I am sure, along with millions of others tonight, I will be making some new year's resolutions, some of which I hope I will keep and others which I probably will not.
Three years ago I made a new year's resolution to get my lardy ass into gear and get myself fit. I didn't want to be a fat 50 year old. So, as you may have read in my other blogs, I took up cycling and it became part of my life. Against the protestations of my wife and family I commuted into work whenever I could (in most cases this worked out three or four times a week, therefore averaging 60 to 80 miles a week, 100 miles if I managed all five days). This, along with training for a London to Paris Charity ride, got me as fit as I had been in many years. I lost shedloads of weight and felt so much healthier all round.
Now, as I write this blog on New Year's Eve 2014, I have plunged into new levels of unfitness, so much so that I do not want to step on the bathroom scales (at least while I am wearing anything that might add to the weight!) and I dread to try on my 34" waist suit trousers that I have just taken to the cleaners as a delay tactic. I don't want to shave off my beard incase my double chin is just too horrific. Yes I know it's vain but I never said I wasn't!
"So what went wrong, Paul?" I hear you say. "You were so svelte and so fit just two years ago. How can you have let it all go?" I made up the question (especially the word svelte, to try to give me something to go for!). But yes I fear I have 'let it all go' and I am wracked with self-loathing and regret for doing so. And now I need to do something about it. Either that or my wardrobe of 'slim fit' shirts (that I was so delighted to be told by the staff member in Charles Tyrwhitt I qualified for) will be consigned to the charity shop - and that I cannot afford.
But it's easy to 'let it all go'. It is amazing how quickly you can lose fitness and put on weight.
It all started during my last few weeks (or was it months?) where I was unhappy in my job, and it was simply easier to catch public transport than to cycle into work. And probably because I was fed up I'd have a cheeky beer in the evening, or maybe a glass or two of wine, not to mention the crisps and sweets to munch on or maybe some popcorn (it's healthy isn't it!).
Then I went on holiday for two weeks in October and did very little but eat and drink - I am sure I'd read somewhere that the Mediterranean diet was good for me!!
Then, when I got back, to work my employer had moved office to central London (from Vauxhall) and the route seemed so complicated and congested so I got my 'feet under the desk' for a bit before I half-heartedly cycled in half a dozen times. Then finally I changed job to work for the British Red Cross, who are based near Moorgate. Again I waited to get my 'feet under the desk' for a couple of weeks (you know, find out where the showers are, where I can store my clothes, etc.) so I think I've cycled about 8 times in all in two months - it is quite a trek at 14 miles each way. Then it was the Christmas party season, the roads were icy or wet and there was no 'reason' to cycle.
The rest is history. But I am now back where I started three years ago. At least it feels that way, but I would like to think I could still cycle back from the bike shop without getting out of breath! I thinkI am still a bit fitter and I think my cardio vascular system is in better nick. But heh the ride to work next week will be the test.
So, when you are making your resolutions tonight, send me some positive energy and help me out a bit to achieve my goal to get fit again. I don't want to be Chris Froome I just want to avoid the dreaded 'middle age spread' that my parents used to complain about. I promise if you do so that I will get back to writing the inspiring and motivating 'The Blogging Cyclist' and 'The Charity Coach' Blogs that you tell me you like!
Have a wonderful 2015, and get out there on your bikes soon.
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Wednesday, 31 December 2014
Friday, 13 September 2013
Superhighway to Hell or Superhighway to Heaven?
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, proudly launched the Barclays Cycle Superhighway scheme in 2010. Armed with £50 million of corporate cash over 8 years to deliver a radial (sadly not radical!) network of cycle routes into central London, he must have thought he was on to a winner. With a modest aim to increase cycling in London by 400% and the equally modest ambition that 5% of all journeys in London would be by bike by 2026, he must have thought that he had a quicker win than kicking an ageing Ken Livingstone's mayoral ambitions into the long grass would be just two years later.
