.: Doing rather than Thinking

How I started...

Hubby wanted us to get mountain bikes. It took a good few weeks and lots of soul searching to get from a)“NO WAY!! I could never do that!” to b)“Well…maybe…” to c)“Yeah! I think I can give it a go” to d) “Yes, let’s go to the bike shop” All the daft, mostly negative, thoughts of the day went through my head. What will the neighbours think? What if I fall off? Pictures of Dumbo pre-flight and flying. No bike will cope with my short-legged bulk! My face will go all red and sweaty, no - purple and sweaty! People will laugh at me. What will I wear? No way they’ll make bike gear in my size! You name it - I thought it. Funnily enough very rarely did I think of physical obstacles, mostly psychological ones! I’m not sure how I managed to get from a-d above. READ ON if you want to find out - it all started Oct 16th 2007...

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Doing rather than Thinking

We are up to date now with the tale. Today the sun was shining, so THIS WAS IT! Hubby looked out his old racing bike, (Raleigh Pulsar 25years old but in good nick) dusted off several years of cobwebs and got it ready for the road. We donned our helmets, and the closest thing I could find to cycling gear, I wheeled my mandarin coloured Juniper out to the street. We pushed the bikes round to a very quiet country road near where we live. Didn't feel as daft as I thought I would, even when the neighbours stopped to chat. Then it was time to actually do it! I felt ungainly and unsupple (is that a word?). Just getting my feet onto the pedals felt awkward, but away I went. It was flat to start - OK - then a bit downhill - freeee wheeeel! Then up hill again for a bit - good grief I'm puffing a bit now and my legs are beginning to struggle and I realise why folk wear padded knickers! I'd had a few how-gears-work lessons. (I don't drive either!) but it'll take me a while to get the hang of them. We got where we'd planned on going, round about 1.5 miles, much quicker than I expected. Had a rest for a few minutes until I felt marginally more normal, and then time to go back. More uphill on the way home and I realised how unfit I am. My little leggies were now burning going uphill. Stopping and resting more than I'd hoped. Then off again, hubby bringing up the rear - just in case! Then another "wheee" down the hill, and then I heard a nasty graunching sound a bit behind me. Hubby's bike had given up the ghost. Symptoms - bottom deraillier jumped into real wheel breaking the deraillier, bending the frame and spokes. So that was him pushing it home and me having frequent (much appreciated!) rests while he caught up. As we started nearing parked cars and traffic I felt too wobbly to risk cycling so pushed Juniper home. Hubby's bike is off to the menders, hopefully it'll be back, sorted, in a couple of days. I was tickled pink, but knackered - sore bum, wobbly legs, sweaty and beetroot-red faced, but everyone has to start somewhere. And I've started!!