by Mollie Millington | Jun 17, 2019 | cycling, fitness
How many bicycles have you owned in your lifetime? Growing up in suburban USA, every kid on my street had a bike. These were usually based down to younger siblings as we quickly outgrew them and finally sold at the neighborhood garage sale. Once you turned 16 though, you could drive a car so you no longer needed a bike. (Remember, America was built for driving not riding). But when I started grad school in a small college town in Michigan, I picked up a bike at the local super store. My boyfriend and I guesses at the fit but had no idea what we were doing. The tires were for mountain biking, not road riding so it was very challenging to ride into campus. In the end I bought a parking pass and hardly ever rode my bike. When I graduated and left town, I sold it pretty cheap.
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| Rack of bikes in the sun |
The next time I bought a bike, I went to s specialist bike shop and bought a hybrid. I lived 12 miles from where I worked and had high hopes I would build up my fitness to ride to work. I never tried it because of the busy motorways involved. I did, however, ride it around my neighborhood for exercise. Indoor cycling had been my passion during grad school but there wasn’t a gym with cycling studio nearby to join.
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| My Pathlite |
A few weeks ago, Canyon bicycles invited me to try one of their fitness bikes (also known as hybrid in USA and UK) as a way to stay fit. Founded in Germany, Canyon entered the UK market eight years ago and the US market in 2017. Up until this point, I forgot that cycling for fitness was even an option to stay fit. Since moving to the UK, bicycles have only been for commuting or riding 30+ miles on a Sunday morning for “fun.” (This is fun and easy for my husband and I can just about do it. If there wasn’t cake involved, I might not be so motivated). Canyon has two different models for fitness- their Pathlite and Roadlite. Both are designed with upright handle bars, which I love. My petite frame and belly bulge make it hard to utilize drop handles. (I even had additional brakes added to my road bike handle bars a few years back.). I decided to try the Pathlite as I am toying with the idea of cyclo-cross next year.
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| Smooth ride |
The Pathlite has adjustable shocks and cables stored inside the frame for protection. It also has a robust aluminium frame, 40 mm gravel tyres and 75 mm of suspension all come together to keep you comfortable over any terrain, while a modern geometry and integrated cockpit provide agile handling for fun and reliable riding, perfect for going off the beaten track. At this event, we were near Richmond Park, so we rode along the path before having a mini-sprint challenge between members of the group. The bike was so smooth to ride I felt like I was gliding on air.
Canyon are a direct-to-consumer brand and all purchases need to be made online. The bike is shipped to you nearly assembled. You just need to attach your handlebars and seat. There is a 30 day exchange period so if anything is wrong you can get it fixed or make a return. Only 11% of their sales are from these fitness bikes. After trying one myself, I can see this number going up. The bikes are really versatile (and so light!) that they would make a great bike to have in London.
Here are a few ways you could use the bikes for a cardiovascular workout. Cycling is a great option to get your heart going without having too much impact on your joints.
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| Good upper body workout? |
Remember to spend five minutes riding at an easy pace to warm up before your main set and when you are done, cool down with an easy five minutes ride and stretch when you get off of your bike. Another important aspect of riding, especially in public places is etiquette. Be sure to stay to the left of the path if you are in the UK, use your bell when passing someone who is walking or running, and beware of children and dogs who are unpredictable in their direction.
Hill workout
Finding a challenging hill. Ride up as fast as you can for 1 minute and recover on the way back down. Make sure your recovery is at least a minute long before trying again nine times. Can you make it to the original end point each time? If the hill is too short or your find the repeats too easy, make the gears heavier.
Sprints
The easiest plan would be to find a park which has a circular route. Ride one lap with hard effort and then take the next lap to recover. Repeat five to 10 times.
After taking part in this lovely morning ride with Canyon, I have now decided to sign up for the London Triathlon. Because of my Achilles tendinopathy, I will only do the Super Sprint distance (400m, 10K ride, 2.5K run). I won’t be riding a Canyon unfortunately, but this brief ride has inspired me to enjoy cycling again (even though I am signing up for a competitive ride).
When was the last time you took your bike out for a spin? If you don’t own a bike, London has many options to hire bikes for a few hours to ride around the parks.
