Cycling

Father Figure and Father’s Day Gifts

This week Daniel, Jack and myself feature in this Vitality Father’s Day Father Figures magazine article and we even star in one of their up-coming “Everyday Athletes” adverts.

However, I will not be celebrating Father’s Day, for I am not their father.

I am Stephen, their step dad kind of thing and although I have been a part of their lives for over four years, I do not seek to replace their daddy. I am very happy being a father figure and I am happy taking them to the park, to the barbers and often to task for not tidying their rooms or doing their homework (Jack!). I love them to bits and I get to spend every day with them and half my wages on them.

That being said, they rarely buy me Father’s Day gifts or even Christmas or birthday presents (hey I am still a big kid and love pressies) so I thought I would publish a wee wish list, especially for their mum and maybe other mums or partners to read and to then consider buying for their active and want to get active dads (anything but a jumper or “Best Dad” mug).

Let’s help get some of those father figures into shape with these Father’s Day Gifts

Danny, Jack and Teresa, this is the Garmin Forerunner 735XT. Just saying.

I love my Garmin Forerunner 235, but now that I am running less (damn knee), cycling more and hoping to swim more, I would give my right arm (I wear my watch on my left) for the new Garmin Forerunner 735 XT. It might mean that I swim only in circles, but I would be doing it in style. The 735 takes the great features of the 235, such as the wrist heart rate monitor, the smart notifications and activity tracking to a new height (or is that depth?) with the ability to track swimming, SUPing (read my SUP blog) and even strength training. It is quite expensive at £360 but it is feature packed and I just know that it will look amazing on my wrist and will undoubtably make me cycle and swim faster. It is most definitely not another waste of money that will lie in a drawer, darling Teresa.

While we are on the subject of Father’s Day gifts that I probably won’t get, let’s stick with Garmin. I have been having a wee look at their bike kit and I am dreaming of adding more value onto my bike than the bike is actually worth. More than I am worth, if I am honest. The Varia Rearview Radar, Insight Display and Smart Bike Lights all appeal to my “all the gear, no idea” mentality, but my “don’t want to be homeless” mentality is thankfully in control. For the moment, that is. While I am in dream land, I might as well ask for the VIRB XE Action Camera, Vector 2 Power Meter and Edge 1000. A snip at a mere £2,260 for the complete set of these Garmin Father’s Day gifts.

Back on this planet, your purse might not quite stretch that far and if looking for some more reasonably priced Father’s Day gifts, Garmin has a whole range of activity trackers. My pick is the Vivosmart HR. It is vastly superior to the the Vivoactive 3 and indeed is probably the most value for money activity tracker currently on the market. It is non intrusive, easy to operate and understand, while it is very robust. You simply put it on and move, with a single charge lasting five days. You can wear it in the shower and in bed, where it will track how restful your sleep is. It will even connect to your mobile phone and display smart notifications such as emails, weather and social media updates. It can currently be bought from several retailers for under £100

Just watch out for the red inactivity bar. Once you have been inactive for too long and it reaches its limit, you receive an electric shock to motivate you into moving. Ok. I made that last bit up, If you really want that feature you will gave to buy the Pavlock. Yes, this really exists and yes, you shock yourself. I am shocked that 10,000 people have bought into this madness to modify their behaviours. The Vivosmart HR simply vibrates.

Non Garmin Father’s Day Gifts

Away from Garmin gadgets, there are a couple of fitness items that have made it onto my Father’s Day Gifts list and which are slightly cheaper than anything above, but still mange to express how much you love him (or me).

Lululemon Men’s Shorts. Possibly the best shorts that I have ever worn.

First up we have Lululemon shorts at £68. Yes, I did actually type £68 and I would actually pay (or hope someone else will pay) that for these shorts, as I already have a pair. Lululemon Glasgow kindly gifted me a pair to wear in the Vitality advert and I LOVE them.

My initial opinion of Lululemon clothing was that it was expensive yoga pants for athletic women. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that they sold superb men’s gear all the way up to size xxl. And none of this Italian designer label xxl nonsense that fits the average 12 year old in Scotland (we really do have an obesity issue). The finish, feel, fit and functionality of these shorts is unlike any other shorts I have worn. Treat the special man in your life to a pair from HERE and maybe don’t tell him how much you paid!

Ideal for all outdoor activities, including standing on a touchline or at a Man V Fat Football match.