But just how transformative have the cycle superhighways been? So far four out of the planned 12 routes have been opened. Transport for London (TFL) claim that there are more cyclists as a result. They say that cycling has increased by 46% along my local route, CS7, three quarters of whom are commuters. They also claim that the average journey time has been reduced by 5%, and that 80% feel safer by using the Cycle Superhighway.
I am a daily user of CS7, which runs from Merton to the City, although I leave the 'highway' at the so-called 'Stockwell Gyratory System'. I have to say that whilst cycling has certainly transformed my life and my daily commute, and that having the Superhighway there certainly encouraged me to cycle to work, I am left somewhat disappointed by the route.
I don't want to completely rain on the Mayor's parade. Don't get me wrong I think he has done much to promote cycling as a serious travel option, and the recent Ride London initiative was clearly a huge success. The Cycle Superhighways were a bold initiative and present London as a city that supports cycling for green and health reasons. But if I were the teacher marking Boris Johnson's school report, I would probably make the comment 'could do better.'
So why am I disappointed?
The sponsorship by Barclays presented a great opportunity to do something really good for cycling. We are all used to corporate sponsorship for public initiatives and most of us can completely see the benefit of funding public projects in this way. But given that £80 million was never going to change the world, why stop at Barclays? Why not look at other corporate sponsors to do something really good. After all, in the depth of the recession, if Barclays could afford such large sums, why could not others be persuaded?
At the end of the day, the Cycle Superhighways are just a bit of blue paint on the road. If a car, bus, taxi or truck is going to cut me up it will do. Apart from awareness raising and perception changing, the majority of non-cycling road users do not understand cyclists and their behaviour, good or bad. I have to suffer the daily dangers of drivers trying to beat me to a left turn, pulling over for emergency vehicles without a glance in their side mirrors or pulling out from the kerb without checking to their right. Cycle Superhighways will never change this.
Secondly there seems to be no attempt to maintain the routes. On our ever potholed roads, every time a pothole is filled on the Cycle Superhighway, a bit of the Barclays blue seems to die. In one section near Clapham the blue has all but worn away. One wonders whether sustainability was ever built into the plans. Or was that left to local authorities without any advance warning.
Thirdly, I don't believe we will ever see truly safe cycling until cyclists are separated from motorised road users. Even motor-cyclists (yes I used to be one!) are an absolute danger to cyclists, especially when they use the Cycle Superhighway to get past static traffic.
Fourthly I do wonder whether the much-heralded growth in cycling in London (and elsewhere) is a result of the massive successes achieved by Team GB in the Olympics and Wiggins and Froome in the Tour de France, as well as a genuine desire on the part of the british people to be more active and green, combined with an ever-growing despondency with our failing public transport infrastructure.
Fifthly (and somewhat more flippantly)@MayorofLondon has never once responded to my Tweets on this subject! I'll try once more when I publish this blog!
So in answer to the question posed in the title of this blog: riding down CS7 through Tooting, it sometimes does feel like AC/DC's proverbial Highway to Hell, as I am forced to skid to yet another halt by another crap driver not seeing me. Yet at the same time I feel glad to be able to be a cyclist, glad to have that option to get to work, glad that I live in a city that is commutable by bike. So yes, sometimes, just sometimes, CS7 does seem a more 'heavenly' option than the alternative, which for me is the northern Line.
But just how transformative have the cycle superhighways been? So far four out of the planned 12 routes have been opened. Transport for London (TFL) claim that there are more cyclists as a result. They say that cycling has increased by 46% along my local route, CS7, three quarters of whom are commuters. They also claim that the average journey time has been reduced by 5%, and that 80% feel safer by using the Cycle Superhighway.
I am a daily user of CS7, which runs from Merton to the City, although I leave the 'highway' at the so-called 'Stockwell Gyratory System'. I have to say that whilst cycling has certainly transformed my life and my daily commute, and that having the Superhighway there certainly encouraged me to cycle to work, I am left somewhat disappointed by the route.
I don't want to completely rain on the Mayor's parade. Don't get me wrong I think he has done much to promote cycling as a serious travel option, and the recent Ride London initiative was clearly a huge success. The Cycle Superhighways were a bold initiative and present London as a city that supports cycling for green and health reasons. But if I were the teacher marking Boris Johnson's school report, I would probably make the comment 'could do better.'
