Valentine’s Day is a special time to express our love and appreciation for others. But it’s also important to show ourselves some love as well! Self-love is an essential part of our overall wellbeing and happiness, so this Valentine’s Day why not take the opportunity to do something special just for you? Like going for a bike ride! Queensland has an array of bike trails suited to all levels of riding ability.

Self-love is more than just taking a bubble bath or buying yourself some new clothes — it’s about recognizing your worth and respecting yourself in all that you do. Taking a few moments out of the day to show yourself some love can make all the difference in improving both your physical and mental health. Celebrating Valentine’s Day with self-love is an excellent way to boost your confidence and lift your spirits.

It doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive — there are many simple ways that you can practice self-love this Valentine’s Day. Here are some simple ideas from our Mental Health Partner, White Cloud Foundation.

Tip 1: Take a Break from Your Daily Routine

Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to take a break from your usual routine and do something special for yourself. Whether it’s taking a long walk in nature, exploring a new part of town, or indulging in some beloved comfort food, make sure that you take some dedicated time away from your regular schedule to just relax and enjoy.

Tip 2: Pamper Yourself

Pampering yourself is an excellent way to practice self-love this Valentine’s Day. Whether you book a massage, do some yoga, give yourself a manicure, or just take some time out for a hot bath and your favorite face mask — treating yourself with kindness and care can help you feel rejuvenated and relaxed. Whatever you choose, make sure to take some time out for yourself and enjoy the experience!

Tip 3: Celebrate Your Achievements

Valentine’s Day is also an excellent opportunity to take stock of your successes and celebrate your achievements. Make a list of all the things that you are proud of or have accomplished over the past year, and don’t forget to include the small (but important) things too. Reflecting on your successes can help boost your self-esteem and make you feel more confident about all that you have achieved.

Tip 4: Avoid Comparing Yourself to Others

This Valentine’s Day, make a conscious effort to avoid comparing yourself to others. It can be easy to focus on all the things we wish we had or could do better, but comparing yourself to other people will not help you feel more confident or appreciated. Remind yourself of your own worth and focus on all the great things about you. Celebrating yourself for who you are is one of the most important acts of self-love!

Tip 5: Spend Time with People Who Make You Feel Good

Spending quality time with people who lift you up and make you feel good is a great way to practice self-love this Valentine’s Day. Whether it’s catching up with an old friend, spending time with family, or meeting up with a mentor — make sure to surround yourself with people who will support and encourage you.

This Valentine’s Day make sure to take the opportunity to show yourself some love! Self-love is essential for our overall well-being, so why not practice kindness and appreciation for yourself this year? Take a break from your routine, pamper yourself, indulge in some comfort food, and spend time with people who make you feel good — these tips will help you give yourself the care and attention that you deserve. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Raise your endorphin levels by going for a ride, and if you haven’t already, join the Bicycle Queensland family here.

Remember, if you’re not feeling ok and are a bit down, lost, stressed or anxious, help is just a phone call away.  It’s important not to let these feelings build up and become a problem, so reach out early to White Cloud Foundation and talk through what’s going on with their team of psychologists, counsellors, social workers, dietitians and exercise physiologists/scientists.  It’s free, no referral needed, and all appointments are via phone or tele-health.  Just call 07 3155 3456.

Sleep is vital for a healthy lifestyle, but how is it important for cyclists? One bad night’s sleep won’t hurt you, but prolonged sleep loss will have a bigger impact on your performance than you think. Follow these sleep tips to get a better routine around sleep and give your body an opportunity to perform at its best.

Exercise physiologist and overall health guru, Ben Greenfield states there are two primary reasons for sleep.

• The brain cleans up unwanted ‘mess’
• The body repairs itself

Get on a regular cycle

Our circadian rhythm governs the human body. So if you can go to bed and wake up at around the same time each night this will work with your body’s natural sleep cycle, rather than fighting against it. This is where the body works with light and darkness and is controlled by a small area in the middle of the brain. Brain wave activity, hormone production, and cell regeneration are just a few of the factors influenced by our circadian rhythm.

Understand what to eat and drink before bed

Obviously, sugar and caffeine are a big no, no. Sugar leads to a night of restless sleep and keeping your blood sugar levels steady is important any time of the day. Avoid caffeine up to 5 to 6 hours before bed, as for the average adult it takes that long to break down half of the caffeine. For example, the average coffee has about 80mg of caffeine, so after 5-6 hours you will still have around 20mg of caffeine in your system trying to break you out of that essential non-REM, deep sleep. Get some protein in your body to help restore your muscles during sleep. Something like nuts and yoghurt (low sugar) is a suitable snack before bed.  Stay hydrated during the day and this will reduce the chances of an interrupted sleep cycle.

Related: What to eat and drink during exercise

Track your sleeping habits

Modern technology does this for us these days with fit bits and whoop technology collecting sleep statistics and other insights to help us measure our recovery and sleep habits. If you prefer to go ‘old school’, keep a diary track patterns in your sleeping habits. You can also keep track of the things contributing to your poor sleep and try to remove these from your lifestyle.

Read before bed or develop a ‘wind down’ routine

Increased screen time contributes to blue light radiation exposure, which tells our brains that we need to be awake negatively affecting our circadian rhythm and reducing our REM sleep. The Sleep Foundation recommends a digital curfew an hour before bed. This allows our melatonin (sleep hormone) to be produced sufficiently. Put the kettle on, have a peppermint or ginger tea, pick up a classic printed novel and unwind. Consider selecting a book that promotes your mind to go to another place. Reading something about work or training will over-stimulate and you’ll be unable to unwind.

