An introduction - Week 1

Trimester 3 has finally arrived! Now I must start the last two assignments which include a written contextualisation and a half hour podcast to support. So what exactly is my project? I will be researching and reporting on the relationship between cycling and mental health. The purpose of doing my podcast is to define the importance and impact of physical activity, more importantly cycling and how it’s been proven to benefit your mental health whilst also speaking with cyclists of all abilities as my case studies to support and show that cycling is for all fitness and mental health abilities. I will focus on the power of positive thought to overcome the barriers that individuals have faced throughout their lives and talk about how it has assisted their new outcomes

Cycling has multiple health benefits, particularly as a form of moderate to vigorous activity. It has been recognised that physical activity has had influences on individual’s mental health. During my podcast, I will discuss what mental wellness is and the benefits for someone with health issues, talking about how experiencing nature and connecting to the feeling of aw can boost your hormonal levels. I will focus on 2 professional Scottish cyclists who have taken up physical activity and noticed the change on their health alongside an average cyclist who talk about their positive experiences with cycling. The 2 professionals are David Smith, a Scottish Paralympian cyclist and rower and Professional Scottish cyclist Kyle Johnston. Having connected with Kyle Johnston on a personal level and knowing David as a family friend, I felt it would be beneficial to create a feature length podcast talking about the positives within cycling and how it can boost your mind and bodies understanding of physical activity. Within my audio podcast I will talk about how different types of cycling have their own benefits, I will then focus on David Smith and Kyle Johnston and hopefully by the time when it comes to making my podcast I will get some Q&A’s done from both so I can compare their feedback and thoughts. I will also be speaking to Cycling UK’s Highlands and Islands Development officer Amanda Wagstaffe to give her views, I want to point out that this podcast will not be aimed just for professionals but for new starts too who are wanting to connect with cycling as a way of improving their health and needing that boost to get started.

Originally, I was creating a documentary with similar outcomes as the podcast where I'd follow the lives of cyclist Kyle Johnson and look at how cycling helped him through his difficult times and went on further to winning one of Scotland's Sports Personality of the Year awards. However due the world pandemic that of course had to happen right as I am trying to finish my masters degree I have changed to a podcast as equipment has become more accessible through friends. This week I have continued on from trimester 2 with my practice-led research and will start by sorting out what my project is and what it is not alongside building on my references. `

(David Smith MBE)