Meet the instructor – Jenny Nash

How old were you when you started cycling?

I can’t actually quite remember that! I had a little trike at some point, and I did find a photo of me at seven years old with an ordinary bike, but my dad was very keen on any sort of sport, so he got us all cycling pretty young. 

I remember at 16 I bought my first proper road bike to cycle to sixth form college, because I was fed up with waiting for a bus and it was actually quicker. 

What motivated you to become an instructor?

I already worked in PE in schools as a trained teacher and did supply too. And one of the primary teachers there in one of the schools I used to do a lot of PE work in, decided to leave the teaching profession and become an instructor. I thought it would be another string to my bow, I like cycling and I like working with children so I thought it might be fun. 

What’s the best part of the job?

Actually seeing children make progress. I do love doing the learn to ride course and I find that so rewarding. It’s just great to see all these kids cycling for the first time and the smile on their faces that they’ve done it. So I think that’s the best part for me, but anything where I see children enjoying being out and cycling and gaining confidence is good. 

It’s a life skill, isn’t it? And once they’ve got it, you don’t lose it. 

What’s your favourite cycling memory or experience?

I love cycle touring. I love being self-sufficient either with a tent or having access to cheap accommodation. In my 20s I cycled from Mumbai in India to Australia. More recently I’ve done the Outer Hebrides, which was a brilliant cycle ride from South to North. And then this year we went further afield and we cycled from Hanoi in Vietnam to Siem Reap in Cambodia, and that was just amazing. I just love the cycle touring, and anything where you’re moving and journeying is good. 

I think you if were starting off [in cycle touring], I would recommend a recognised Sustrans route like the Outer Hebrides. That was great because it felt so safe. I always do it with other people, but I felt I could do that by myself. The North Coast 500 is next on my bucket list and that’s something that I feel like I could do by myself. As long as you know a little bit about bike maintenance and you’ve got some spares, you don’t need an awful lot really. 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Running is my main thing. Running, walking and travelling. I live right on Bodmin Moor, so there’s a huge choice of Moorland runs. Anything outdoors. I’m not very good at staying inside, so anything to do with the outdoors is good. 

Where is your favourite place in the world?

I’ve got two. Nepal is one of them, I love the people, the scenery, the smells. I’m going there next month to do a trek. I’ve been twice before and I just love it there.  

And also the French Alps. We camped there with our kids when they were young, and we went back so many times. It’s not in their touristy, it’s called Guillestre. The mountain bike riding is just amazing. There’s no one on them. If you went to Chamonix, I think there’d be loads and loads of bikers, but where we go there’s just no one on the trails at all. So that’s a very special place as well. 

Do you have any top tips for people who want to start cycling or cycle more?

I would say, just do it, find somewhere quiet, maybe a Sustrans route. We’ve got a local lake round here, 3 miles that people can cycle around, which is quiet and off-road. If they’re under-confident then try and find a training provider and ask for a learn to ride programme, or see if there are any cycling clubs near them. 

Balance bikes have transformed the way people learn how to ride now, and that makes a huge difference. Even if you’re an adult and you can’t ride – use it as a balance bike before starting to pedal. It makes such a difference.  

Who’s your cycling hero?

I don’t really have one, but when we did turn up in Guillestre this summer to go camping in the French Alps, we found out the Tour de France was coming through the town the next day, and that was just brilliant fun. All our three grown up kids and partners and our Grandson came with us this year, which was great. We just couldn’t believe it. I thought the 2024 Tour de France was over. I don’t necessarily follow competitive sport, but that was a great experience. 

I also did watch Tom Pidcock  in the Olympics on the mountain bike riding, and he was really impressive with his win, having come back from a puncture, being overtaken again, and then he overtook at the last minute. We could learn a lot from him about determination, strength and endurance from that race.   

If you weren’t a cycle instructor, what would your dream job be?

I always was going to be a physio, but when my older sister suddenly changed her mind from languages to physio  while she was doing her A levels, I was put off not waiting to do the same as her so I trained as a PE teacher. 

All my life I’ve managed to keep my job very varied, so I’m not always in one school. I did think of retraining as a physio, but because my job’s been so varied – PE, Bikeability, courses for teachers in gymnastics and orienteering and in forest school, which I absolutely love, I couldn’t really complain. I just managed to make my work up with lots of things that I like, but also things that the kids like. 

Are there any projects or things you’re doing that you’d like to tell us about?

I’ve got to the stage where I’m cutting back at work and having more time for things I like doing, which is mainly travelling, running and biking. [I’m planning to do to the] North Coast 500, and I’m doing the Scilly 60 challenge next year, which is a 60km run around the 5 inhabited islands of Scilly, with a boat trip in between each one. So that’s going to be a challenge because there’s cut off times on each island. So I need to spend quite a lot of time running and making sure I can do that distance!