or, oh wow, you've had a, you know, big day, haven't you? And, and to think that you've kind of taken those people with you.

So it would be amazing to think that we've got kind of people following us around the world, as it were. And if that inspires people to take on their own challenges, or, you know, even just get on a bike, and ride 5 miles, that would be amazing. So that's kind of the focus at the moment.

We are looking for kind of sponsorship as well. So yeah, any kind of companies out there we're kind of approaching for sponsorship, but for, yeah, the main at the moment we're we're just looking to build up that following and create a bit of excitement really. Oh, that is, it's properly cool.

For those of you that want to see the world from the comfort of your couch, you can, you can absolutely get involved with the stellar tandem challenge, so I think, you know, that is, it's a, it's a really great opportunity for you guys. I think, you know, it's always great to ticker. A life goal and you know, hopefully you do get that, that Guinness World Record, and they there's nothing better.

I mean I've, I've still got Guinness World Record books from being a kid, but you know, to think that you can have one with your name in it, you know, you can put a circle around it and and put it in pride of place on the bookshelf. I think I think that is a really, really cool thing and of course there's so many people that will benefit from from the money that you raise, so. Laura, it's, it's so cool to chat.

I, I'm fairly sure that we will have further conversation between now and next year, but, obviously, best of luck with the preparations. If you are looking at, at, you know, trying to support the guys, in, in, in this, this huge challenge, then, then yeah, you know, please do follow them, do engage with them. By all means give them some money, and you know, every little bit counts and I think, you know, we've seen that.

Certainly from a veterinary professional side of things, you know, vet life has, has been inundated, over the last year with, with, you know, higher levels of, of calls than ever before, so, you know, if not now, then, then, then when. So I think, you know, absolutely, you know, support them now and support them over the next 18 months as they go ahead and do it and, and definitely follow it. I can't wait to see all of the pictures.

The thing is that I'm not gonna lie, I will feel completely happy about the fact that you're doing all of the hard work and I can just watch the photos. But Laura, it's great to chat, good luck with all of the prep. And yeah, we will, we will see how the er the adventure goes.