TRAINING GROUND: MELBOURNE
Tara Neyland calls Melbourne, Victoria home. MAAP was established in the same city, and has thrived thanks to the booming, enthusiastic and supportive bike community there – of which Neyland is a part.
Neyland makes her living as an osteopath – a musculoskeletal practitioner that emphasises the interrelationship of structure and function, with a focus on manual therapy, exercise rehab and education to assist with pain, injury and preventative care – but cycling is integrated into everything she does. She rides to work at her clinic, and a large chunk of her client base are from the Melbourne cycling community.
These riders choose Neyland because she understands what they’re going through. Having ridden everything from track to mountain bike, her experience on two wheels is extensive, just like her passion. A typical week involves a variety of cycling disciplines.
“On a Wednesday morning I host a women’s road ride, in the warmer months you can find me moto pacing at Brunswick velodrome on a Thursday, and most weekends involve an off-road adventure. I’ve recently been doing a bit more structured training with a coach, as I’ve been working towards a few cyclocross and mountain bike events. I’ve found it useful to have guidance with structured training sessions, practicing cross skills and learning how to ride MTB,” she says of her complex training plan
For many riders, Melbourne is a combination of things. There is the hustle and bustle of the city, but there is also the hills and solitude found further afield. Neyland uses the varied geography to her advantage, from mountain biking in Plenty Gorge, to a hard road loop in Kinglake.
“Kinglake or Nutfield are my go-to training loops. I grew up near Eltham, in Montmorency, so from when I was 15 or 16 and started road riding, that’s where I’d go. It’s nostalgic and a beautiful location to ride. Every Christmas morning my brother and I would go out and do a Nutfield ride, a little tradition,” she says.
Indeed, Neyland says the descent off Kinglake is the only Strava segment she has “ever really paid attention to.” Citing the mind-blowing speeds others manage to do it in, not to mention her own “hyper-focused meditative state” when descending.
When it comes to favourite routes, she has a handful of great suggestions.
Tara Neyland’s top five rides around Melbourne
1. Nutfield
Forever my favourite roads to ride in Melbourne.
2. Kinglake
If you want a climb that’s a bit longer and good to do efforts on, KL with a side of Nutfield will satisfy all needs.
3. Kinglake gravel
For some reason I've only recently explored the gravel side of Kinglake. There are some incredible roads and so many more to uncover, looking forward to more summer adventures out here.
4. Plenty Gorge MTB
Plenty Gorge is incredible. So many wonderful trails maintained by some epic humans in our community. I'm still new to exploring PG, but the advice I've been given is to go with someone who has been there before, as it's a bit of a maze and easy to get lost. If not, here are two rides I have done there for guidance.
5. Gisborne - Daylesford Dirty Wombat mashup
If you're up for a little drive out of Melbourne, this was a gravel route I did with friends over summer one year and absolutely loved. It uses a lot of the same roads as the MAAP-hosted Dirty Wombat ride.
As an osteopath, Neyland is in tune with her body, perhaps more than most. Not only can she self-assess if something needs attention, but this experience transfers over to her patients. Something she says is important for clients who want to know she understands their sport.
“I go to the gym outside of cycling and have found it really helpful for all disciplines on the bike. Cycling puts various demands on the body and in different positions, so understanding the impacts personally enables me to apply that knowledge professionally. I do treat a lot of people within the cycling community, I think they appreciate seeing someone who understands what they’re doing and why, and the load they’re putting on their body. Understanding where they’re coming from, what treatment is going to help the individual and how it’s relevant to the discipline they’re focusing on is valuable insight.”
Stretching and mobility exercises can provide great preventative care for cyclists who might be prone to injury, or just want to keep themselves in top shape. Below are her top three stretches for cyclists.
Tara Neyland’s top stretches for cyclists
1. Hip flexor stretch
2. Glute stretch
There are two options for this one.
A. Pigeon Pose
B. Supine Figure Four
3. Child’s pose
(targets hips, spine and shoulders and ankles)
Before a ride, Neyland enjoys a “good breakfast and a coffee”, and is someone who enjoys savouring the mornings rather than rushing out the door. One thing she definitely cannot leave the house without, however, is a portion of her partner’s creation: the FJ bar. This is a delicious muesli bar, with plenty of carbohydrate for a mid-ride top up on resources, “He created this,” she explains. “I simply reap the benefits!”
Melbourne is just like any other city, it’s busy. But it also has more than most to offer cyclists. From the MAAP LaB in Collingwood (where else?) you can head north for undulating, hilly terrain, and south for calmer rides. Further afield, you’ve got mountain bike trails and gravel roads to dive into as well. Isolation and natural escapes abound, but civilisation is also never too far away. And if you’re feeling really crazy, you could always ride to Bright.