Flat out

It being the 29th, an extra day, a day that we should do something different on I decided, much to the Berners disgust to forgo a jolly jaunt over/around/across the Bonsai Mountain as part of my less than intense BBMC training and get on my bike. I have been meaning to do this for a while, even went so far as to buy a lovely hardly used racer off he who cannot be named after his planned cycling holiday in Spain with the Godfather turned into a beer fest following a mad day where they did 80km in 100degrees of sunshine.

Bikes were sent packing back to the UK and yours truly snapped up a bargain when prodigal returned and was short of cash to fill his gas guzzling BMW M3 (I told him 15 mpg was not a good idea but the kiwi leather interior was a persuasive argument and I was over ruled) Anyway, having not ridden a bike since the big fall of 2007, unsure if bionic left arm would like supporting my massive frame on drop handlebars (plus unable to inflate ultra thin tyres to any where near hard enough) and certain that the combination of the previous would not survive the chasm like potholes that form our lane I dragged the exercise bike out from its covers (its not any old exercise bike, the £19.99 fall apart type from Argos, this is a LifeCycle as found in most gyms) and cranked the pedals. It burst into life, an amazing LED display of some 90 different routes/hills/training schedules all doable without having to leave the conservatory.

So while listening to some inspirational heavy metal under the glares of Bernese miffed at no long walk yours truly managed 13.8km in 30 mins and as I was fartlecking (not sure thats spelt right but its a technique not an anti social leakage of gas) I maintained 80-90 rpm taking it up to a flat out (for me)162 rpm at intervals. I think I feel good, not sure how I will feel tomorrow but in all it was worth risking saddle sores to increase fitness and decrease waistline.

This is now a 30 30 challenge, Sara the duracell bunny mentalist British women's downhill champion type sets these from time to time, the challenge is for 30 days in March to do 30 minutes on the bike a day. Challenge accepted providing the LifeCycle counts.

Meanwhile several more robust bikes than the gazelle like racer are on watch on ebay and hopefully some of the 30 30s will be cycling to work and making duty calls in the locality. I don't think I will ever get to be like Andy in Germany (there will be a link to his entertaining life/bike blog as soon as a gremlin can be trained to make it) who does almost everything everybody else does in a car on his bike, but hey its a start!