So why am I disappointed?
The sponsorship by Barclays presented a great opportunity to do something really good for cycling. We are all used to corporate sponsorship for public initiatives and most of us can completely see the benefit of funding public projects in this way. But given that £80 million was never going to change the world, why stop at Barclays? Why not look at other corporate sponsors to do something really good. After all, in the depth of the recession, if Barclays could afford such large sums, why could not others be persuaded?
At the end of the day, the Cycle Superhighways are just a bit of blue paint on the road. If a car, bus, taxi or truck is going to cut me up it will do. Apart from awareness raising and perception changing, the majority of non-cycling road users do not understand cyclists and their behaviour, good or bad. I have to suffer the daily dangers of drivers trying to beat me to a left turn, pulling over for emergency vehicles without a glance in their side mirrors or pulling out from the kerb without checking to their right. Cycle Superhighways will never change this.
Secondly there seems to be no attempt to maintain the routes. On our ever potholed roads, every time a pothole is filled on the Cycle Superhighway, a bit of the Barclays blue seems to die. In one section near Clapham the blue has all but worn away. One wonders whether sustainability was ever built into the plans. Or was that left to local authorities without any advance warning.
Thirdly, I don't believe we will ever see truly safe cycling until cyclists are separated from motorised road users. Even motor-cyclists (yes I used to be one!) are an absolute danger to cyclists, especially when they use the Cycle Superhighway to get past static traffic.
Fourthly I do wonder whether the much-heralded growth in cycling in London (and elsewhere) is a result of the massive successes achieved by Team GB in the Olympics and Wiggins and Froome in the Tour de France, as well as a genuine desire on the part of the british people to be more active and green, combined with an ever-growing despondency with our failing public transport infrastructure.
Fifthly (and somewhat more flippantly)
So in answer to the question posed in the title of this blog: riding down CS7 through Tooting, it sometimes does feel like AC/DC's proverbial Highway to Hell, as I am forced to skid to yet another halt by another crap driver not seeing me. Yet at the same time I feel glad to be able to be a cyclist, glad to have that option to get to work, glad that I live in a city that is commutable by bike. So yes, sometimes, just sometimes, CS7 does seem a more 'heavenly' option than the alternative, which for me is the northern Line.
Friday, 30 August 2013
Flip, Flop & Fly; Don't Care if I Die
When The Blues Brothers recorded Flip, Flop & Fly for the movie of the same name they probably did not have in mind the fact that this would be used as a catchy headline for a blog on cycling some decades later. See the YouTube link if you have not got a clue what I am talking about!
Cycling home from work towards Merton on Cycle Superhighway 7 (don't get me started, that's another blog!) through Tooting, I was struck by the idiocy of two cyclists (not together) both wearing flip flops as their chosen cycling footwear. One was a bearded guy in his thirties on an old school city bike (he had no helmet on) and the other was a young woman (maybe 28ish) on a hybrid - she did have a helmet on, but there may have been a basket on the front of her bike. I lost track of beardyman somewhere in the rush hour peleton, but the woman went straight to the front of the cycle box at a set of traffic lights, which she is perfectly entitled to do......
The traffic light turned green, she tried to take off like a bat out of hell, which was never going to be a good idea as she was always going to be caught within a few metres by others on speedier mounts including me. But that was not the problem. Suddenly from nowhere a flip flop caught in her chain or the spokes of her back wheel and she flew in the air landing on the road in front of the following group. Her flip flops literally flew from her feet and landed several yards away. Fortunately she appeared to be not seriously injured and she was helped to her feet by several guys, probably hoping to get her telephone number to check if she was OK later. It could have been worse; if she had been followed by a van, bus or truck, she may have found herself underneath. It does not bear thinking about. I continued on my way thinking that surely anyone riding a bike anywhere other than along the promenade at a seaside resort should really be wearing shoes.
