A Chat with Chris Winwood: Endurance cycling, backcountry hikes and working in adventure with epilepsy.

Seize Your Adventure

Chris is an Epilepsy Education & Outreach Worker for the British Columbia Epilepsy Society and in summer last year Chris also raised money for BCES by cycling from Prince George to Jasper - a distance of 375KM - in just two days.

(N.B. I can't add up and in the podcast I say 275KM... Sorry Chris!)

Chris is a hardcore adventurer. I was introduced to Chris about a year ago, via the British Columbia Epilepsy Society. Chris is an Epilepsy Education & Outreach Worker for the BCES.

As well as his work for BCES, he’s also a ski instructor, and he did a BA in Nature Based Tourism at university. His Facebook page always shows beautiful pine forest, trees and rocks and rocks and trees and the odd lake.

Chris' lifestyle, his career and his independence really relies on being healthy and able drive.

We talked about:

-His first seizure when he was 21 years old

-Having to give up driving

-Depression due to epilepsy

-Reaching a moment of crisis due to depression

-How his friends, family and colleagues supported him (and how some didn't...)

-Laughing about his own condition

-Working for British Columbia Epilepsy Society

-His Facebook videos talking about epilepsy

-Mitigating epilepsy risks in the backcountry

-Leaving a trip line when going on solo adventures

-Finding good friends to adventure with

-Hiking the Chilkoot Trail in the Yukon

-Turning to road cycling because he couldn't drive

-His 375km cycling challenge...

-And (of course) bears!!

CONTENT WARNING: Chris talks about depression due to epilepsy, misuse of alcohol and a moment of crisis in this episode. If you want to skip that part of the chat, the conversation about his adventure life starts at 20 minutes.

CONTENT WARNING 2: There is the smallest swearword in there.

Disclaimer: Please remember this is Chris' personal experience. We take no responsibility for individual decisions made with regards to adventure sports or medical conditions.

If you have depression, or would like to talk to someone about your mental health and how you feel, if you are in the UK you can contact Mind for information and support or contact the Samaritans if you are in crisis. Those in Canada can contact Crisis Services Canada.

VISIT CHRIS' FACEBOOK PAGE:

The Diaries of an Epileptic Dirtbag Otaku

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MUSIC:

Kev Rowe on Soundcloud | Creative Commons Attribution License

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