Bressie legs it for larcc
LARCC ambassador Niall Breslin was in Multyfarnham to launch the Leg It For LARCC 5k, which takes place on Sunday September 14. The Voice of Ireland mentor and star of a new RTÉ documentary, Teenage Kicks, says exercise is a way of fighting back against illness and there’s no excuse not to do it.
The former Blizzards frontman says a 5k is the perfect starting point for a fitness regime which can have all sorts of benefits for the mind and body.
“I come from a sporting background, not many people know that, but it’s in my blood,” says the former Leinster rugby player “And I think it’s important for anybody to have some form of goal, whether its a 5k, 10k, half marathon or an ironman.”
Bressie saw something inspirational while on holidays in Copenhagen and watching an ironman there. “When it comes to exercise, people have so many excuses not to do it. I saw a man in Copenhagen whose twin brother had cerebral palsy. He swam with his brother in a boat, he cycled with him on the handlebars and he pushed him a marathon – so people don’t have excuses. If you’re able-bodied, you don’t have an excuse and something like a 5k is a great way to start,” he insists.
“It improves your physical health and your metal health. Once you start exercising and setting goals you really get great pay-offs. I’ve always been into exercise but never crazy endurance stuff. My big fear of doing a triathlon was that I didn’t know how to swim. I had a massive fear of water. That’s what was stopping me all the time, just because of the fear, so I felt the easy option was not to do a triathlon. But I pushed myself and now it’s my favourite part.
“For me it’s just a brilliant release. I think there’s been a huge cultural shift towards fitness in Ireland and there’s no coincidence because of what happened with the Celtic Tiger, with the recession and everything else, people forget about the human aspect of it and how many people have been left very sick, both mentally and physically.”
“When I got involved with LARCC as an ambassador, it was important to me that one of the things that they pushed was holistic fitness – mental health, physical health, the whole approach to fitness. For people who have been diagnosed with cancer and who have lived with it, for me it’s all about fighting back and doing things that are proactive and positive.”
And for Bressie it’s all about stepping outside your comfort zone.
“Some people just aren’t into fitness but there’s always something you can do, whether it’s kayaking or mountain walking, there’s always something there and you need to find it – but sitting on your arse isn’t an option. It will start getting on top of you as you get old.
“People always say, ‘go to the gym once or twice a week and it’s good for you’: it is, but what’s really good for you is picking something that’s way outside your comfort zone. “The ironman was way outside my comfort zone, and as a rugby player, it’s not something that rugby players would do, we’re too big for it. Trying to run a marathon being my size isn’t easy. I just think it’s the comfort zone thing and lot of people are stuck in it. Something like a 5k is an amazing introduction and totally doable and when you do a 5k I can guarantee you, you’ll want to do a 10k, and when you do a 10k you’ll want to do a half marathon.”
Bressie plans to do an online fitness plan for LARCC in the coming months.
“I aim to start putting up programmes for people to follow because there’s so much information online people get confused. They don’t know what to eat, they don’t know what to do and the problem with that is that everybody’s different.
“It’s a very positive thing and it’s proactive, and with me and my mental health, it was my way of fighting back. You’d be surprised what you’re capable of. Even if you think you can’t do it, trust me on the day, you will.”
Speaking about his new series Teenage Kicks, which was filmed in Limerick and airs later in the autumn, he’s says the audience will get to see him as he truly is.
“It’s something that’s not as formulaic as The Voice. The type of person I am, I don’t like structure, I like curve balls being thrown at me and having to think on my feet. Limerick was my personal choice, I’ve always had a huge personal affiliation with that city, it was always the first place The Blizzards sold out, believe it or not.
“Obviously there’s been negative stuff said about Limerick over the years and that’s completely unwarranted because more than any city in Ireland, it has a great sense of community.
“I think people are going to be surprised with this show, it’s me completely exposed, and it’s the five or six people we have in the band completely exposed.”
• Leg It For LARCC 5k, Sunday September 14, noon; register at iregister.ie/legit or on the day. Sponsorship cards are available from the LARCC centre in The Friary, Multyfarnham. Registration: adults €15, U18s €5, family of two adults and two U18s €30.