Thanks to Canyon for inviting me to their event to try out the Pathlite. All opinions are honest and my own.
by thinkmarsh | Jun 7, 2018 | cycling, spinning
A few weeks ago, I was invited to a product launch by the Spanish brand, Bkool. They manufacture three different types of turbo trainers for indoor cycle training and provide an online platform where you can select virtual rides to follow. This year, they are focusing on folks who, for whatever reason, need to workout at home by adding an indoor cycling SMART bike to their product line. And it is awesome.
Let’s talk about their online simulator first. Here are some fun facts about Bkool and their platform.
- As they train, riders can view a virtual race course, a specific route, or velodrome track session.
- Some routes have a video if a member has submitted one to share.
- There are over 60,000 users on the platform.
- Bkool holds almost 40% of marketshare.
- More than 3.5 million real routes are available so far and it is growing every day
If you have a Bkool product, it can monitor your activities through your profile to look for improved performance over time.
Now, let’s discuss their new indoor cycling fitness bike. Pretty, isn’t it?
- The bike links through an app on your phone to automatically adjust resistance based on your functional threhold power (FTP) test and what the class requires.
- You can use your phone to the control ride and your laptop or tablet to better view the route.
- The bike weighs only 45 kg, meaning it is easy to move around your home.
- ANT+ and Bluetooth connections available
- Provides magnetic resistance for a smooth, quiet ride.
- Easy to assemble (or pay a bit more for home assembly)
- Affordable price point
So far, the platform offers over 100 pre-recorded fitness classes. During their time in London, Bkool were also looking for new instructors to record new fitness classes in English. I am excited to announce that I was one of the successful applicants! Next weekend, I am traveling to Bilao, Spain for a weekend of training and to visit the filming studio. In July, I will head back to record eight to ten classes, each 30-45 minutes long. I have about 30 classes ready to go but need to still upload them into the teleprompting software. Me and technology sometimes don’t get along, which is why I am relieved that we will cover this during our training. In addition, half of my music is with Apple and the other half is somewhere on my laptop. This fantastic opportunity is a good motivator to sit down and organize everything into one place.
I am also looking forward to discovering new music that will suit the different types of workouts. The right song can change a participant’s outlook on the class. When I went through my initial training nearly a decade ago (yikes!), the course leader warned against themed-rides. She explained that if a person hates 80s music, they will mentally check out from the first note. I can confirm this as my Monday night class hates my 80s mix. I can see it on their faces. Now, my rides have a variety genres to bring everyone together. That is what I love about indoor cycling- choosing motivational music that makes exercise fun rather than a chore. One of my personal mantras is ‘If it’s not fun, why do it?’ When coaching new clients, and here on my blog, I aim to share new fitness concepts to help people discover something they love and want to do over and over again. I am a firm believer that being active should be fun.
What songs makes you want to jump up and dance? Run faster? Go for a swim? Leave a comment below so I can check it out. I will let you know when my first class is available to view.
by Mollie Millington | Jun 7, 2018 | cycling, spinning
A few weeks ago, I was invited to a product launch by the Spanish brand, Bkool. They manufacture three different types of turbo trainers for indoor cycle training and provide an online platform where you can select virtual rides to follow. This year, they are focusing on folks who, for whatever reason, need to workout at home by adding an indoor cycling SMART bike to their product line. And it is awesome.
Let’s talk about their online simulator first. Here are some fun facts about Bkool and their platform.
- As they train, riders can view a virtual race course, a specific route, or velodrome track session.
- Some routes have a video if a member has submitted one to share.
- There are over 60,000 users on the platform.
- Bkool holds almost 40% of marketshare.
- More than 3.5 million real routes are available so far and it is growing every day
If you have a Bkool product, it can monitor your activities through your profile to look for improved performance over time.
Now, let’s discuss their new indoor cycling fitness bike. Pretty, isn’t it?
- The bike links through an app on your phone to automatically adjust resistance based on your functional threhold power (FTP) test and what the class requires.
- You can use your phone to the control ride and your laptop or tablet to better view the route.
- The bike weighs only 45 kg, meaning it is easy to move around your home.
- ANT+ and Bluetooth connections available
- Provides magnetic resistance for a smooth, quiet ride.
