9 minute read
Cycling and Hiking in SW France
Walk the Nordic Way
Linda Lewis is a National Coach for the International Nordic Walking Federation (INWA) and tells us a little more about the sport.
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You may have seen people walking with poles already and wondered what all the fuss is about, or you might feel like having a go but are worried that you won’t have the coordination. Well, the first thing is that it’s EASY as the correct technique (according to the International Nordic Walking Federation) is based on the natural movements of walking, whilst also paying attention to your posture - which most of us could do with!
Linda Lewis out for a walk, Nordic style.
Here are ten reasons to give it a go:
1. It helps weight loss - you’ll burn more calories than walking at the same speed without poles as you are using more muscles.
2. The correct technique gives arms and shoulders a gentle workout - bye, bye flabby underarms!
3. When you plant the poles and push you are also engaging your abs - imagine how many times you do that, even on a short walk.
4. The correct technique involves rolling through the whole of the foot and pushing through on the ball of the foot. This is great for combatting circulation problems in the ankles and legs, and also helps to activate the glutes with each step.
5. Working out the foot and ankle muscles is useful in fall prevention - as they become older people tend to shuffle their feet somewhat.
6. Using poles means you are more stable and less likely to slip when it’s muddy.
7. Going up hills becomes a doddle with the poles as you are now in ‘four wheel drive’ mode; able to use your arms as well as your legs to climb.
8. Your heart beats slightly faster with the poles than it would walking at the same speed without them, so it’s a great way to increase your cardio activity.
9. As using the poles works the muscles in your arms, chest, abs, back, butt, legs and feet you are also working on strength, and you can increase the intensity as you develop your technique.
10. If you can walk you can Nordic Walk!
The correct technique gives arms and shoulders a gentle workout
These boots are made for...
Randonnees can encompass relatively short walks or major routes of several hundred kilometers.
You might decide to take in the surroundings of your favourite local village or walk part or all of the Camino de Santiago. Whatever your route, there are basic principles to bear in mind. Jenny Michell and Keith Pantlin describe themselves as a pair of ageing but energetic Australians and have been walking around different parts of France for nearly 20 years. “For us” they say, “the joy of walking in France is not so much in the wilderness areas but in the settled agricultural parts, with their farms, villages and historical ruins. This part of France is fabulous as the villages tend not to be spread too far apart.”
As a pastime, randonnées are not only healthy but they are very relaxing. “One thing we notice about the long duration walks” Jenny adds, “is how our thinking changes. After the first few days we settle into a very simple, peaceful frame of mind, in which we appreciate little things like a drink of water, a rest under a shady tree, or a conversation with a farmer.” Every year, they use Géoportail, the website of the IGN (Institut Géographique Nationale) to map out a route of about 700 kms in a month, i.e. about 23 km a day. Planning is an essential part of the trip and involves much more than looking at paths and roads.
Jenny explains
but whatever the length of the walk, you need to take into account the daylight hours, the opportunities to stop and eat or take photographs and, of course, access to water. We have had a few close shaves when an expected bar or shop didn’t materialise on a hot day but cemeteries always have a tap for watering flowers. If staying overnight, bear in mind that you won’t want to be setting up camp in the dark. “The important thing is not to carry too much.
Around 7kgs each is plenty for a long distance walk where you will need a tent, sleeping bags, inflatable mattresses and a change of clothes.
Apart from travel light and take enough water, top tips for a safe, enjoyable journey include buying boots on the big side and wearing extra socks to stop blisters. Take two credit cards, visit the Tourist Office for up to date information, trust your compass and believe in your route, beat the heat and set off early, be aware of half-day closing as well as opening hours on Sundays and Mondays and, last but not least, go West or you will have the sun in your eyes all morning.
