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At Abicare we love to cycle, and we have an intrepid team who cycled 500 miles to raise funds for Dementia and last year they cycled the equivalent height of Mount Everest, culminating in reaching their chosen summit at Mont Ventoux, to raise funds for the Trussell Trust! This year they’re resting their bones, but we hope that they will have something grand up their sleeves fairly soon!
Read their stories below!
Cycling has never been particularly high on my agenda - I had done one major cycle to Paris in 2009 but do not consider myself a cyclist. Matthew Salmon, our FD joined us in Sept 2015 and in Jan 2016 he sat us round the director's table urging us to celebrate our 10 year anniversary with a 500-mile cycle round all our offices. My mind went into overdrive and thought of all the reasons I should say no, but my mouth just said yes!
I love cycling- of a weekend there is nothing better than cycling through the New Forest enjoying the sights and feeling at first hand the effort/reward effect.
Jason Bell - IT Manager
I am very lucky to live close enough to work that I am able to cycle to the office. When the weather is fine, it’s a real pleasure to start the day with a quick turn of the pedals. I get a good lungful of fresh air to get me going. The exercise ‘starts my heart’ and gets my blood flowing, so when I arrive at work I’m feeling good about myself and ready to tackle the day.
Read their stories below!
Anne-Marie Perry - Managing Director
Cycling has never been particularly high on my agenda - I had done one major cycle to Paris in 2009 but do not consider myself a cyclist. Matthew Salmon, our FD joined us in Sept 2015 and in Jan 2016 he sat us round the director's table urging us to celebrate our 10 year anniversary with a 500-mile cycle round all our offices. My mind went into overdrive and thought of all the reasons I should say no, but my mouth just said yes!
That was the start of a love-hate
relationship with my bike. Since 2016 we have planned a major cycle event
a year and as a result have had to put in some serious training to get fit
for each challenge. I have found that
has now prompted me to cycle to work – it’s actually quicker than going by car,
particularly during term time. My route runs along the river into
Salisbury, through town and an industrial estate to the office. You see more,
hear more and smell more (particularly as our office is next door to a bakery!)
It is always interesting, and I do feel better when I walk into the building
ready to sit at my desk.
I am fitter for the effort and enjoy
the country cycles – I still avoid the hills where at all possible and I love
how much easier it is to get around on a bike in Salisbury than by car. It’s
definitely a good thing but still my mind wants to say no whilst the rest of me
goes for it.
Matthew Salmon - Finance Director
I love cycling- of a weekend there is nothing better than cycling through the New Forest enjoying the sights and feeling at first hand the effort/reward effect.
I don’t however often cycle to
work, I'm not sure why because I know the benefits to my health, wallet and the
environment.
I know you don’t need to ride 50 miles
to get a fitness benefit. I know cycling is low impact and that you can choose
your level of effort depending on your fitness.
I know that cycling doesn’t have to be
uncomfortable. If I make sure my tyres are pumped up and my brakes don’t rub,
my ride will be much smoother. I know if I fall out of love with my saddle
there are lots of others I can try that will feel better.
I know that helmet hair can be worn as
a badge of honour but also that it’s soon gone. I know you don’t have to wear
lycra, although as a M.A.M.I.L (Middle Aged Man in Lycra) I know I can.
I know that starting and ending the workday
with some exercise and quiet time is shown to be of benefit to my well-being,
and I also know that I am going to cycle to work more.
Jason Bell - IT Manager
I am very lucky to live close enough to work that I am able to cycle to the office. When the weather is fine, it’s a real pleasure to start the day with a quick turn of the pedals. I get a good lungful of fresh air to get me going. The exercise ‘starts my heart’ and gets my blood flowing, so when I arrive at work I’m feeling good about myself and ready to tackle the day.
Of course, not every day is fine, but with the right clothing and a bit of flexibility over my timing, the weather is less of a problem than you’d think. Waiting for a few minutes to let a rain or snow shower pass is sensible and I’ve found that the more that I acclimatise to regular commuting, the days when the weather is actually a real problem are very few and far between.
Since I started cycling, I’ve noticed a few other very-welcome benefits. The regular exercise, albeit ‘short,’ does mean I’ve become fitter. I now find I have more energy than before; I can climb stairs without getting out of breath and my wife tells me that I’m looking better as I’ve lost quite a bit of weight. I can eat more too; the calories are left on the road!
“If you are not sure about whether to cycle to work, I’d say give it a go. What have you got to lose, apart from a pound or two?” - Jason Bell
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