For a detailed guide to understanding sleep patterns check out this resource here:

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-Sleep

To find out more about the negative impact of screen time on sleep check out Sleep Foundation’s article here.

If you really want to nerd out on sleep, check out Ben Greenfield’s article here: https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/article/the-last-resource-on-sleep-youll-ever-need-the-ultimate-guide-to-napping-jet-lag-sleep-cycles-insomnia-sleep-food-sleep-supplements-exercise-before-bed-much-much-more/

A group ride is a great way to stay motivated while getting the opportunity to meet new people and create some friendly competition. Although a group ride is a lot of fun, there are a few tips and tricks to know before you hit the ground pedalling!

Road Rules

Whether you’re riding fast or going for a social pedal, understanding the road rules is the most important part of cycling safely. This study shows that cyclists have a better knowledge of road rules than drivers and are therefore less likely to cause conflict on the roads. By familiarising yourself with the local state laws, you will have a greater ability to protect yourself and educate others in your group. Riders in the group must look after each other during the ride.

Planning

Do some research on the route and recognise parts of the rides that may,

1. be difficult or unsafe to navigate (roadworks or heavy traffic)
2. pose a potential problem for new riders (steep hills or sharp corners)

If you’re riding with a new group, establish one person that can support you throughout the ride – this is a buddy system. Some groups will inform riders that this is a ‘no-drop’ ride which means no one gets left behind. Others will not offer such pleasantries and if you get dropped, you’re on your own. This is great for people wanting to prepare for racing as they simulate the demands that racing presents. These rides are physically and mentally demanding and suited to people with a very high fitness level.

Pace Lines

If you’re riding in ‘pace lines’ then this is a single line peloton that takes turns at the front (in the wind). The best way to ride smoothly in these groups is to take short turns or ‘pulls’ on the front while maintaining a steady speed. When you’re ready for the next person to come round you, check over your right shoulder to see if there is any traffic, then flick the right elbow out to indicate that it’s safe for the next person to come around you. It will be hard work on the front so don’t take any longer in the wind than you need to. When your turn on the front is done, you should ride slightly slower than the person coming around you so that they do not have to increase their speed and use too much energy moving to the front.

Be careful not to ‘half-wheel’ the person in front of you. This is when your front wheel overlaps the back wheel of the person in front of you. If any sudden movements in the paceline occur, your wheel would hit theirs and this will cause riders to go down. It is very important to maintain consistent speed in the group so gaps between riders are more predictable.

Group Ride Etiquette

Follow general riding etiquette to make the ride more predictable. Use hand gestures and sound your intention or alert riders of any hazards. In group rides, there are no bad calls. If everyone can hear you, they will appreciate the initiative. If you’re at the front of the group then it’s your job to make the calls identifying hazards or issues you see in front such as, ‘car up’ or ‘hole’, ‘glass’ or ‘stick’. When you’re at the back of the group, it’s your job to let riders know what’s happening at the back such as, ‘car back’ or ‘hold your line’. You also have the responsibility of letting the group know if it is safe to change lanes. Take this quiz to test your knowledge.

Each group will have its own dynamic and structure, but being prepared will give you some confidence on your first ride. If you’re can’t maintain the pace of riders at the front, sit at the back of the group and let riders know that you’re just ‘sitting in’. It is better to sit within your limits and experienced riders will respect that.

A family bike ride isn’t about distance or how fast you go. It’s all about fun and exploration. Keep reading to learn some tips and tricks that will make your family ride one to remember.

You don’t need to spend a fortune on kid’s bikes. If you do your research, you’ll find some affordable options on second hand online retail sites. Often these bikes are in great condition but are now too small for the rider.

Before you get started

If it has been a while since you or your kids have ridden your bikes, then it is important that you do the following,

• Make sure the helmet fits snugly
• Do a quick ABC bike check
• Adjust the seat height
• Make sure the bike is right for the age. (baby seat vs. trailer)
• Get the right clothing
• Plan your ride

When on the path or road look to make the ride easy enough that your little ones are puffing, but still able to talk. This will help you make it through the whole ride. Aim to have the strongest rider at the back and the next strongest at the front. This will keep all the little ones safe in the middle. Pack some light snacks and plenty of water so you can stop on the way and replenish your energy and rehydrate.

Before you leave on your first family group ride, we suggest making sure everyone is skilful enough to handle busy bike paths. The last thing you want is to be out on a busy bikeway and one of your little ones gets scared and does something unpredictable. Here are a few fun skill drills to do before leaving on your first big ride.

Fun games to incorporate in your ride

1. Turtle Race – Move as slowly as you can to a marked point without putting your foot down. First person to put their foot down is out.
2. Slalom Drill – Place four or five markers about 2-3m apart in an empty car park or cul-de-sac. Move inside out of the cones, slowly at first until you are comfortable with a faster pace.
3. Stopping and moving off – Slowly move parallel to a curb and practice stopping gently with the closest foot landing cleanly on the lip of the curb. Once steady, push off the curb into a moderate pedal so that neither foot touches the ground and balance remains stable. The slower you go the more control you have.

Once you and your little ones can do these skills confidently and your bag is packed with heaps of yummy food, you’re good to go. These rides are made even more fun if you can meet up with some friends during the ride.