Yesterday afternoon I spent four hours at the Calshot velodrome - effectively, thatās the first two stages of track-cycling instruction in one session. I had a slight head start, as Iām very accustomed to riding a fixed-wheel bike, which the other nine participants werenāt, but I reckon they were all a good bit fitter than me.
It was brilliant. If you enjoy cycling, you should definitely give it a go. Even if you donāt live in godās own county, there are cycling tracks dotted around the country and Iām sure theyāll all offer some kind of beginnerās course. From a starting point of nowhere - riding nervously round the bottom of the track - we ended up doing team pusuit-style riding with the whole bunch of ten, with the lead rider moving to the back on every lap. Iām sure our pace was gentle to put it mildly, but it had to be enough for a rider to get up to the top of the banking every lap.
I came off the mountain bike at 2mph the other week, overbalancing as I tried to avoid brambles, but thankfully a huge spiky thorn bush dragged me in and cushioned my fall.
Latest football injury means I canāt run or twist my right knee.
Just about the only cardio exercise I can do is cycling. Currently borrowing my sonās hybrid bike for trips from Eastleigh to Winchester or Romsey and am loving being back on a bike again.
Used to think this thread was for weirdos, but now Iām here itās got a lot better.
The only problem Iāve had came on a moist and twisty downhill section when, as I got to the bottom, I punctured Fatsoās mum.
Cobham, me old mucker, you really need to work on that upvote/downvote thing. Of course, if youāre defending the honour of Fatsoās mum by way of a downvote then I will fully withdraw (as indeed should Bletch).
If anyone would like to post a link to the classic Groucho Marx comment about defending a ladyās honour, now would be a good time I think.
