Much to my surprise - and I'm sure yours - I actually did the training that I was supposed to do today. Yes, that's right, I cycled to work and back. A lovely 15-mile cycle which thanks to the Council (who hate me) is currently in excess of 17 miles long.
Lots to write, but am absolutely shattered and must to bed if I'm to do this all again tomorrow... *sob*
Quick things I've learnt:
1) there's no point in asking whether if a cyclist fell over in a wood would anyone hear it, because if that cyclist is me then the answer is yes. I fell twice today, once colliding with a kerb (Boris now a bit less polished than before) and once just randomly because I couldn't get foot 2 into the toe-clip. The first time was in full view of a bin lorry and the queue of cars behind it (I should have charged). The second was in the middle of nowhere with no one in sight... Apart from another cyclist who passed me at just that moment. Am disaster, will travel.
2) the Council might hate me, but they can set up a very well-sign-posted diversion (follow the little black box) for a cycle path. Slightly better sign-posted than the route itself, weirdly, but there you go.
3) I have no sense of direction. When in a hurry, this leads to faffing about and trying to work out where I went wrong. When not in a hurry, this doesn't really happen.
4) I don't like hills. I really don't like 2-mile-long steep climbs which go on and on, only to be followed by a long downhill section... Only to be followed by another big climb. Really think that there's no need for such hilliness.
5) I owe a debt of thanks (and possibly chocolate. And money. And anything else of value that I own) to the cycling guru that gave me a gears masterclass last week. I can now move between all the gears at my disposal with some sort of control. Which is essential when trying to get to the lowest gear available as fast as possible.
Right now, everything hurts. My upper back is moving for a ballot on strike action. My posterior is unhappy at the sight of Boris. My inner arms - just above my wrists - both sport rather fetching bruises (not sure what I'm banging them against but it's bike-related). And, as a nice gear-related memento, Boris got back at me for fall number 1 by falling over on his own and spearing my calf with his sprockets.
Thus I am now a proper cyclist. I am lightly coated everywhere in Deep Heat, and chock-full of Ibruprofen. Roll on tomorrow!
(@_@)
Today's stats
Cycling (outside!) - 2 hrs 0 mins, 17.83 miles [to work, via lots of random places which weren't that fun]
Cycling (outside!) - 1 hr 43 mins, 17.32 miles [to home, with remarkably few detours. Remarkable.]
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