Falling in love with cycling

My cycling history started as a child learning to ride a bike and swiftly falling into a pond, unfortunately I have no pictures of this!

After that experience I would occasionally get on a bike as a method of transportation but never more than a few miles here or there. Until a few years ago when deciding I needed to do some cardio to get fit. I had always enjoyed walking and would walk many hours a day but nothing that got my heart pumping hard. So I decided to start running, then cycling, and to complete the set, learnt to swim so I could attempt a triathlon.

Getting on my first road bike felt scary, I was paranoid I would end up falling over (this time with no safe pond landing!) especially with being clipped in. But slowly I got there and gradually increased the distances I would cycle. My bike skills were not the best and I would slow to a crawl just navigating slight corners, although I am better at this now I have a long way to go!

Cycling was the sport I loved though. Learning to swim as an adult with a fear of water was hard, I made good progress with an amazing swimming teacher who was very supportive, but I don’t think I’ll ever be a mermaid! Running I also enjoy but again didn’t love it the same way I did cycling and I seemed to be prone to injuries, resulting in frustrating periods of enforced rest.

Being on my bike was where I wanted to be, it has given me the freedom and ability to travel and explore some amazing and remote places. It’s not just a bike I have now, I’m a fully lyrca-clad, weird tan-lined cyclist! Although I still haven’t ventured onto road bike shoes and cleats, I love my easy to walk in mountain bike shoes too much!