So, I suppose what I am saying is don't call a foul-up in your flip flops, don't cause a balls up in your Birkenstocks, or hell in your Havaianas just put some proper shoes on; it's safer for you and everyone else! You don't have to go the whole hog with roadbike cleats but just some flipping shoes! Flip flops are not compatible with cycling!
What do you think?
Cycling home from work towards Merton on Cycle Superhighway 7 (don't get me started, that's another blog!) through Tooting, I was struck by the idiocy of two cyclists (not together) both wearing flip flops as their chosen cycling footwear. One was a bearded guy in his thirties on an old school city bike (he had no helmet on) and the other was a young woman (maybe 28ish) on a hybrid - she did have a helmet on, but there may have been a basket on the front of her bike. I lost track of beardyman somewhere in the rush hour peleton, but the woman went straight to the front of the cycle box at a set of traffic lights, which she is perfectly entitled to do......
The traffic light turned green, she tried to take off like a bat out of hell, which was never going to be a good idea as she was always going to be caught within a few metres by others on speedier mounts including me. But that was not the problem. Suddenly from nowhere a flip flop caught in her chain or the spokes of her back wheel and she flew in the air landing on the road in front of the following group. Her flip flops literally flew from her feet and landed several yards away. Fortunately she appeared to be not seriously injured and she was helped to her feet by several guys, probably hoping to get her telephone number to check if she was OK later. It could have been worse; if she had been followed by a van, bus or truck, she may have found herself underneath. It does not bear thinking about. I continued on my way thinking that surely anyone riding a bike anywhere other than along the promenade at a seaside resort should really be wearing shoes.
So, I suppose what I am saying is don't call a foul-up in your flip flops, don't cause a balls up in your Birkenstocks, or hell in your Havaianas just put some proper shoes on; it's safer for you and everyone else! You don't have to go the whole hog with roadbike cleats but just some flipping shoes! Flip flops are not compatible with cycling!
What do you think?
Friday, 23 August 2013
Five reasons to be proud to wear lycra
There is a division amongst the cycling community about many issues, the most controversial of which is whether to wear a helmet. (Don't get me started on that one! Another blog maybe?) But the second one is about wearing proper cycling clothing AKA lycra. Never has a sport been so ridiculed as is cycling for its correct apparel. Why is this, I wondered?
Now a hipster cycling along Stoke Newington High Street in their skinny jeans, one leg rolled up chain-side, does probably not need to wear lycra even if they had the remotest desire to do so. A quick hop between a bar and a cafe just does not require a change of clothes. Nor the commuter cycling between Brixton and the City on the Cycle Superhighway, or the middle class shopper popping to the shops with a basket on the front of their Pashley.
But I would argue that for the serious cyclist, and I don't just mean roadies, wearing the 'proper' clothing is pretty much essential. And for me a pair of trendy jeans with roll up reflective parts or a suit jacket with reversible reflective lapels just does not do the job! They may look cool but they must be really uncomfortable, at least for a serious distance (say an 8-10 mile commute or a recreational ride of a similar or longer distance).
So let's work on the basis here that I am talking about padded shorts or bib shorts and a proper cycling jersey (either merino wool or most probably lycra). What is so wrong about these items of clothing that cause so much mirth amongst non-cyclist office workers and so much hatred from white van drivers? (BTW I am the first to admit that I chuckle every time I put on a pair of bib shorts and see myself in the mirror looking like a 1970s wrestler!) Why should I not be allowed to wear the correct clothing for my sport of choice? Why do cycling trendies hate lycra so much? Well I don't know the answer to these questions, but here's why you should wear lycra and be proud!
Comfort
Once you have done the walk of shame from the loo/ changing room to your desk, collected your possessions and walked out to the bike rack, once you get on your bike this clothing is the most comfortable and practical for the task at hand. No seams to chafe, no lumps or bumps, no flys, no buttons, just smooth lycra! Nothing loose to flap in the wind, nothing to get caught in your chain. What's not to like?
