With lots of free time during the lockdown period it was an ideal time to try new hobbies, set yourself a challenge or improve your fitness. Sarah Caird a local to Aviemore is usually found playing Shinty for the Badenoch Ladies Team but has turned into a wee bit of a Strava geek. Here she shares where she found her motivation for the bike and how she juggled cycling with her two kids. 

Thanks to Avimore Bikes where this article was first published.

Introduce yourself

Hi I’m Sarah, 40 years old with two kids a girl and boy age 10 and 6. I live in Aviemore and work for VisitCairngorms.

Before lockdown how much or how little did  you cycle?

Before lockdown I would cycle on a fairly regular basis for fitness and little adventures with the kids. I’m lucky enough to have a mountain bike and road bike. I would describe myself as a girl on a bike not a mountain biker or roadie just someone who loves cycling and getting out on some adventures. Growing up round here, me and my sister were always exploring as kids and, sometimes, cycled to school from Tulloch Moor to Nethy Bridge (it was quite far as a wee kid and we were usually late!).

Did you plan to get into cycling during the lockdown or did it just happen naturally?

I didn’t really plan it but there wasn’t a huge amount else to do and, with 6 weeks furlough and living alone in a house with two kids, it was a good escape. It meant we could bump into other people and I could have some adult conversation! People were much chattier than usual out, too, which was an added bonus. I play Shinty for Badenoch Ladies and the Kingussie Camanachd Club invited us to be part of their Strava group for lockdown. Everyone was encouraged to cycle or run for a minimum of 3 hours a week and we could compete for ‘athlete of the week’ and to be on the leaderboard for time spent out cycling/running. The girls on my team and our coaches are always a huge motivator for fitness, so it was great to see everyone’s different routes and times and it definitely helped motivate me to get out as much as possible. We are all pretty competitive and this definitely helped push me to better my times on routes and turned us into total Strava geeks!

What made you choose cycling over another sport?

Living here in the Cairngorms there are so many good routes and, many, I’m ashamed to say, I have never done. Cycling gives you the freedom to explore more than just walking or running. It was also great to explore with the kids. However, careful route planning to tie in a downhill on the way home was key to getting them out on longer cycles! I did some running too when I didn’t have so much time like days I was working.

Did you already have access to all of the equipment that you needed for cycling or did you have any barriers to getting out? 

We are really lucky to have bikes as we do get out a fair bit normally and were good to go! 

At the start of the lockdown how confident did you feel heading out on your own on the bike incase you had a mechanical issue or similar? As the lockdown went on did you feel more confident?

I carry a spare tube and a bike tool but to be completely honest it would probably take me a fair while to fix a puncture and, anything else, I would probably not have a clue. I just wouldn’t go any further than I was prepared to walk, especially with the kids. Then as lockdown phases eased, I could meet friends who I know can fix bikes for the more adventurous routes!

How did you juggle the time to get out on your bike during lockdown, did you have to head out early before you worked from home? 

I work part time and had 6 weeks of furlough, so there was plenty of time to get out. It was kind of enjoyable when the main decision of the day was just: ‘where shall I go on my bike today?’ On the good weather days, I’d also ask, which route would get us a wee swim too! The kids came with me a lot unless they were with their Dad and those were the days I would be a bit more adventurous. I cycled around 1500 km in lockdown and the kids 500km so I got a fair few solo rides in where I could go much further.

Was there any days you just thought ‘why am I doing this?’, ‘I can’t be bothered with this?’ and give in and have a sofa day? 

I think getting out was the highlight of the day, so it wasn’t a chore. Some days the weather was rubbish or freezing or the kids were not on good form and there had to be more sweetie bribes than usual, but we definitely always felt better for getting out … One night after work we ran into Danny MacAskill doing some street riding in Aviemore, which my wee boy was thrilled about! Sadly with social distancing, I didn’t think a selfie request was appropriate, or photobombing. Maybe next time…

What benefits did you feel cycling brought to your days / time in lockdown?

I definitely felt happier but always do after exercise, and the fitter you get the more energy you have and easier it is. Fresh air and bumping into people to talk to really helped. And because I turned into a total Strava dork I was very motivated by that!! As lockdown eased we went to the Glenlivet Trail Centre one day – my first time there – and I loved the adrenaline rush flying down the hills and trying not to crash!

Now that things are easing do you hope to keep up your cycling? 

I have always loved getting out on my bike so will definitely continue, I just won’t have as much time as I would like for cycling as life gets busier again. 

Finally if you could give any women in a similar position to yourself some tips / advice for getting into cycling what would they be? 

Don’t feel the need to have fancy gear as long as your bike is safe! Anyone can ride a bike and enjoy it. Make plans with friends to explore new trails and make memories. Tie in good coffee stops and bring good snacks in case you run low on energy. Use an app like Strava if you’re naturally competitive, as it is a huge motivator and will give you new route ideas. It wasn’t possible in lockdown but now, if you are heading out with kids, go with friends too and then there is zero moaning!

Advice to myself and others…. learn some basic bike maintenance skills!

Interested in getting into cycling?

Check out our Activity Booklet which contains lots of helpful advice for new cyclists.