Positive article about cycling

Just read this and found it a welcome relief from the usual "cycling is very dangerous and you will almost certainly be killed doing it" kind of article.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/life-style/real-lives/old-boy-racers-get-on-their-bikes-1.931392

rflynnr

That is beautiful (and I mean that in a completely uncynical way). I was sitting in my office thinking, I could go out for a spin now (the bike's hanging behind the door) but I've got a mild chest infection and the clever thing is probably to stay in. Then I read about these guys and I'm reaching for my tights (or "cyghts").

I'm welling up here.

Lumen

rflynnr wrote: »

I could go out for a spin now (the bike's hanging behind the door) but I've got a mild chest infection and the clever thing is probably to stay in. Then I read about these guys and I'm reaching for my tights (or "cyghts").

Don't do it. Really. Or else you'll be spending several weeks looking out at crisp sunny days with a severe chest infection.

Chips Lovell

Lumen wrote: »

Don't do it. Really. Or else you'll be spending several weeks looking out at crisp sunny days with a severe chest infection.

Can we start calling you Flumen now?

rflynnr

Lumen wrote: »

Don't do it. Really. Or else you'll be spending several weeks looking out at crisp sunny days with a severe chest infection.

I know. Thing is, this seems to be the way my winters shape up now: every year for the past three or four I get an infection which allows me to perform most things normally - job, kids etc. - but which can last for literally months. So any cycling form collapses since I can't bear to get on the turbo more than once a week. Still, I should probably heed your advice (he said, sorrowfully replacing the cyghts).

Lumen

rflynnr wrote: »

So any cycling form collapses since I can't bear to get on the turbo more than once a week.

I console myself with the theory that to maintain form you need intensity (volume is less important), and you can't do intensity when ill, so slow "ill" cycling doesn't actually help maintain form, just extends the period before you can go at full intensity again.

I don't heed my own advice though; my prescriptionist will probably retire early from all my business. I've spent so much time at the docs recently that I managed to correctly diagnose a brain stem problem in the first few minutes of this week's episode of House.

Chips Lovell

Lumen wrote: »

I've spent so much time at the docs recently that I managed to correctly diagnose a brain stem problem in the first few minutes of this week's episode of House.

Let me guess, they had a 26mm clamp on their stem but needed a 31.8mm?

rflynnr

Lumen wrote: »

I console myself with the theory that to maintain form you need intensity (volume is less important), and you can't do intensity when ill, so slow "ill" cycling doesn't actually help maintain form, just extends the period before you can go at full intensity again.QUOTE]

Yeah, I bought Joe Friel's book during the summer. I'd probably have gotten through it quicker (i.e. actually designed a training plan) if I'd been able to satisfactorily answer the key question he sets: what is it you want to achieve? I sort of half-heartedly set 100k in four hours as a goal but then, on the next ride out found that I could already do this.

Truth is, the more I think about it, the more confident I am in saying that I just like being out on the bike and I haven't yet figured out how to translate that into a goal.

Timmah!

rflynnr wrote: »

Truth is, the more I think about it, the more confident I am in saying that I just like being out on the bike and I haven't yet figured out how to translate that into a goal.

Same same, on one of the Orwell introductory spins I was asked what type of cycling I wanted to do - touring, racing etc, I had no answer.

Beasty

Timmah! wrote: »

Same same, on one of the Orwell introductory spins I was asked what type of cycling I wanted to do - touring, racing etc, I had no answer.

.

Last year I was fitter, faster, and went further than any previous year in my life. This year I am fitter, faster and have gone further than last year. Next year I hope to be even fitter, faster and go further again, while still having an effing good time.

Hopefully, this way, I will still be enjoying riding my bike when I reach the age of some of those guys in the article.