- Easy to assemble (or pay a bit more for home assembly)
- Affordable price point
So far, the platform offers over 100 pre-recorded fitness classes. During their time in London, Bkool were also looking for new instructors to record new fitness classes in English. I am excited to announce that I was one of the successful applicants! Next weekend, I am traveling to Bilao, Spain for a weekend of training and to visit the filming studio. In July, I will head back to record eight to ten classes, each 30-45 minutes long. I have about 30 classes ready to go but need to still upload them into the teleprompting software. Me and technology sometimes don’t get along, which is why I am relieved that we will cover this during our training. In addition, half of my music is with Apple and the other half is somewhere on my laptop. This fantastic opportunity is a good motivator to sit down and organize everything into one place.
I am also looking forward to discovering new music that will suit the different types of workouts. The right song can change a participant’s outlook on the class. When I went through my initial training nearly a decade ago (yikes!), the course leader warned against themed-rides. She explained that if a person hates 80s music, they will mentally check out from the first note. I can confirm this as my Monday night class hates my 80s mix. I can see it on their faces. Now, my rides have a variety genres to bring everyone together. That is what I love about indoor cycling- choosing motivational music that makes exercise fun rather than a chore. One of my personal mantras is ‘If it’s not fun, why do it?’ When coaching new clients, and here on my blog, I aim to share new fitness concepts to help people discover something they love and want to do over and over again. I am a firm believer that being active should be fun.
What songs makes you want to jump up and dance? Run faster? Go for a swim? Leave a comment below so I can check it out. I will let you know when my first class is available to view.
by thinkmarsh | May 17, 2018 | cycling, self-esteem, sponsored post
Let me let you in on a little secret. I turn 40 next year. I don’t feel anywhere near this old, but I can’t help to wonder if this milestone is influencing my need for extreme challenges lately. It started with climbing Kilimanjaro, then skydiving, I signed up for a Ragnar Relay race in September, and who knows what else. Long ago, I declared my 40th birthday party would be in Las Vegas but now I am thinkin Ibiza would be a bit closer. Plus I have never been there.
Why am I starting to signup to things that scare me a little bit? Have I matured enough not to be afraid anymore? Am I bold and brave, like my new vest top from Boudavida says? What else do I want to accomplish in my life?
I thought now would be a good time to put together a list. Not necessarily a bucket list but some things that I would like to do. Once it is on paper, that is the first step of making it happen. I put my wish out into the universe and hopefully it can begin to manifest.
There are two things that are definitely within my reach. One is learning (sooner rather than later) to cycle in my cleats. This keeps coming up again and again with me. I don’t feel like a proper cyclist, no matter how many places I have ridden to (Edinburgh, Paris, various 100 mile sportives). I had some accidents while learning that shook me up though, and I don’t know of I will ever excel at staying focused enough to clip and out when I should. My mind tends to wander when I am on my bike.
Mountain biking is the other, and also seems pretty scary. I did one trail ride in the Adirondack Mountains once with my ex and all I kept thinking about was whether or not I would end up flying over the handle bars and hitting my sternum with a bike handle. Gravel, rocks, trees, and sand are all dangerous obstacles to me when road cycling but make it fun for some when mountain biking. My husband has decided he wants to get into mountain biking, so now would be a good time for me to learn too. Halfords recently released a beginner’s guide to mountain biking which includes terminology, basic skills, and my favourite section, trail etiquette. It also covers how to choose a bike, what gear you need, and suggests some trails in the UK to try.
I have found this post really helpful and now want to book in for a proper mountain biking lesson at the Velopark to develop my skills and gain confidence (Sunday mornings at 9am if you would like to join me). These lessons could transfer across to my road cycling too and allow my to spend more time with my husband outdoors if we end up investing in mountain bikes (and another shed to store them in). My Achilles don’t like running on trails so much any more so I would love to find an activity to substitute it with. Mountain biking just may be it.
What else do I want to do? Some I have talked about before but as I was writing this post, a few more came to mind.
- See Northern Lights
- Cycle across Cuba
- Go to Antarctica
- Visit Galapagos Islands
- Run Tokyo (2020) and Boston (2021) marathons
- Run a race in very us state (5 down!?)
- Ski in Japan (hopefully in 2020 after Tokyo Marathon)
- Cycle London to Amsterdam
- Hike in South America
- Take my husband to Alaska
- Apply for Space for Humanity (maybe)
- Half Marathon du Sables (this is also a maybe)
- Attend a fitness retreat
- Proper sky dive
- Write my two e-books (weekend challenges and tips for Kili)
Don’t forget that some of the above require hard work and discipline. You can’t always sit back and wait for things to happen. You need to work toward your goals, whatever they might be. I am sure there are many sports, tours, races, countries, etc I don’t even know about that would appeal to me. The key is to be open to new experiences when they come along. Being brave. I have also found asking for opportunities can lead amazing memories, like Fitbit Fifty. Being bold.
