Cycling

Back in February we got our bicycles serviced. We thought it was time to introduce some cycling into our training programme, especially with my ongoing problems with heel spurs. But with one thing and another it wasn't until March that we got them out.

I had gingerly ridden down the driveway when the bike repair man delivered them back to us, but I wasn't comfortable with my riding position. I also struggle with hand operated brakes and the gears. I spent my youth riding an upright lady's bike with no gears and brakes that you operated by back pedalling.

Huub is determined to change all that and turned up on 9 March to offer moral and technical support. After adjusting my seat so it was a smidge lower and forward we set off for the reacreation ground in Preuilly for a bit of practice with the gears and brakes.

All went quite well, so the next step is a small excursion together to build my confidence. Although Huub tells me I will need to raise my seat again to get a more efficient riding position. I've also bought a gel seat cover, which I haven't yet tested.

I already own a helmet, and will be making sure I wear it from now on. Rather worryingly, two good friends have had nasty falls from their bikes in the last week. Both credit their helmet with saving them a certain amount of worse injury. Roger was riding along a country road and a farm dog came out and tried to bite his front wheel. The next thing he remembers is waking up in the farmhouse kitchen. It was a night in hospital and a broken arm for him. Rosemary braked too hard on a gravel road and came off rather abruptly with the bike on top of her. Luckily just badly bruised and back on the bike already.

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