Indoor Cycling for Life
As I sit here writing this, my mind is telling me that I should make time for a session on the Elite rollers or the Justo trainer. I’m reminded of this by the gentle rocking noise coming from the upstairs of the house, where my youngest son is pedalling away on the Elite Suito set-up in his cycle studio. At the same time, my eldest son is currently tackling an alpine pass on the Elite Justo and Rizer interactive combination in the garage, with the curved screen monitor in front of him and the lights dimmed to add to the effect.
Yes, we’re a family that like to be healthy and to stay reasonably active, whatever the weather. We eat healthily, apart from the obvious and necessary vices: cake, chocolate and puddings every now and then – usually once a week. And yes, we also like to share a bottle of red wine at the weekend; either Italian or a Bordeaux, over a quiet evening together watching a movie. I guess that in essence, we’re reasonably normal, and thankfully also aware of the benefits of staying healthy. After all, I recently celebrated my 58th birthday, and that is quite something for me. Yes, I know, it’s only middle-aged these days, and there are some analytical programmes that tell me I have the fitness of somebody in their mid-thirties – thank you A.I.! However, I recall being aged about 8 or 9 and talking to a friend at school about the end of the century – the year 2000.
Those crazy days of childhood
Picture the scene, it’s a warm sunny day and we’re chilling out and bathing in the sun during break, and talking that usual childhood nonsense that we all now miss. My friend suddenly says, “how old will be at the end of the century!” To this day, I can’t recall why the question came up, but it did, and I can clearly remember the post-question analysis, for its humour. I responded “I’ll be 35 years old!” Which is a point of fact, and one that is, or was immovable. The humour came in my friend’s response to this:
“No way, I’ll never be that old will I!” and of course, we both laughed.
Along the way, there are a few old school friends, and others unfortunately who didn’t make it to the year 2000, and they stay with me constantly. On a positive note, though; yes, a few weeks ago I celebrated my 58th birthday and I’m still fit and healthy and can easily run unaided and cycle up steep hills – just not as fast as I once did. My sons find it hard to believe that I was a child athletic champion of sorts, over the middle distances. I gave up running competitively in my early twenties, because spending time with my wife was more fun that too much training!
Time in Constant Motion
And here I am today, writing all of this, with the ceiling above me still gently rocking to the beat of the pedals from my youngest son on the Elite Suito, probably riding interactively in the Yorkshire Dales, his favourite place; and, my oldest son has just come in, alive with adrenaline after his climbing session in the alps, courtesy of the Elite Justo and Rizer set-up, and the quite awesome monitor set-up he uses to display the Elite ‘Real Videos’ that add the realism to his rides – it clearly works.
Listening to the sound of the trainer upstairs, and to my other son’s enthusiasm, I’m inspired to get clothed up in some of Italy’s finest cycling clothing, supplied by my friends at Rosti in Milan, and tighten up the BOAs on my Lake shoes, in readiness for the Elite Quick Motion rollers. When the weather improves, I’ll head out on my Bianchi, clicking my way through the temperamental but quite beautiful Campagnolo Chorus gears, listening to their distinctive voice as the bike urges me on, and I’ll know that I owe my relaxed demeanour and performance to those very clever people from Elite, near Venice and Verona, in the simply sublime north of Italy. Yes, I owe my health the eating well, to lots of olives and olive oil, and to the odd glass of red wine, and to saying no to that second piece of pie.
My old school friend and I would have such a conversation, were we to meet up again today, seeing ourselves still reasonably slim, but way past the age of 35 years, and still able to run for a bus… and catch it.
Health & Wellness = Happiness
You see, what I’m trying to say is this: cycling and especially indoor cycling, isn’t about being the next Chris Froome or Vincenzo Nibali. It’s about living as long as possible and with smiles on your face. It’s about trying to be the best version of yourself, with the aid of the amazing technology contained across the range of the Elite indoor interactive trainers, and maximising the equipment to improve your general health and well-being. We get 86400 seconds in each day. In our first 35 years, we get 420 months, which isn’t actually that many, when you consider all the possibilities in life and across the world. Time is constantly moving, and we move along with it, and it’s our most precious gift.
Never Stand Still
That gentle rhythm from the Elite Suito upstairs, is my youngest son, making the most of his day and extending his life, whilst creating those endorphins that will also bring him more smiles. Yes, indoor cycling is simply good for you, and like the other exceptional things that Italy has given to us: red wine, stylish and high-quality fashion, a wealth of history, straight roads, the Forum, the Colosseum, and yes, Cappuccino and Tiramisu – the latest range of cycling trainers from Elite, has something for everyone. There are no excuses, and you’ll feel better and ride better and smile more after a training session indoors, while the weather rains down outside.
Don’t take my word for it. Get along to your local bike shop and try out one of the Elite trainers today, and treat yourself to a healthier lifestyle. Then, get online and book that cycling trip to Italy next year, and have a real cappuccino, because one this is for sure – we may not live to the end of this new century, so let’s make every damn day count!