This post was sponsored by Halfords.
by Mollie Millington | May 17, 2018 | cycling, self-esteem, sponsored post
Let me let you in on a little secret. I turn 40 next year. I don’t feel anywhere near this old, but I can’t help to wonder if this milestone is influencing my need for extreme challenges lately. It started with climbing Kilimanjaro, then skydiving, I signed up for a Ragnar Relay race in September, and who knows what else. Long ago, I declared my 40th birthday party would be in Las Vegas but now I am thinkin Ibiza would be a bit closer. Plus I have never been there.
Why am I starting to signup to things that scare me a little bit? Have I matured enough not to be afraid anymore? Am I bold and brave, like my new vest top from Boudavida says? What else do I want to accomplish in my life?
I thought now would be a good time to put together a list. Not necessarily a bucket list but some things that I would like to do. Once it is on paper, that is the first step of making it happen. I put my wish out into the universe and hopefully it can begin to manifest.
There are two things that are definitely within my reach. One is learning (sooner rather than later) to cycle in my cleats. This keeps coming up again and again with me. I don’t feel like a proper cyclist, no matter how many places I have ridden to (Edinburgh, Paris, various 100 mile sportives). I had some accidents while learning that shook me up though, and I don’t know of I will ever excel at staying focused enough to clip and out when I should. My mind tends to wander when I am on my bike.
Mountain biking is the other, and also seems pretty scary. I did one trail ride in the Adirondack Mountains once with my ex and all I kept thinking about was whether or not I would end up flying over the handle bars and hitting my sternum with a bike handle. Gravel, rocks, trees, and sand are all dangerous obstacles to me when road cycling but make it fun for some when mountain biking. My husband has decided he wants to get into mountain biking, so now would be a good time for me to learn too. Halfords recently released a beginner’s guide to mountain biking which includes terminology, basic skills, and my favourite section, trail etiquette. It also covers how to choose a bike, what gear you need, and suggests some trails in the UK to try.
I have found this post really helpful and now want to book in for a proper mountain biking lesson at the Velopark to develop my skills and gain confidence (Sunday mornings at 9am if you would like to join me). These lessons could transfer across to my road cycling too and allow my to spend more time with my husband outdoors if we end up investing in mountain bikes (and another shed to store them in). My Achilles don’t like running on trails so much any more so I would love to find an activity to substitute it with. Mountain biking just may be it.
What else do I want to do? Some I have talked about before but as I was writing this post, a few more came to mind.
- See Northern Lights
- Cycle across Cuba
- Go to Antarctica
- Visit Galapagos Islands
- Run Tokyo (2020) and Boston (2021) marathons
- Run a race in very us state (5 down!?)
- Ski in Japan (hopefully in 2020 after Tokyo Marathon)
- Cycle London to Amsterdam
- Hike in South America
- Take my husband to Alaska
- Apply for Space for Humanity (maybe)
- Half Marathon du Sables (this is also a maybe)
- Attend a fitness retreat
- Proper sky dive
- Write my two e-books (weekend challenges and tips for Kili)
Don’t forget that some of the above require hard work and discipline. You can’t always sit back and wait for things to happen. You need to work toward your goals, whatever they might be. I am sure there are many sports, tours, races, countries, etc I don’t even know about that would appeal to me. The key is to be open to new experiences when they come along. Being brave. I have also found asking for opportunities can lead amazing memories, like Fitbit Fifty. Being bold.
This post was sponsored by Halfords.
by Mollie Millington | Apr 19, 2018 | cycling, travel
One of the new features of this website is offering ideas on how to stay active while travelling. Too many times, people will overindulge on food and drink while away from home, only to return to reality feeling sluggish and bloated, in addition to being back at work. Any fitness or exercise regime you keep to at home will often do out the window when you travel because you don’t know where is safe to run, if your yoga class will be in English, or the weather is just too hot.
