Gallanach Masters Cycling

You might think to yourself how does Mountain Biking coincide with mental health? Well in fact research shows MTB can leave a great positive impact on people’s mental health.  

In this week’s episode, we have a guest with a very important role. Meet Paul MacFarlane, a Trail Therapy Mountain Bike Leader who is running this program in association with Scottish Cycling. 

This program is unlike anything you have seen before as a treatment for mental health wellbeing. It has received recognition from California, Spain, South America and more for the unique way it offers treatments to those dealing with mental health issues.  

It is a program based on the idea of combining nature and physical exercise. The project aims to take the patient away from a traditional ‘clinical’ environment and provide them with self-management skills to improve their physical and mental well-being. 

It is reported that 1 in 4 people will experience mental health issues in England. Everyone has their own journey with mental health and not all treatments work the same for each person. This is why it is crucial to have a project such as this that aims to get patients outdoors and heal through nature and exercise.  

Listen in as Paul discusses how this project came to fruition, what it involves and how this program has positively impacted many people. 

You can find full details about the new “Trail Therapy” on the DMBinS Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/watch/dmbins/ (https://www.facebook.com/watch/dmbins/) 

Website: http://www.dmbins.com/ (www.DMBinS.com) 

Meet the dynamic duo John and Roi from New Zealand and good friends of Foggie. 

They have an extraordinary tale of taking up cycling at the age of 67. Having never had much prior experience both were extremely nervous and never pictured themselves entering races and becoming Master Cyclists. 

It didn't take long till Roi became a world record holder at the age of 70. Roi holds a world record for the age group 70-74 for cycling 36.581 in an hour. A fantastic achievement. 

Listen to their story and get inspired to take up cycling. John and Roi will teach you that it is never too late to find your passion. When it comes to cycling age is just a number. They also speak about navigating the world of social cycling and building a community that shares the same passion and becoming accredited coaches.

Don't miss out on their brilliant story of success. 

Have you got an old bike hiding away in a shed or a garage? Are you unsure what to do with it but don’t have the heart to throw it away? Well, we’ve got a treat for you! In this episode, we learn how to repair an old bike and give it some much needed TLC without the costly expense of going to a bike shop. 

Repairing an old bike does not have to be as intimidating as it sounds. There are many simples changes you can make that will get your old bike feeling brand new.  

This week’s episode also has a bit of a twist. Norman and Foggy are big fans of Danny MacAskill, professional street trails & Mountain bike rider from Scotland. Norman quizzes Foggy on all things Danny MacAskill.  

Tune in to find out if Foggy is a true superfan and for the latest tips and tricks on bike maintenance to save yourself some bucks. 

As winter approaches the southern hemisphere, Foggy discusses how best to layer for the season ahead. While it does get colder New Zealand has beautiful crisp winter mornings. 

This week it's all about injuries on the bike. Norman and Foggy share personal stories of injuries, some hilarious and some downright serious.  

Sustaining injuries are a part of sports culture says Foggie and though it does make it somewhat dangerous it also makes it a very thrilling sport.  

Listen in to this podcast episode to learn about the typical injuries a rider may face and how to recover from them. Particularly when you’re older, how does it affect your body and your ability to recover.  

Find out all and gain some insightful advice on recovering from injuries quickly on this week’s episode.  

Trigger Warning: Mention of Suicide

Cycling can be magical at times and just what you need to get your life in order. 

One of the most rewarding aspects of running the Gallanach Masters Cycling podcast is hearing ordinary people's transformative stories of how they turned their lives around and got back on the saddle.  

Meet Steve Johnson, at 62, who is aspiring to represent Britain at the Olympics. At a young age, Steve gave up his dream of becoming a professional cyclist to beer, women and fried food.   

Fast forward to 2018, when Steve was classed as ‘obese’ by the doctor, it sent a chill down his spine. He realised he had to make a change to survive. ‘Cycling changed my life’ says Steve. Listen in to this week's podcast to hear his magnificent story of completely turning his life around.  

When you’ve set yourself an incredible task of cycling 874 miles, how do you keep the momentum going and not feel defeated by exhaustion?  

This week we have a very exciting guest who has done just that. We are extremely excited to present cyclist Richard Thoday, who broke a 133-year-old World Record from Land’s End to John O’Groats on a penny-farthing. The journey took him 4 days and 12 hours. In completing this challenge, Richard also raised £10,000 for Children In Need.  

Join us as we deep dive into his fascinating adventure. You do not want to miss this episode!     

This week we have an exciting feature on the podcast. Norman and Foggy go up against time to see who can change inner tubes the quickest.   

Tune in to find out who wins.   

We also continue the theme of sharing from last week’s episode. Norman and Foggy share personal tips and knowledge so you can help yourself maintain your own bike. Though it may seem intimidating, it can be as simple as following the ABC method.  

Follow along as Foggy discusses what this involves.  

 

Finding the right saddle (or seat if you're from NZ) can be overwhelming. When there’s a multitude of options it can be difficult to know what to look for.

In this week’s episode Norman shares his personal struggle with an uncomfortable saddle and Foggy breaks down all the factors that go into finding the right one.

Foggy also lends his wisdom on avoiding sores and chaffing. The key is good hygiene.

Tune in to this episode to find out more on how to find the best saddle for you. 

Did you know, nesting season in Australia and New Zealand signals danger to cyclists as dive-bombing magpies viciously protect their nests? Foggie tells us how some cyclists take preventative measures.

In last weeks episode, Norman, inspired by Mark Beaumont's round the world challenge, committed to doing a 240mile (384km) ride in a day. Listen in as he and Foggie discuss the plan and how best to manage the enormous distance on the day.

This week, Norman and Foggie travel around the world in conversation about big days out on the bike.

They share the adventures of GMC rider Mark Bartley as he recreates his covid cancelled ride from Lands End to John O' Groats in Derbyshire, England with the added challenge of harsh January weather.

Norman describes his hardest ride, around and up Mt Teide in Tenerife while Foggie brings to life the painful last stretch of a long ride in New Zealand.

So what does it take to finish a big ride? Foggie reveals all!