Sam William Andrew Returns to Badlands: Grief, Purpose and the Power of Cycling

Titici ambassador Sam William Andrew has returned to Badlands, one of the hardest ultra-distance bike races in the world. This time he wasn't chasing a result. He rode to tell a much bigger story: one about grief, mental health, homelessness and how cycling can give us purpose when life feels broken.
At Titici, we're proud to stand behind Sam and the film that came out of this ride. Here, in his own words, is why he went back.

What is the Badlands ultra-distance race?

Badlands is a self-supported gravel and ultra-distance race of more than 800 kilometres through the deserts and mountains of southern Spain, with roughly 16,000 metres of elevation gain. Riders carry everything they need. They navigate alone, find their own food and water, and decide when, or if, they sleep.Sam knows the race well. In 2023 he won the pairs category with his friend Jesse. Going back this year was, in his words, "a completely different experience."

Why Sam went back to Badlands?

"I wasn't just returning to race or chase a result," Sam says. "I'd been through a lot personally, particularly losing my brother last year, and I wanted to use the race as a backdrop to tell a much bigger story."The physical challenge was still there. But the meaning had changed. Badlands became Sam's way of exploring everything that had happened away from the bike.

Opening up: why Sam chose to share his story

For a long time, Sam struggled to talk about what he'd been through, let alone share it publicly. "Those who know me well know that I don't open up and talk as much as I probably should, so doing this has been a big step for me," he says. "But I feel it's an important story to share, not for myself, but for the people who might need to hear it."Losing his brother made Sam reflect on his own life, the people around him and how quickly things can change. He had wanted to make something meaningful for a while, but only if it felt genuine."Eventually, I realised there probably wasn't ever going to be a perfect time," he explains. "If sharing it could help even one person feel less alone or encourage a conversation that might not otherwise happen, then it would be worth doing."

A cycling film about grief, mental health and homelessness

The film links subjects that might seem separate. Sam believes they're far more connected than people realise.As well as his brother, Sam has lost several wider family members and friends. The film also looks at the places and experiences that shaped him growing up, and how they can influence the direction a life takes."Mental health, addiction and homelessness aren't always things we talk about openly, and there's often a lot of judgement surrounding them," Sam says. "But behind every situation is a person, a story and a set of circumstances that we might know absolutely nothing about."His aim isn't to have all the answers. It's to be open, show some vulnerability and challenge the assumptions people make.

What cycling has given me

Cycling has given me a lot, but more than anything it's given me purpose and direction.
It's been a constant through so many stages of my life. It's brought me structure, friendships and opportunities I could never have imagined.When things have been hard, getting on my bike has mattered enormously. Sometimes it's about clearing my head. Sometimes it's about pushing myself in training for a race. And sometimes it's simply a few hours where I don't have to think about everything else.I don't think cycling fixes your problems, and I'd never suggest it does. But it's given me something positive to focus on when other parts of life have felt pretty broken.So much of where we end up comes down to the people around us, the places we grow up and the chances we get along the way.Growing up, skateboarding and bikes were a massive part of my life. They introduced me to different communities, gave me somewhere to put my energy and eventually led me to cycling at this level.Looking back, I can see how important those outlets were. It's easy to underestimate the difference one positive influence, one opportunity or one person can make.For me, finding direction doesn't mean knowing exactly where you're going. It means finding something that gives you a reason to keep moving forward, even when the road isn't simple.

Giving back to Bristol

Bristol is home. It's where I grew up, and I wanted this project to do some good for the community around me.We see homelessness across the city, but it's also something people can become disconnected from. It's easy to walk past someone without thinking about what they've been through or what brought them there.
Help Bristol's Homeless is a local charity doing vital work. It supports people experiencing homelessness to find accommodation and get the help they need to rebuild their lives.
I wanted the film to be more than a personal story or a cycling documentary. By raising money and awareness, I hope we can make a real difference.
I don't need everyone to feel the same thing. Some people will connect with the cycling and the effort of Badlands. Others will connect with the grief or the mental health side. Some might just see the people and communities around them a little differently.I hope it makes people think. Maybe it prompts a conversation you've been putting off, a message to check in on someone, or a bit more patience with what others might be going through.Most of all, I'd love people to leave knowing that even when life gets incredibly hard, there can still be purpose, connection and good things ahead.
The biggest lesson is that there's no right way to deal with hard things, especially grief.Some days you feel like you're making progress. Other days, something completely unexpected brings it all back. Grief isn't something you get over. It's something you learn to live alongside.A few things have helped me:
- Talk, even when it's uncomfortable.
- Surround yourself with people who truly care about you.
- Find something, however small, that gives you purpose or something to look forward to.

You don't need to have it all figured out. Sometimes just getting through the day is enough.