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| Enjoying the temples in Siem Reap. |
Personally, I find I have more time to exercise while I am on holiday and aim to make the most of it. It really can depend on where you are and what you have planned though. For example, we recently went to Siem Reap, Cambodia, for three days/three nights (due to travel to and from Bangkok) while visiting Thailand for a family wedding. We booked one full day with a tour guide in Siem Reap to see lots of temples and left the other free in case we wanted to see more temples, spend time at the pool, or find something else to do. With the help of Tripadvisor (seriously, what did people do before the Internet?), we discovered Grasshopper Adventures. They offer cycling trips in various cities in Asia but all tours are designed to have a positive impact on the local community. My husband, James, is more into cycling than me, but I was keen to get outside of the city and see another side to Cambodia that wasn’t touristy. Grasshopper Adventures charge ‘reasonable’ rates for their trips but the bikes are all name brands (we had GT mountain bikes) and well-kept. You also get a reusable water bottle to take home which was a nice surprise.
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| Ready to go! |
The weather in Siem Reap was 30+ degrees C and super humid so we opted for a half day tour of the Siem Reap Countryside. It was $35 each (American money is preferred in Siem Reap) which is definitely expensive compared to how much other things cost in Cambodia but I will say it was worth it. The bikes were all new, as were the helmets. We had two guides for our group, which had a family of five (kids 5, 4 and 2), me and James, and a women from Taiwan. We met at the shop quite early in order to get out on the road before it got too hot. We had sent our heights ahead of time which meant our bikes had been set up for us. James’ bike was fine, but mine needed the seat raised a bit. We left the shop as a group and hit the city roads. Did you know Siem Reap only has seven stop lights? Traffic just seemed to sort itself out at all the roundabouts (rotaries) and junctions (intersections) but it made me very nervous. I am by no means an agressive cyclist and was more than happy to have the guides stop traffic so that we could make our way across busy roads. Once we were out in the country, the road were much quieter and I relaxed a bit.
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| Village roads were much less crowded for riding. |
Along the way, we made several stops to allow for a break from the sun and learn about the local culture. We first stopped at a family home that had a farm. We learned about the typical Cambodian house design which is on stilts and how people farm land.
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| Stilts help protect from flooding and add additional shaded areas when it is hot out. |
Our next stop was a small wet market where were were able to tried raw lotus, fried bananas and local coffee (I opted for full fat Coke). We walked around too and saw the variety of things for sale, like live fish in bowls, whole plucked chickens, fresh eggs, and decorations for the upcoming New Year celebration. The women selling at the stalls loved the little kids on our tour. I think because they were all blonde.
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| The fried bananas were delish! |
Our next stop was a hut on a pond with hammock, fresh fruit our guides bought at the market, and 50 cent beer. In the cool shade, we ate our fill of fruit and chatted with the family. Within a short walk, there was a field of lotus and a flower farm which were lovely to photograph.
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| Huts and hammocks |
Our last stop was a monastery for Buddhist monks which had a large five-toed pig (the genetic anomoly is treated as holy), a temple, and a family cemetery for ashes. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the official name, but the shrines are quite striking.
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| Unfortunately, we couldn’t enter the monestary but the artwork on the outside was impressive. |
We then headed back, cycling along a highway and then a dirt path on the river to avoid the busy roads. The children with us were on the verge of a breakdown since the monastery as it was super hot by now and their attention span was waning. We were back by 11:30am for fresh in-the-shell coconut water, cool washcloth, and of course photos. It was a lot of fun and we even tried to book in another tour with them in Phuket. Unfortunately, they don’t have any tours there yet. On my next trip to Asia, I will definitely keep me eye out for this company and you should too. I really admire that they try to educate their customers about the local culure. For example, another tour you can take in Siem Reap includes a stop at a training centre for rats used to detect land mines, then you stop at a shop to learn how to recycle plastic bags into jewelry, and then finally stop at a brewery how to make wine out of rice. Grasshopper Adventures have an app so you can go self-guided if you are more independent or you can take a multiday trip to see things at a different pace as you travel between major cities.
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| Stopping at a lotus farm |
Overall, we were veyr impressed with the level of service, quality of the kit, and what we saw during our tour. I can say, hands down, we recomend the shop in Siem Reap. I cannot wait to try another tour the next time we are in Asia. Perhaps when we go to Japan in 2020 for the Tokyo Marathon?
Have you ever books an activity last minute while on holiday? Tell me about it in the comment below.
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