Desperately, DESPERATELY need to start doing something exercise-centric ASAP.
I'm tired of being a slug. I look like Jabba the Hut. Cycling seems like something I can do, especially seeing as I have the bike already. Heck, I have 2 bikes, since Amanda's is still in the garage here.
Ok, so I know you're doing the cycle-to-work thing, which is super admirable, but I don't know how far you travel (one-way). There is no way on this planet I'm gonna be able to do that within the next 2 years or so.
About 12 miles for me, one way, with a lot of "hilly" terrain - even if I got good enough to manage it, I'd need several showers once I got to work to deal with the miasma of sweat and dust and bug parts.
So how since I know that you and Waterspout are doing a bit of a "partners" thing - do tell, how much did you start with? How far did you go? How hilly is it where you live? I need more inspiration, Girl!!
Okay Sewmouse! ;-)
ReplyDeleteCycling is GOOD - go for it. It gives you aerobic exercise as well as toning your lower half up, and it's not like running where you're giving your joints a pounding. Repeat after me - cycling is GOOD.
I don't do it often enough though, as I have about a mile's cycle to D's nursery, and as D is getting heavier and heavier, having him on the wee seat on the back of my bike is starting to feel like I'm lugging a sack of tatties along with me. He's 2.5 stone now! Plus, it's uphill to his nursery so that's never appealing to face first thing in the morning. I should do it more often, but I'm too, er lazy!
The other thing that stops me is Edinburgh's weather. It's horrible here, because even if it's not raining, we usually get the wind coming straight off the North Sea. Cycling head on into a wind is hard work and unpleasant.
When I do manage to haul my sorry ass onto the bike though, it's 9.2 miles each way to work, and is completely flat with the exception of one long hill up to D's nursery in the morning, then when I leave the office there's a short-but-nasty hill, which I usually end up walking up.
The inbetween bits are absolutely fine.
However, that said, I'd advise you to go shorter distances, and more frequently. I didn't really have a choice because my route to work is 9.2 miles, and that's it. I can't decide one day only to do a mile or two, you know what I mean? It's all or nothing.
You get a really sore bum the first few times you do such a long distance, so I'd definitely recommend you start out small.
The traffic is another consideration - do you have cyclepaths where you live? Edinburgh has fairly okay cyclepaths, and for about 6 miles of my route is along a canal tow path away from the traffic. (See my Flickr account for photos - it's a lovely route!)
Hope this helps - get out there and do it Sewmouse. It's fantastic exercise and you can take it at your own pace :-)