Like most kids, I cycled and like most adults, I stopped once I got a job. In 2009, when the recession hit, I needed something other than work to think about, so I bought a bike and began commuting from Maynooth into Stephen’s Green every day.
It became an hour (each way) in the day when I could only think about taxis, buses and potholes – no time for dwelling on the “what ifs”. It was definitely a mental lifesaver for me.
I progressed to training with Base2Race, who got me racing with the Irish Veteran Cycling Association which is a league for over-40s for men and over-35s for women. It's brilliantly run with 90km races at 9am most Sundays from April to September.
Group rides
Let me tell you, 90km at 40km/h certainly opens the lungs, clears the head and earns you your share of the wine that evening. It’s not all about racing though. There are great local cycling clubs around the country who host group rides for various abilities most weekends and it’s a great way of getting out and about while keeping mentally and physically fit. I try to get out with Lucan Cycling, who go from Stagg’s Bike Shop twice a week and, while it might seem like a mad dash to the finish line, what we’re really thinking about is the coffee stop!
Now my “what ifs” are all about where I might be if I hadn’t missed those precious cycling years between childhood and 2009.
- Erik Robson, director at Ely Wine Bar and Ely Bar and Grill
