Cycling saved my life - now I need to finish round-the-world challenge

Josh Quigley says cycling saved his life after months of depression and a suicide attempt

Josh Quigley says taking up cycling saved his life - and now he wants to complete the round-the-world challenge which set him on the road to recovery.

The 29-year old, from Livingston, had been drinking heavily and was suffering from mental health issues.

He attempted to take his own life in 2016 after spending six months in a deep depression - but then realised he had to try and turn his life around.

He went to a talk by Olympic gold cyclist Sir Chris Hoy in Edinburgh and was inspired to buy a bike and to attempt to cycle around the world.

Josh told BBC Scotland that at the time he could hardly ride.

"I wore one backpack on top of the other because I had so much luggage, including a kilt," he said.

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He has attempted to circumnavigate the globe seven times since he first set off on his round-the-world trip in May 2016.

He experienced a number of setbacks, including thieves stealing his bike, which he nicknamed Braveheart, from outside a hostel in London.

Sweat also ruined his passport in Australia, which meant he had to fly back to Britain to get a new one before carrying on with his tour.

Josh was 14,000 miles (23,000kms) into his last attempt when he was knocked off his bike by a car in Flat, Texas, in the dark, in December 2019.

Josh fractured his skull when he was knocked off his bike in Flat, Texas

He suffered life-threatening injuries and had to stay in hospital in the US to have operations on a broken heel and ankle, as well as having a stent fitted in an artery in his neck, which feeds blood to his brain.

He recovered and flew home to Scotland in March 2020 - just in time for coronavirus restrictions to stop him returning to America later in the year to complete the challenge.

During the lockdowns he undertook a number of other challenges, which included shaving six minutes off the record for cycling the North Coast 500 in September 2020.

In February this year he fractured his spine, pelvis, elbow, shoulder and ribs in a crash in Dubai.

Then in September he set a new Guinness World Record for the greatest distance cycled in a week, clocking up 2,179.66 miles (3508 km).

Now Josh has flown to America to finish what he started by completing the last 4,000 miles of the route.

He has been training to become a racing cyclist and is due to start competing next year.

But he said: "I feel I can't do that until I have completed what I started. It is important for me to finish it for myself.

"Cycling around the world isn't a record or anything, it's just a personal challenge for me as it's where I started out, where cycling saved my life.

"I can't move on to the next chapter until I have finished this one."

He aims to complete the remaining 4,000 miles (6,400km) in three weeks to reach Edinburgh Castle by Christmas Eve.

Josh Quigley starts cycling in the US on Friday

He will cycle self-supported from Texas to New York and Lisbon to Edinburgh - and says he will have a better high-vis jacket and lights this time.

"This has dominated my life for five years and it's a challenge that's personally been hanging over me," he added.

"When I started out I was overweight, unfit, depressed, out of shape and I drank far too much.

"Now I have been sober for three years, eat healthily and follow new habits which helps me.

"I still have highs and lows, but I'm not suicidal any more."

If you have been affected by any of these issues you can visit the BBC's Action Line.