Helena and Claire say '˜Step up and ride'

The two keen cyclists from Ballycastle and Cloughmills came together to train for NICHS’s Step Up & Ride Cycle which will take in the best of the stunning North Coast.

Starting and finishing in Portballintrae, cyclists will pedal their way through Bushmills, the famous Dark Hedges, the Antrim Glens with views of the notorious Torr Head, before passing the Giant’s Causeway on the way home.

Lucy from Event Organiser’s 26 Extreme was helpfully on hand to point the girls in the right direction and explains further about the Step Up & Ride Cycle “NICHS celebrates its 70th Anniversary this year and has launched a new programme of events called Step Up, where ordinary people do something extraordinary together. I am delighted to be working alongside NICHS in the Step Up Cycle and would like to encourage all novice and experienced cyclists to sign up and set yourself a 70km or 100km target. There’s lots of time for training and we will look after you every step of the way on the event, you just bring the leg power!

“NICHS has been at the forefront of the battle against the biggest health risks Northern Ireland has faced in the last 70 years, but the battle is far from over. The fact that many more people are surviving heart attack and stroke, and living with respiratory conditions, means that our support services for families are in more demand than ever before. We pride ourselves in being the only local charity tackling heart disease, stroke and lung disease. In seven decades, every penny we have raised has been spent in Northern Ireland for the benefit of local people.

Helena, from Ballycastle said “Life is a climb but the views are great. Just do it! The best thing about the Step Up & Ride Cycle for NICHS is that the challenge will reward you with the best views in the world. If you haven’t experienced an event like this before then you really need to!”

Join NICHS on the Step Up & Ride Cycle by visiting www.nichs.org.uk/stepup2016 or call 02890 266740.