[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”14317″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Niall Folan and his wife Catriona are living in Knocknacarra, Galway, with their 7 month old daughter, Roisin. On Sunday, July 11th, Niall took on the challenge and cycled an incredible 110km at the 27th Annual Croí Corrib Cycle in Connemara in aid of Croí!
When Niall saw the Croí Corrib Cycle advertised on Facebook, he instantly recognised Croí as both his parents are living with heart disease and have attended some of Croí’s lifestyle courses and exercise classes. His father, Enda, is living with diabetes and has had stents in his heart. In addition to using Croí’s services, Enda has worked with the National Institute for Preventive Cardiology (NIPC), providing patient information and interviews about living with diabetes.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_single_image image=”14304″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Niall comes from a family of rowers and he says that they have a ‘get going’ and competitive mentality. His brother, Cormac, competed in rowing at the 2008 Olympics! Back in September, Niall says, “I got a stark warning from my doctor, and my wife who is a doctor, that I needed to make some lifestyle changes. I was eating a lot of rubbish and it was all down to laziness. I was aware of the heart history in my family as well as high blood pressure and diabetes. I began my journey in losing weight and improving my overall health.”
Niall is new to cycling, having got a new bike in March and began pushing himself to reach his goals. He always enjoyed cycling, be it individually or with his brothers, but when he saw the Croí Corrib Cycle coming up, he decided to set himself a goal to complete the 110km route and his first-ever Croí Corrib Cycle. He is extremely happy he did the cycle, and did better than he expected! This was his first big outing with a cycling crew and he loved being able to join groups on the road, as well as cycling on his own at some parts. Niall’s friends and family were also a great support, helping him go beyond his fundraising target and raising over €800 for Croí![/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_column_text]Niall really enjoyed the 27th Annual Croí Corrib Cycle and says, “It was a brilliant event and so well-organised. It’s definitely worth doing, especially when you know it’s for a good cause and Croí is helping so many people.”
Thank you again to everyone who participated in the Croí Corrib Cycle on Sunday, July 11th. To view our photos from the day, check out our Facebook photo album here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]