HEALTH SERVICE
Cycling can not only help your physical health, but your mental well-being too. Here’s one great reason to ride...
As an overweight 51-year-old, I’m exactly the type of person who I imagine Cycling Plus, BikeRadar and BTwin had in mind when they came up with the idea to Get Britain Riding (GBR).
For me, though, riding a bike isn’t just about losing some weight. For the past three years I have been suffering with mental health issues that mean I find it hard to get out and meet people, and have led to hospitalisation.
On bad days I can’t even leave my house, but last year my cousin lent me an old bike and I started riding the lanes around my home in Kent. On a good day, I can cycle for miles, and I’m building the courage to get out more regularly.
“ON BAD DAYS I CAN’T LEAVE MY HOUSE, BUT LAST YEAR MY COUSIN LENT ME A BIKE AND I STARTED RIDING THE LANES AROUND MY HOME” ROB SMALE, CYCLING CONVERT
“I WOULD REALLY LIKE YOUR READERS TO HELP PEOPLE GET CYCLING FOR THEIR SANITY” ROB SMALE, CYCLING CONVERT
I’ve noticed that when I’m on the bike I am too busy cycling to get stuck in my own head. When I get passed by other cyclists I say “Hi” and I’ve even been able to hold a conversation with a complete stranger when I stop for a cuppa. For most people these are ordinary things, but for people like me they are big wins.
I would really like your readers to help people get cycling for their sanity. If they know someone with mental health issues, the encouragement to get them on a bike could literally save their life. People like me are not only dealing with the day-to-day problems of a mental health issue but are statistically more likely to suffer with other health problems too.
GET INVOLVED
So what’s next for me? I have seen teams of local riders out training and wonder what it would be like to join them. I see bike events advertised and dream about training to take part. One day I want to ride a 100-mile sportive — it’s a big dream, but it’s the first time I have thought about anything except just making it through the week.
Like so many cyclists I’ve now joined Strava to track my progress and have set myself a weekly target of 100km a week. I’m targeting getting out on the bike at least three times a week, increased my time in the saddle from 30 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes per ride, increased my mileage from 10km up to 30–50km and gone from walking scary hills to not letting them beat me. I also say hello to every cyclist I pass!
I have decided that I want to get five riders signed up to the Get Britain Riding campaign. I started by telling my vocational support worker about GBR and now she is going to check out her employer’s Cycle to Work scheme.
I would like to encourage interested readers to speak to their local mental health charities to find a buddy to take riding with them. Part of recovering is getting past the fear that being honest about your mental health is weak, and Get Britain Riding sounds like a brilliant way for people to build emotional resilience, take on a challenge and get fit.
And if you see a lone cyclist puffing his way around the lanes of Kent give him a wave and a smile!