I was once a pretty keen cyclist, but when I started my own business I found that I couldn't easily fit cycle riding into my working week and I gave it up.
Recently I had started feeling guilty about the expensive touring bike hanging up in my garage and I decided to get back into the saddle.
Last week I started taking short evening training rides. I decided to head for a steepish hill nearby because it's close to home, but far enough away to let me spin some life into my legs before starting the climb.
On the first ride I looked at the hill ahead, adjusted my gears accordingly and got into a good pedalling speed. Then I stopped, a panting mess. I set off again but had to stop again shortly after that. My mind said "you can get up that" but my body said "get lost".
The following night I stopped at the same two places, but got higher up the hill after that. The third night was the same. I had the weekend off because the bike was off having some nifty little auxillary brake levers added to the flats of the drop handlebars (I wish I'd had these years ago, I can say for certain that they would have avoided at least three bike accidents).
For a year or so my mate Chris has been nagging me about the weekday training rides he and his mate go on. Last night I gave in and joined them. We had a easy pedal up to a village called Tongwynlais and then headed uphill to a pub called the Black Cock Inn. It's a long climb and once again I had to stop for breath and pain-relief, but we all got up there well enough. They suggested a pint and although I never mixed serious riding with drinking I thought that was a good idea. After some time Paul went off and got another round. By the end of the second drink we had been sat in pub seats for longer than we'd been in the saddle on this ride.
Then the two of them started discussing which pub we could ride to next
They settled on the Travellers Rest, which was a mere 10 minutes ride away. At the second pub we ended up having two more pints! My wife rang me and said "are you planning on coming home?"
"Of course, but why are you worried?"
"Graham, it's 11.00"
After that it was a mile and a half freewheel off the mountain (at speeds approaching 40mph) and I was soon back home, having cycled 8 miles in 5 hours.
It's not all bad though, the climbs were hard and it was good to get pushed by stronger riders. Today I went back to my training route and went as high as I managed last week, but this time without stopping. I doubt I will ever get back to the level of fitness I had when I used to cycle 20 mile to work in the morning, but it's good to be making an effort.
God bless endorphins
GC
