I’m in recovery. From a head-cold and a bad case of the winter doldrums – as far as exercise goes. I’ve kept busy in the workshop over the months since Christmas, but the bikes have hardly seen the light of day.
Today I cycled to the university and Sports Village. That makes for a nice six and a half K downhill run.
At 21 minutes in traffic it seemed fast to me: I wondered why? Any guesses? All will be revealed.
My physio had directed me to the gym. He wants me doing resistance exercises to strengthen calves and gluts – in the hopes of ending my chronic recurrence of calf tears. I dutifully did my 3 reps of 1 minute ‘pushing’ against a ‘dead’ treadmill set to a decent incline.
I thought I’d have my first go on an exercise bike. I have avoided them like the plague in the past. To be honest, I was a bit surprised. I dialled up a run through Provence: and with a mate alongside it was almost enjoyable as we chatted away. I might well add this to my winter fitness regimes in the future.
Then it was back on the Thorn for the cycle home. I know it’s uphill: what goes down must come back up, but somehow I had not noticed the strong tailwind on the outwards leg. I sure noticed it on the way back!
However, it was good to reflect on a day spent with exercising at the heart of my plans. I need more of these days.
This got me thinking about how, in the blues of the winter doldrums, I have frittered away time. Too much sitting in front of YouTube, unfocused in way too many ways: too little time learning or doing stuff that mattered.
So, I spend my afternoon preparing and priming some hand-tools, sowing some seeds and when I needed a break off my feet, reading Peter May’s, Coffin Road. All good stuff.
And tonight I am here, writing and planning tomorrow around some exercise and more doing. As I said, back in the saddle and setting a direction forward.
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