There have been a lot of reports and articles online recently about the idea of going on a cycling holiday. And let’s face it, in these times of foreign holidays being too expensive, the idea of using pedal power to get from A to B in our own country is rather appealing.
But would you be prepared for it?
A lot of people get excited by the idea of going on such a holiday. But that doesn’t mean that they are ready physically – and this is where having an exercise bike can come in extremely handy indeed.
The idea of course is that you build up gradually so that you have the stamina to really enjoy your holiday. Cycling holidays don’t require you to pedal at top speed all day – after all, that wouldn’t be very relaxing, would it? – but they do become more enjoyable if you are reasonably fit before you start.
It’s also a question of making sure you are used to sitting on a saddle for a while! You won’t enjoy your holiday very much if you are saddle sore by halfway through the first day.
Ideally, you should start a few weeks before you go away. That should give you plenty of time to build up and get used to pedalling further every single day. The scenery from an exercise bike isn’t anywhere near as exciting of course, but if you persevere and get on your bike every day – or at least every other day, you will soon notice the difference. Not only will you get used to that saddle, but your leg muscles will become stronger too. This means that when you encounter some of the hills you will undoubtedly come across on your holiday, you will find them much easier to negotiate.
It also means that you could well be able to cover more ground while you are on holiday. Think about it for a moment – let’s say you haven’t ridden a bike in ten years and you head off on the first day of your break. You might manage a mile or two before having to stop for a rest.
But if you have been practising and starting to stretch your limitations while you get even fitter, you will be able to go a lot further than that. Five miles to the next pub for lunch? Not a problem – not if you use your exercise bike wisely before your holiday falls due.
If you do decide to opt for a cycling holiday this year, preparation will certainly enable you to have more fun and visit more places. It might be hard to stay motivated when you are sitting on your exercise bike in the spare room, but think of what it will lead you to achieve when your holiday finally arrives.
And of course you can always shut your eyes and imagine yourself cycling down all those country lanes, exploring all the wonderful sights, can’t you?