At 6 p.m. on March 12, Lucy Hempstead climbed onto her bike, which was connected to her trainer, and started pedalling. She kept pedalling for 24 hours. At 6 p.m. the following day, she set a distance record, which is currently in the process of being ratified by Guinness World Records.Hempstead is from Ottawa and is a former runner. She’s faced anxiety, depression, an eating disorder, burnout and broken bones. Now, things are looking more positive. Her discovery of cycling is part of that complex change. She may have broken a world record on her bike, but the machine has played a more significant role in putting things back together for the rider. In 2019, Hempstead’s mother signed her up for a talent identification program that aims to steer young athletes toward Olympic goals. That bit of parental initiative has Hempstead on a path to the Games in 2024 for cycling.So listen to this conversation with Hempstead to find out more about this 20-year-old rider with big potential. And find out just what type of pizza she crushed after setting a world record.

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