Technical fabrics
Cycling clothing is made to cycle in, just like running clothing is made to run in. They are ergonomically designed, e.g. long at the back, and made of technical fabrics. When you sweat the sweat comes to the surface and dries, keeping you warm. If it rains the fabric dries quickly. If you do get soaked on the way to work they are easier to dry before your commute home. I see too many people cycling in a sopping wet cotton tee shirt and wonder how they ever get that dry. It is so much more hygienic and as long as you are clean and so is your clothing you will not smell.
Padding
Now padded shorts take a while (like 5 minutes!) to get used to. When you first put them on it feels a bit like a nappy. But when you sit on your saddle and ride it just makes sense. All of your vital areas are protected. I personally cannot see how people cannot wear them for cycling any real distance, no matter how good their saddle. And no, padded shorts don't have to mean camel toe!
Convenient
You can wash your lycra overnight and it will be dry for the morning. Because it is so lightweight, you can easily carry a spare set of clothing if you are going to get wet and won't have the chance to dry out.
Makes you go faster
Wearing lycra makes you go faster. Now I can't prove this but I know it! Not only are you more aerodynamic, but there is something psychological about it! Because you are wearing sporty clothing you cycle faster. After all you would not want the hipster, the shopper or the commuter in a suit to overtake you would you!!
Now a hipster cycling along Stoke Newington High Street in their skinny jeans, one leg rolled up chain-side, does probably not need to wear lycra even if they had the remotest desire to do so. A quick hop between a bar and a cafe just does not require a change of clothes. Nor the commuter cycling between Brixton and the City on the Cycle Superhighway, or the middle class shopper popping to the shops with a basket on the front of their Pashley.
But I would argue that for the serious cyclist, and I don't just mean roadies, wearing the 'proper' clothing is pretty much essential. And for me a pair of trendy jeans with roll up reflective parts or a suit jacket with reversible reflective lapels just does not do the job! They may look cool but they must be really uncomfortable, at least for a serious distance (say an 8-10 mile commute or a recreational ride of a similar or longer distance).
So let's work on the basis here that I am talking about padded shorts or bib shorts and a proper cycling jersey (either merino wool or most probably lycra). What is so wrong about these items of clothing that cause so much mirth amongst non-cyclist office workers and so much hatred from white van drivers? (BTW I am the first to admit that I chuckle every time I put on a pair of bib shorts and see myself in the mirror looking like a 1970s wrestler!) Why should I not be allowed to wear the correct clothing for my sport of choice? Why do cycling trendies hate lycra so much? Well I don't know the answer to these questions, but here's why you should wear lycra and be proud!
Comfort
Once you have done the walk of shame from the loo/ changing room to your desk, collected your possessions and walked out to the bike rack, once you get on your bike this clothing is the most comfortable and practical for the task at hand. No seams to chafe, no lumps or bumps, no flys, no buttons, just smooth lycra! Nothing loose to flap in the wind, nothing to get caught in your chain. What's not to like?
Technical fabrics
Cycling clothing is made to cycle in, just like running clothing is made to run in. They are ergonomically designed, e.g. long at the back, and made of technical fabrics. When you sweat the sweat comes to the surface and dries, keeping you warm. If it rains the fabric dries quickly. If you do get soaked on the way to work they are easier to dry before your commute home. I see too many people cycling in a sopping wet cotton tee shirt and wonder how they ever get that dry. It is so much more hygienic and as long as you are clean and so is your clothing you will not smell.
Padding
Now padded shorts take a while (like 5 minutes!) to get used to. When you first put them on it feels a bit like a nappy. But when you sit on your saddle and ride it just makes sense. All of your vital areas are protected. I personally cannot see how people cannot wear them for cycling any real distance, no matter how good their saddle. And no, padded shorts don't have to mean camel toe!
Convenient
You can wash your lycra overnight and it will be dry for the morning. Because it is so lightweight, you can easily carry a spare set of clothing if you are going to get wet and won't have the chance to dry out.
Makes you go faster
Wearing lycra makes you go faster. Now I can't prove this but I know it! Not only are you more aerodynamic, but there is something psychological about it! Because you are wearing sporty clothing you cycle faster. After all you would not want the hipster, the shopper or the commuter in a suit to overtake you would you!!
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