A wide variety of maps are available from the www.ffrandonee.fr website. The shorter tracks are known as Promenades et Randonnées (PRs), with Grandes Randonnées du Pays (GRPs) being the longer tracks which loop around a particular area. Long distance walking tracks, the Grandes Randonnées (GRs), are nearly always on ancient cobbled roads, farm tracks, canal towpaths, abandoned railway lines or forestry tracks.
www.walkinginfrance.info
Jenny and Keith taking a well earned break in one of our rural villages
EXTENDING THE RIDE
BY JASE ALEXANDER, EXPERIENCED CLUB CYCLIST
As the sun comes out, Jase Alexander is back to tell us how to continue our journey on our bikes.
It’s that time of year again. The days are becoming longer and summer feels like it’s not too far away. One of the great things about cycling is that it really doesn’t matter what standard you are at to enjoy it. If you just want to go out into the country to see new things and go to new places, visiting by bike is a beautiful way to do it.
To some cyclists the warmer weather can mean that all the hard work and long rides put in over the winter period are coming to an end. Now we can focus on convincing ourselves that those very expensive, new carbon wheels are worth every penny and will definitely make us go faster. To others it can mean contemplating digging the old trusty steed out of the barn and giving it a quick dust off. If it’s the latter, I would highly recommend taking it to your local bike shop for a quick once over, just to make sure your brakes and other components are working safely. Spring can also mean that there are still a few extra pounds hanging around following the festive season.
Luckily, cycling is a great way to lose them, and with many other health benefits such as lower blood pressure, cholesterol and stress levels, you will be benefitting from the pedal work in no time. The good news is that you don’t have to go over the top to gain those benefits.
STARTING OUT
First of all, just start to ride your bike, enjoy yourself, invite some friends to come along and, over a few weeks as you start to feel stronger, go a little further. During these rides just try to stay in a nice easy gear and get used to spinning your legs. You will find that speed and distance just comes naturally as your fitness starts to grow.
It’s important to remember that as your kilometres increase, so does the need to feed your body. Even if you are trying to lose weight, once your rides are longer than an hour or so, you should start refuelling as you ride. Not only will you be able to ride for longer, you will avoid the dreaded “cyclist hunger” which, when you arrive home, will see you raiding the cupboards for anything you can lay your hands on.
they both fit nicely in your jersey pocket and will make your ride even more enjoyable. Along with your food you should always try to stay hydrated. Even spring days can be hot so take water in your bidon and think about carrying a sports drink containing electrolytes for longer rides.
STRENGTH TRAINING
When you are comfortable with longer distances and feel like you need to start training to improve your strength and fitness, you can start to integrate interval sessions into your rides. For example, make sure you are nice and warmed up on your bike, then put in 30 seconds of high effort riding, followed by an easy one minute. Do this four times. Then 40 seconds high effort followed by one minute easy and, again, repeat four times. Remember that you need to work up to this kind of intensity as it is very demanding. If you need ideas for interval sessions, YouTube has thousands to choose from.
MOTIVATION
It is at this point that motivation can sometimes become a bit of an issue so keep an eye on your progress and feel good about what you have achieved. A really easy way to do this is with a phone application called Strava. Once downloaded, it will map your rides, speed, calories burnt and other types of information that will prove to be really interesting. You can also follow friends on Strava and see how they are doing on their rides but be warned, it can lead to friendly competition and be highly addictive! However, just as some of us like this kind of ride, others like something a bit different. Something a bit, well, painful. Cycling is a beautiful sport but, like any other, it can be cruel.
You can take it easy or push yourself as hard as you can. That’s why people love it. For those who do love to push themselves hard, our region has plenty to offer.
Whatever your goals, happy riding.
COMPETING
The road bike season is now well underway and, if you are looking for a good place to start competitive cycling, a Sportive could be ideal. The distances vary from 60 to over 100km but you can take them at your own pace. Just taking part and finishing some of these is a major achievement, and you will normally find a nice, welcoming atmosphere and even a couple of cold beers at the finish.
For those who want even more of a challenge, there are well organised races right through to October but, as you must have a racing license to compete, you will need to join a Club. The races, which are usually very fast, are categorised by rider levels and can also vary from 60 to 100km. Amivelo is a great website featuring all the up and coming races as well as how to get there, distances and start times.
So roll on those super sunny evening rides with friends, and those fast, painful race weekends.
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