Cyclists of London – Becky Mursell Photography

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Becky Mursell is one of those sickeningly talented individuals and also nice to go with it. It’s a combination to be admired and of which to have envy simultaneously. When she invited me to be part of her Cyclists of London project, I was delighted to oblige. This was once I stopped laughing at being called a cyclist, included in a project about cyclists, or photographed in lycra!

Photograph courtesy and © Becky Mursell Photography
A little about Becky Mursell

I mention Becky elsewhere on the site. She was the provocateur of the phrase “Cinnamon Bun Run” (referring to cycling expeditions to Windsor’s Cinnamon Café) even though she is yet to join us on one of those bike rides. It’s probably no bad thing given that she would be Mark Cavendish to my snail!

Cycling very proficiently is just one of her talents. My description of proficient is slightly understated in that she rode RideLondon in less than five hours in May. On top of that, she is a marathon runner, very gifted photographer and all around good egg.

We first met through our running club, Clapham Pioneers. It was on a Sunday morning long and leisurely run that we got chatting about life outside of running. Becky was very interested in my work as a Trustee of Mind and I was keen to hear about her ambitions for what was, at that point, the rapidly approaching Barcelona Marathon.

Before long, we stumbled across the fact that we would both be doing RideLondon in May 2023. I didn’t, at the time, realise I was talking to Speedy Gonzalez on a bike but should have had an inkling when she mentioned she was doing the Dragon Ride Medio Fondo in June. Dragon is known as one of the beasts of the UK amateur cycling sportives and is also potentially the last event of my Fun Before Fifty fundraising campaign next June.

During the same conversation, Becky mentioned her career change from working in the third sector to launching Becky Mursell Photography. I am in awe of anyone who is willing to seize the day and follow their personal dreams, using the talents they have.

As we spoke about both photography and cycling, conversation inevitably turned to her Cyclists of London project.

Cyclists of London – in brief

I won’t say much about the Cyclists of London project as I think you should go to Becky’s website and read about it for yourself. However, she speaks openly about cycling as something great for her mental health, and of combining her passions for photography and bikes. All in all, I love all of the combinations at play around the project.

What I love is Becky’s summary of the Cyclists of London project.

The project is about celebrating the everyday cyclist, uncovering the hidden stories amongst the cycle lanes and further understanding the diverse role that bikes can play in people’s lives.

Becky Mursell Photography
A quick chuckle

When Becky asked if I’d like to be part of the project, I chuckled before realising she meant it! I’ve never seen myself as a cyclist but soon realised that I am one of those hidden stories amongst cycle lanes.

We dived into more detail over a coffee at Wandsworth Common’s Flotsam and Jetsam café in March. I was sold on the idea.

Becky talks about celebrating the diverse role bikes can play in our lives. It struck me that me and my wife are so different in this context. Cycling is a means of spending more time outdoors with Claire and a foil to my burning passion of running. Claire, conversely, is a regular and very able cyclist. I now see a reason for Claire and I to be in the Cyclists of London project, without the guffaw!

Logistics can be difficult, especially in Spring Marathon season, so this was months in the making! Eventually, on a bitterly cold early June morning, we met in Battersea Park for the ‘photoshoot’.

The photoshoot

Becky is the ultimate professional. She made Claire and I feel at ease and spoke to us about the progress of the project. Admittedly, we cut short the speaking because of the unseasonably cold temperature and got down to the business of riding around Battersea Park to find suitable spots to shoot!

I must admit I was goosebump and shiver central but that’s fortunately not too evident on the photos. It was the week after the Chelsea Flower Show so the park was still awash with the buzz that accompanies that. Typically at 7am, it was also awash with unpredictable canines and equally unpredictable humans!!

This was the recipe for a fun photoshoot and one for which Becky got things done super efficiently. And we absolutely loved the photos when we saw them a week or so later. I’ve posted a few with Becky’s permission below – please remember they are copyright of Becky Mursell Photography.

Now your turn

Becky has completed 40 of her planned 100 portraits as of July 2023. You can see more about the project on her Instagram as well as her website.

In short, Becky is still looking for volunteers to be part of the Cyclists of London project. Whether that’s you or someone you know, do connect with her. I suspect, like us, you will find her to be professional, likeable and very able.

We’re humbled to be part of the project and hope you will too. We can’t wait to see it all come to fruition.

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