FITNESS Getting back on the bike

FREE WHEEL Cycling is a great way to discover new trails and byways while helping your heart and mind.?Pic: Flickr.com/Bern@t

Getting back on the bike


Personal Trainer
Paul O'Brien

Albert Einstein once said that he came up with his Theory of Relativity while out riding his bicycle. Getting out on your bike may not endow you with Einstein smarts, but the great man’s assertion does suggest that cycling can benefit your mental state.
Perhaps you are among those who have a bike stashed away in the back of your shed or garage. Bought a few years ago (at least) with the best of intentions, its neglected presence now serving as an occasional prompt to get back to exercise.
Now, support is at hand. As part of a charity endeavour in aid of Mayo-Roscommon Hospice, the staff of four Kavanagh SuperValu stores in Mayo are mounting their bikes and hitting the road in order to raise much-needed funds for this fantastic local charity. The ‘Help Us to Help Others Cycle Challenge’ takes place on Saturday, September 15, and includes a 50km beginners’ route and a 100km advanced route.
The beginners’ route begins in Westport, looping through Castlebar and Newport before returning to Westport. The longer route begins in Westport and will take riders through Castlebar, Claremorris and Kiltimagh before returning to Westport via Castlebar.
The shorter route provides beginners with the perfect opportunity to get the pedals cranking again. And doing so can have many benefits for you physically, mentally and emotionally.
Cycling is a great form of cardiovascular exercise, helping to improve the function of your heart and lungs. It also offers a non-impact alternative to running for those who want to improve their fitness but may suffer from joint soreness or shin-splints commonly associated with road running. Cycling is also effective in developing muscle tone. Although this is particularly focused on the lower body, the upper body musculature is also positively affected, as is a person’s overall stamina.
As an activity that also requires balance, decision-making and quick reactions, cycling can also help develop focus and concentration in adults, and it’s among the sports that are effective in controlling ADHD in children. Research also shows that vigorous aerobic exercise, such as cycling, can be as effective in controlling the symptoms of stress and anxiety. It seems it can also improve your memory, stimulating growth in the brain’s hippocampus, which controls long- and short-term memory.
These benefits aside, cycling is very enjoyable form of exercise. Allowing you to cover vast swathes of the countryside on each outing, it’s also a great means of discovering new trails and byways. With many great cycle routes available around Mayo, not least the fantastic Great Western Greenway, there’s never been a better time to get back on the bike and enjoy the myriad benefits of cycling.
Over the coming weeks, I’ll be providing more weekly training tips (see box) for beginner cyclists who wish to complete the challenge on September 15. You can register for the ‘Help Us to Help Others Cycle Challenge’ online at www.kavanaghgroup.ie for a fee of €30. Alternatively, you can register at any four of the participating stores in Castlebar, Westport, Claremorris and Kitimagh for a fee of €40. Teams of four people can also register for the Challenge for €100 per team.

Cycle Challenge
Week 1
To begin, try cycling for 45 minutes at a speed of between 12-15mph.
However, don’t worry about speed at this stage. Your aim when starting off is to develop a comfortable rhythm whilst continually pedalling. This is known as ‘spinning’ and is the basis for all your future cycling.