Next up, we have the excellent New Balance Tech Training jacket. Wee Jack is determined to join the local football team, St Cadoc’s, in August and I can see myself standing on a touchline as the wind and rain batter down on me (I live in Glasgow, remember). New Balance are positioning themselves as one of the top athletic brands and they are producing some excellent training shoes and apparel. With it’s fleece collar, water resistant shell, storm cuffs and hood it compares favourably with other branded mid range water resistant jackets. It is versatile and could also be used for running, cycling, walking or even at a Man V Fat Football League. Pick one up for £75 and encourage your man to get outside in any weather and to #sitlessmovemore

Start shedding pounds, without spending too many with Man V Fat

You might also want to encourage hime to pick up a book. Not just any book, but the best male fat loss book available. Ok. I am slightly biased. It is written by my friend, Andrew Shanahan and I do feature in the book, but it is genuinely full of sensible, practical, applicable and most importantly weight reducing advice. It is of course the Man V Fat: The Weight Loss Manual, available for under £8.00 from Amazon.

WARNING: This is one of those Father’s Day gifts that require tact and diplomacy. Please make sure that your father (or partner) needs and wants to lose weight.

Equally excellent is the Man V Fat website, where you can join an amazing group of current and future losers, find out more about Man V Fat Football and read wonderful reviews of items such as the Garmin Index Scale (yes, I possibly do have a Garmin obsession).

Give him the Father’s Day Gifts of Happy Feet

For my very last item on my Father’s Day Gifts list, I have selected something free (aren’t you glad) and something that ties in with my current series on Feet for Life. Why not book you father or special man in your life in for a free foot health check at these participating locations? He is going to be active and he should have the best platform on which to get started, in addition to the best gadgets hopefully someone else’s money can buy.

Feet are for life and not just for Father’s Day

June 12, 2016 0 comment

Cycling Triathlon Try-Athlete

Street Trials with Ali Clarkson

written by Stephen Morrison

Today , I made my first active commute to and from work by bike.

May 31, 2016 1 comment

Cycling Health Radio Triathlon

Can I Run? My question to Hampden Sports Clinic.

written by Stephen Morrison

Can I Run?

This is not some sort of philosophical soul searching or Eastern enlightenment from my Chi Running workshop. It is the question that I asked my physiotherapist, Jim Fallon, at the Hampden Sports Clinic last night.

Please allow me to rewind.

Back in 1978, aged 5 years old, I fell over in pain. I hadn’t tripped or had a slip; I had a problem with my hip. That problem had a name. Perthes Disease.

Monkeying around in my crutches.

It led to me spending six weeks in a hospital bed, with my legs attached to pulleys. Imagine being strapped to a medieval rack, but then being served copious amounts of ice cream. This was followed by several years in crutches and a prophecy.

I would never be an athlete. I would grow with one leg shorter than the other and I would undoubtedly succumb to joint problems and early onset arthritis.

When you are 7 years old, joint problems as an adult are not on your list of pressing priorities, which, for me, included adding to my Star Wars figure collection.

Fast forward 36 years and to last night and the adult me is remembering that prophecy, but also thinking about adding to my running shoe collection.

I have been struggling with knee pain for a few months (ok, years) and last night I was given the news and advice that every runner dreads and ultimately ignores.

I should not be running.

Not now, not soon and ideally never again on concrete (he did not exclude trail running!).

My knees have carried a lot of weight over the years, especially when you think of my years weighing over 25 stone and they have not escaped unscathed. It is time for me to take care of them.

So, I will actually listen to my Hampden Sports Clinic physiotherapist and focus on strengthening my legs and trying to address my flat feet (Scott Devenney, hopefully to the rescue ).

May 4, 2016 1 comment

Cycling Triathlon

Spinning at Pure Gym

written by Stephen Morrison

It is Friday night and the boys are spending the weekend with their father. Woo Hoo!!!

Before you think too badly of me, please let me explain. I love the boys dearly and I enjoy almost every moment of their company, but their visits to their dad give Teresa and I chance to do things together and go out together to places that we wouldn’t take the boys.

Like Pure Gym. That’s right. A Friday night alone and we went to the gym. Together.

We love training on our own and have different training regimes and preferences, but there is something sweet (who says romance is dead, although we are now in different rooms. Me, writing a blog and Teresa, writing a research paper ) about going to the gym together and swapping workout details on the way home.

Not only are we a couple who train together, but we have a married couple who train us. Wee shout-out to Personal Trainers Christine and Spencer Peek of Peek Fitness.

But back to tonight’s date night. Teresa was booked into Zumba and I was planning on….actually, I had no plan. Part of the reason I have PT sessions with Spencer is that he works in Puregym and he is currently helping me become competent and confident with weight training.

I was training with him yesterday, so tonight I wasn’t sure what to do,

Call it fate but an opportunity presented itself. My puregym membership is a pure bargain. Included in my £10.99 monthly membership is a whole weekly schedule of free classes. Most classes are booked a week in advance and things like Combat and Spin are usually full.

But not tonight. Tonight, I was asked if I wanted to take a spare seat in a Spin class. I don’t know if it was my coffee date with spin master Jen Wilson or my current desire to be become overweight, but I instantly said yes.

Yes, you read that correctly. I would love nothing more than to be overweight. Rather than obese, which I am currently.

