Summer is on the way, branching out

[rcp27]

I can't quite believe spring has gone so quickly. When I started on C25k, the snowdrops were just beginning to come into flower, and as I have run, I have seen them come and go, the daffodils followed, and now the meadows around here full of flowers of varying hue and style. Getting in touch with the changing of seasons has been a delightful side effect of getting involved in running.

A few weeks ago, having heard that I was looking to become more active in my lifestyle, a friend of mine who is a keen cyclist, invited me out for an "easy" ride. It was right at the limit of what I could manage, but it was like a lot of the runs in this program: I realised that with the right training program I could definitely make progress and improve my performance. Since then, I've gone for a couple more long rides in the countryside (but with fewer hills), and rather enjoyed it.

What's great about the forum here is that it's centred around the newcomer to the activity, and people are very much focussed on helping people new to the activity to learn to work better, and answer all those little questions that would be trivial to people more experienced, but we all need to get answers to in the beginning. Does anyone here know of a place on the internet with a similar sort of community as we have here, but focussed on cycling?

[Jaqs99 Graduate]

Sadly not. Hopefully someone will be along in a minute who does know. I like cycling too , but don't think of it as a fitness activity.. Just pootle along country lanes stopping at as many cafés as poss! ( also appreciating the landscape and nature obviously!)

[rcp27 Graduate in reply to Jaqs99]

The funny thing is, I cycle quite regularly, as it's how I get to work. Up till now, though, I've always treated it as simply a cheap alternative to the bus and a way to avoid the expense of owning a car. The idea of getting on my bike to do fitness type stuff rather than just as a way to get from A to B is something that I had previously always regarded as something for lycra-clad weirdoes. I placed those people in the same mental box as the crazy people I see around town running not because they are about to miss a bus, but because they actually want to do it for its own sake. A bit like the nutters who go to the swimming pool not to cool off in the summer with some friends, but to actually try to go fast from one end to the other repeatedly. What sort of Pandora's box have I opened!? I think I need to go for a run to clear my head of all this nonsense.

[Jaqs99 Graduate in reply to rcp27]

Haha. It's obviously time to accept your transmogrification into Nutters' World

[swanscot Graduate]

I'm a member on the Cycling Bug and occasionally post in the forums there. The site is fairly new - the 'sister' site to the more established Running Bug - and as I've not been on so frequently in the past few weeks I'm not sure how busy it is. I remember people asking - and getting answers to - basic questions - unlike some other cycling forums where they may as well be talking in a language other than English for all I understand!

thecyclingbug.co.uk/communi...

[ju-ju- Graduate]

I agree...and I love this forum because it nurtured me through the programme,on my next steps, and now is still so supportive to me a year on as I'm continuing my training to marathon!! I will ask my husband about cycling forums as he goes on lots...I know he does something called,' Strava' but there are more, I will find out!!!!!