7/27/2019 BUMP Article_06/01/1995

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN .

JOURNAL

The Joys of Mountain BikingBy MARK RICHMAN, M.D.SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL

M

ountain biking is quickly

becoming one of .

Birmingham's .- most

loved outdoor activities. One ofthe reasons for the rise in popular-

ity of mountain bik ing in

Birmingham can be attributed to

the biking trails located i n nearby

Oak Mountain State Park. More

and more active people are discov-

ering the 17 miles of trails eachsummer. .

The sport of mountain biking is

becoming so popular that the local

Mountain Bike Club, B.U.M.P.

(Birmingham Urban Mou ntainPedalers) is .sponsoring a race for

amateurs and professionals at OakMountain State Park. The national

trail day race is scheduled for June

I I. Pre-registration for the race is$20 due by June 9. Late registra-

tion is $27.

RU.M.P. is made- up of a g roup

of volunteers who enjoy the sportof mountain b ik ing and work to

promote the sport in the

Birmingham area. Ovenhe ye ar smember s of B.U.M.P. have been

successfu l i n 'attaining trail access

at the park as well as maintainingsome o f t he best trails in theSoutheast.

Mountain b ik ing is not theextreme and reckless sport por-"

trayed on television . I t is a fun and

safe sport for the entire family.

The key to keeping it fun and safe

is to ride within your abilities.

Always remember to wear the

proper safety equipment such as

helmet, gloves, knee and. elbowpads and pr otective eye wear.

Respect the other individuals

using the trail by slowing and

down and stopping to allow them

to pass.

Not only is mountain bikingfun for' you and your family, it is

also a great aerobic sport. It helps

to build muscles and strengthens

the cardiovascular system. Inaddition, mountain biking b urns

calories which will help withweight loss and control.

Compared to running, mountain

biking is much less punishing to

the leg muscles'" a a 'joints. The

continuous motion of pedaling is

much easier on your legs than con-stant foot pounding on hard pave-ment. .

Finally, there are the psycho-

logical benefits of returnIng from'a ride mentally rejuvenated after

.conquering a section of trail that at

one time seemed impossible.Mountain biking is'about'com-

muning with nature, enjoying the

scenery and having fun with oth-

ers. So remember, safety first,

respect t he other trail users and

most importantly, have fun and

keep the rubber side down.

For more information on the

Bump and Grind Race scheduled

.for June II at Oak Mountain call

967-2003. For more informationregarding B. U.M.P. call 879-

S373.

Mark Richman. M.D. is an

internal medicin e physician with

the Baptist Health Centers and an

For m ore i n f o rm at ion on (h is o r

any o t he r spor t s i n j u ry t op i c, cal l

S por t sCare's p h y s ic i an r e fe r ra l

H o tlin e a t 5 8 1 -9 8 0 0.

State Tournament Qualifiers

When Your Body. . .

.Just Can'~.Stand,..:::.~ - . . "

To-Wait/

Sports Care introduces the first

walk-in clinic for athletic injuries.

W s . simple! No appointment is needed.

It's convenient! Monday - Friday, 5 p.m.-7 p.m.

Just come to the Montclair Outpatient RehabComplex, 720 Montclair Road, .' '.

to see one of outboard certified. Olthopedists,

licensed athletic trainers 0 1 ' physi~al therapists.

.Call 599-4500 for more information. J ,.

There's SportsCare

The girls softball teams from Hoover and Vestavia Hills High Schools both recently qualified for and

participated in the first ever Alabama High School Athletic Association fast-pitch softball state tourna-

ment. Coach Jim Brown's Lady Bucs completed their fourth consecutive season with 50 or more vic-

tories. The Lady Rebels of head coach Sharman Martin finished the season as the state runner-up, and the No.

I team in The Birmingham News Metro Poll. .

Mini ces

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