So, I found a bike at the back and adjusted my seat, once , twice three times until I felt that the saddle, pedals and handlebars aligned with my short armed, short legged and pot bellied physique.

The class was set to last 45 mins, but within 5 mins I discovered a problem, The belly that I had let return last year probably wasn’t a consideration when Matrix, the spin bike brand, designed their bikes. Every time we crouched down, I was given a reminder of why I want and need to lose fat.

Belly is going to get you at Pure Gym

Yes, I had my own built in air bag that almost devoured the bike. It wasn’t comfortable, but maybe I need to sometimes feel uncomfortable. That isn’t an invitation to fat shame me (enough of that in the last blog), but every time it hit the frame , I pedalled that little bit faster. I pushed myself a little harder.

And I end up enjoying it. It was challenging, it made me sweat and it was fun. The instructor encouraged us and he delivered what was basically a great interval training session

I will definitely make spin a weekly thing. Not least for the reason that I want to see my feet. Now, that WILL be a progress picture

Here’s to my next Friday night spin in Pure Gym

January 22, 2016 0 comment

Commonwealth Games #Team14 Cycling Triathlon Try-Athlete

Get On Your Bike For Team14

written by Stephen Morrison

It’s Bike Week and as a member of Team14 and as an Active Travel Champion and spokesman (I do like a pun) for both Sustrans and Paths For All, I thought I’d take a break from running (albeit for only 24 hours) and wheel out my bike and my thoughts..

My decision to get back in the saddle was partly inspired by a recent trip to Copenhagen, where I ran a marathon (there are possibly Amazon tribes who still haven’t heard this). Not only do the Danes love running (1 in 3 run), but everywhere you look, people are going to work, school and even to evening parties on bikes.

It’s not surprising then that Copenhagen is probably the happiest and best place to live in the world.

So while some people are complaining about lane and road closures in Glasgow during the Commonwealth Games, I am excited that this will be an Active Games. I make no secret that walking and then running to and from work were instrumental in transforming my life. I also discovered, to my surprise, that I didn’t melt in the rain. If we can continue improving our routes to the Games venues, we can encourage more to get to them by foot and bike. The challenge then will be to continue this progress and build on the great work by organisations such as the Bike Station who today, in partnership with Glasgow City Council, launched their Nextbike Hire Scheme. For the next three years residents and visitors to Glasgow can hire bikes, a la Boris style, to get about our wonderful city.

Bike Station were also present at the Pollok Park Cycle Fair on Saturday, 14th June, and in addition to getting my bike security stamped by the Police, I took the opportunity to sample some other forms of cycling. They say two heads are better than one and surely four legs peddling is even better, but sitting behind, with no control felt just a little uneasy, even though I was in capable hands. Rather than cycling in tandem, I felt like a spare part, simply responding (usually belatedly) to instructions from my main steer.

I needed to feel in control. So, launching myself and my bike off a ramp and onto a huge airbag made perfect sense. Even the warning sign and the attendant’s admission that yes, I could get hurt, only made me want to do it more. As I’ve grown fitter and stronger, I’ve also seemingly become invincible. I had the Men’s 10K the following day, but what could go wrong? After a few minutes warming up I was adjudged to be confident and competent enough on the special stunt bikes to tackle the ramp. I readied myself and powered my way towards new heights of awesomeness.

I’d like to report that I flew into the air, with birds scrambling out of my way, but in reality, I was reliable informed, I simply flopped over the side, with the now evident bruising (and earlier swelling) on my knees paying testimony to my ungainly landing. Unlike young Gregor Robb, from Hamilton, who seemed to hang in the air for an eternity before landing perfectly. My evaluation of my lack of elevation was simply that I was too big and heavy. Gravity does not lie. However, I was not to be beaten and buoyed by my new stunt rider status, I decided to test my cycling skills further. For in Pollok Park, where I spent much of my childhood, there is a new reason for me to head into the woods.

The Glasgow Mountain Bike Centre has arguably been eclipsed by the Commonwealth Games site at Cathkin Braes, but for a newbie like me, it was an ideal location to get started. With Alpine Bikes on hand with a truly amazing full suspension bike and some tips, I convinced myself that I would be able to safely navigate the Blue Circuit which is:

“a first step into steep terrain, varied surfaces and a chance to get your wheels off the ground.The Blue route requires skill and concentration to get the best out of yourself and your bike.”

And yes, my wheels DID leave the ground. I narrowly avoided several trees and my heart was racing, not only from the the exertion of climbing the inclines, but from the exhilaration of the descents. It was brilliant fun and I can now understand why several of my friends regularly go mountain biking.

Bike Week lasts from 14th-22nd June with activities across the country, from organised group bike rides to bike surgeries, where you can give your bike some much needed tlc.

June 16, 2014 3 comments