Bike for life

IF THERE was anyone you would expect to be in tip-top physical shape, it would have to be York's cycling paramedic, Mark Inman. He does, after all, cover 20 to 30 miles a day patrolling the city's streets on his bike, panniers full of vital life-saving equipment strapped to the back. And let's face it: he wouldn't be much use if, by the time he got to the scene of an accident, he was too out of puff to do anything to help. So does he reckon he's pretty fit?

Not particularly, the 37-year-old dad-of-two from Rawcliffe says modestly. No more than most people could be, at least, if they took a little exercise.

He recently took part in his first mountain bike race, at Dalby Forest, and was left standing by many of the fitter competitors, he says. He had only entered the 'fun' section, and even so came in half way down the field. "I was just amazed by some of the more serious competitors," he says.

Nevertheless, he concedes that, despite having been a cyclist for years, he put in some fairly serious training before taking up his new job.

For three months, he cycled ten miles a day, ran six to eight miles a week, and went swimming a couple of times a week. He has stopped that training regime now - he admits he got pretty bored with the running and swimming - but only because, now he is cycling 30 miles a day anyway, he doesn't need it.

He has noticed the benefits of improved fitness. "I do sometimes have to cycle quite hard and fast for three to five minutes," he says. "But my recovery time can be really quick. Much quicker than it used to be." Which of course is vital when his mobile phone could go off at any time to summon him to another emergency.

He needed all his fitness recently when he sprinted to the help of a 57-year-old tourist, who was taken ill after climbing all 275 steps to the top of York Minster's tower.

Mark, who had been having a coffee-break with fellow paramedic Dave Butterfield at nearby Reeds Caf, was on the scene within minutes. He ran up the tower to tend the patient while Dave called for back-up.

The man, who was too poorly to be taken down the Minster steps, was airlifted out by Sea King helicopter from RAF Leconfield. Sadly, despite the efforts of all involved, he died.

That is part of a paramedic's life, says Mark, who has been in the job for 13 years. You never really get used to the terrible feeling of losing a patient. You just have to comfort yourself by knowing you did your best.

One of the things he loves about his new pedal-powered job - he describes himself as a 'community paramedic', because when he's not actually responding to a call, he is on patrol in the city centre eight hours a day, on his bike or even on foot - is that it makes him much more visible.

"People will stop and talk to me about health issues," he says. "Big Issue vendors, people living on the street. I don't always know the answers to their questions, but I can put them in touch with the people who do."

Because of the city-centre traffic, he says by being on a bike he really can get to many emergencies far quicker than his colleagues in ambulances. And because he carries a full paramedic's kit - including a defibrillator for heart cases - it means he is potentially in a position to save lives.

There is a side benefit to his new job, too. It's not only his fitness which has improved as a result of his active lifestyle. His health is better also - which doesn't automatically follow from improved fitness.

It is possible to push yourself too hard in the search for fitness, Mark warns. "You can be overfit, and less healthy. It is important to get some rest, or you can wear yourself out!"

As you might guess from that comment, while he values health and fitness, he's not a diet or exercise freak.

As a cyclist who eats a reasonable diet - lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, organic where possible, and staples such as rice, high in carbohydrate and low in fat - he has always been pretty healthy, especially since giving up smoking five years ago. But he admits to liking the odd chocolate bar, as well.

He would like to see people taking a little more exercise rather than worrying overmuch about whether they've eaten too much chocolate. Brits are beginning to put on weight, he agrees. "But it is better to eat more calories and use them, rather than simply trying to eat fewer calories."

If he, as a busy dad of two, can find time to keep reasonably fit, there is no reason why most people shouldn't be able to, he adds.

"You can do a two mile jog in 20 minutes. If you're tired you may well be thinking you don't feel like going for a run. But if you do, afterwards you will feel so much better for it. You'll feel great."

But the best way to get fit, he says - and this is what he is really passionate about - is to take up cycling. You don't need to take part in mountain bike races every weekend, either. Just cycling to work will do wonders for your fitness.

"If everybody cycled to work just one day out of ten, they would feel better for it - and just think of the environmental benefits!" he says. "There would be ten per cent less traffic on our streets, less noise, less air pollution.

"Cycling is free, it saves you time, it saves you money, it's good for your health - and it's good for the environment, too."

No prizes for guessing why he applied to become York's first Life Cycle paramedic, then. "When I first heard about it, I was desperate to get involved," he admits. "I wanted to use it to prove that the cycle is a credible form of transport."

With the Life Cycle scheme set to be extended to other parts of North Yorkshire and a second cycling paramedic likely to be introduced to York next summer, he has certainly done that.