Cycling

There are perks to being an internationally-renowned sports writer. If you are one, I’m sure you know what they are.

It seems that there is also the occasional Brucie bonus available to those that have created a small (but perfectly-formed) weblogpedia.

You may remember that I was fooled into taking part offered the opportunity to take part in a spin session in a dark room in London.

I’ve also been sent a book for review.

Now Wiggle has been kind enough to send me a couple of bits of clothing to try out (and I’m assuming they want me to write about them).

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Birmingham* is full of surprises. It has a nice new station (or rather, the old one just got a face lift). All the cool cats are making it their UK headquarters.

(*Ameri-fans: for the avoidance of doubt, I’m talking about Birmingham in England, not the one in Alabama, Connecticut, or Kentucky (where it is a ‘sunken town‘?!?)).

Birmingham also has an exhibition centre. A National Exhibition Centre. Where, this weekend, bikes were exhibited. And I went along to have a gander.

Here is my photo journal.

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Good news! It’s over.

And it’s good news for both me and you.

For me, I’m pleased to say I completed my self-imposed penance challenge, to cycle on every day in June [whispers behind hand, “for at least 20 minutes”]. For you, I’m pleased to say you won’t have to hear me going on about it all the time.

Uu-rah.

That is, you won’t have to hear about it again, after this post. For in this post I shall share my ‘results’.

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The World Cup group stages are into their vinegar strokes.

Wimbledon has started (thankfully with the men’s defending champion not making an historical first round exit).

Anticipation for the impending Grand Depart is reaching fever pitch (i.e. a few Yorkshire eyebrows are being raised ‘neath flat cap and the odd tsk is being uttered).

I therefore forgive you in advance if you have forgotten entirely about my own sporting Waterloo.

My 30 Days of Cycling Challenge (my own capitalisation) continues. I’m pleased to say that I haven’t missed a day yet. I even getting the sense that my fitness is improving. There might be something to this public accountability thing.

Here is my update.

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Hello all. I’m sure you’re chomping at the handlebars to hear how my 30 Days of Cycling Challenge is going.

Relaxez-vous.

The moment of update is upon us. Let’s begin.

A Disappointing Lack Of Drama

What I’m about to write guarantees that something will happen that derails the whole challenge.

Boff! [French shrug of the shoulders]

The challenge continues. I’ve managed to cycle every day. I haven’t had any physical breakdowns. I haven’t had any emotional breakdowns.

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Well last week’s post certainly prompted some debate.

In the post, I ‘confessed’ to not having ridden my bike for 81 days (i.e. the best part of three months). My self-prescribed medicine was to commit to riding for at least 20 minutes on each of the days in June*.

(*There are 30 days in June.)

I requested that readers use the comments section of the post to indicate that they would be watching my progress, the idea being that this would then make me accountable to those readers for seeing the challenge through to its conclusion.

This worked, with many of you piling in to throw abuse, encouragement and questions (the most sensible of you pointing out the potential folly of going from zero to everyday cycling overnight).

Whilst I was certainly touched (in the appropriate way) by those urging me not to beat myself up for having fallen off the saddle (so to speak), I should probably clarify that the 30 Day Challenge is not meant to serve as a penance. Nor is it a punishment for failing to spin the cogs on a regular basis. My cycling soul does not need cleansing.

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I have a confession to make.

A pretty fundamental confession for someone that runs a cycling blog.

This post probably ranks as classic commercial suicide (or it would be if this blog could be described as being remotely ‘commercial’).

Right Grimpeur. Stop the wittering. Get it off your chest and then tell us what you’re going to do about it (for yes, dear reader, I have a cunning plan*).

(* And my ‘cunning plan’ needs your help, so please do read to the end of the post.)

So, The Confession

Forgive me readers for I have sinned. I have not ridden a bike for 81 days.

Which is 11½ weeks. Which is very nearly 3 months.

Which is pretty shocking really.

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Before anyone gets worried, I should probably say that I am not currently being held in my house against my will.

Rather I wish to rant (yes, rant) about the feeling you get, as a cyclist, when you’re all set to ride, you’re suited and booted, your leg is cocked and then… you realise that you’ve not got [your phone / your emergency funds / your Kendal (bloody) Mint Cake – delete as applicable].

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Despite being a keen follower of pro-cycling, I try not to mention it too much on this blog. I write for recreational road cyclists that want to put their rump on the saddle, not the sofa. Other blogs cover the pro-cycling scene in far more depth (and far more coherently) than I ever could.

But with less than 48 hours to this year’s grand depart, it seems remiss not to at least mention the Tour de France.

Rather than talk about the route, the riders and the hotly-anticipated Promenade des Anglais*, I thought I would summarise the ‘resources’** I use to maximise my enjoyment of the event, some of which you might find interesting.

* Note 1: This is a very sophisticated, multi-level bon mot that I have stolen unashamedly from inrng.com.

** Note 2: ‘Resources’ being websites and twitter feeds, rather than le dopage.

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