Continue the change and enjoy the journey!

fedupandskint

Really excited now. The bike shop rang to say the first mountain bike had arrived for me afterall. Anyway they checked to see if the other one I like is in stock which it is. Can't wait to see them tomorrow to try out and hopefully get one! Bring on the commute!

fedupandskint

Long run done and dusted this afternoon, 12.5 miles in 2hrs 4mins. Pleased, oh yes!

Quite tired now and will have an early night to recover I think.

fedupandskint

Well I did, up bright and early as woke up super early so got up at 6am to do some washing and take the dog out early then get ready to go for the new bike shopping trip.

After a 3hr bike frame fitting and spec choosing session I found one. Completely different to what I expected to get in every way. Happy with it completely and am taking it out for its inaugural ride in the morning.

Found out my unusused bike stuff bought many moons ago and looking forward to building up to the point where I can get to work and back in a good state without collapsing!

fedupandskint

Using this from a certain someone's diary to evaluate my new shiny bike (read lovely lady as sparkly as I am - Lula!)

First impression - it's large currently taking up quite a big chunk of the kitchen usually where I do my ironing. Oh well no more ironing then!

Second impression - it's bright - black and white mix on the frame.

Third impression - it's modern looking - thinner than I expected with thinner tyres, but that's what I wanted rather than a full MTB

Fourth impression - it's light, once I get used to handling it

Fifth impression - it's easy to take apart and remove the front wheel and easy to put back together

Sixth impression - it's low maintainence, just requiring some cleaning and the brakes don't need any maintainance as they're hydrolic Yeah, just what I wanted!

Any negatives?
Don't know yet, just need to get used to it really. I'll know after the first ride on it! Hope not as I really love it and can get used to seeing in the kitchen for now while I work out where it can go for storage

fedupandskint

Off I went early this morning to try out the new bike feeling a little nervous and apprehensive about riding a bike again.

Anyway out I went togged up in my bright flurorescent jacekt, helmet and rucksac. What do I care what I look like to others, more important to be seen rather than what I see in the mirror.

Went the long way up hill out and the short route back - around 6.5 - 7 miles in total. Loved it, even the potholes which were a shock to be experiencing out of the car. Also getting used to not nipping out of junctions.

I decided to be brave and go on the roads and off I toddled.

So, the bike is great at building up speed quickly with minimum effort. Going uphill is good too once I get to grips with the gears which I'm getting used to now. Unlocked the suspension on the way back which was better too with the potholes everywhere.

I loved riding it. Getting more used to the large frame size now and its getting easier negotiating junctions and traffic lights and the so on.

For now its going to live safely in the house while I decide where it can live for good.

I could feel the new leg muscles being used that I don't use that much for running. Or they were being stretched in a new direction rather than scrunched up from running.

Recovery after bike riding was good too after feeling a bit puffed going uphill on the way out.

Glad I started running as this helped me riding. The two should combine well for fitness and cardio and maybe the bike riding should give me a bit more toning at times too.

A very enjoyable way to do some exercise - now that makes a change! Only kidding, of course I enjoy running, I wouuldn't do it otherwise however it does make a nice change to do something different

fedupandskint

How come everything I do for me gets rained on by someone else as being the wrong thing because they weren't involved in the decision making?

Apparently my new bike is the wrong one for me, the wrong size being too big and dangerous and I was advised to buy the wrong one

So why don't I think this? I think the frame is large but its really comfy to ride and that's what's important overall. My leg isn't over extended when peddalling and isn't up around my ears either. So if its dangerous why didn't the shop tell me that when I rode it outside for 10mins?

My conclusions are its a big bike but I like it and its a comfy ride. Of course this has planted a seed of doubt in my mind about whether this is the right bike for me now.

Just reminds me of how things used to be, always wrong footing me, making me feel uncertain about what I do and that I can't have faith in what decisions I take. What is it about that? Can't bear to have me make a decision on my own about what is right for me?

Well, do you know what, stuff that, I'll sort it out on my own and if its right for me, its right for me

fedupandskint

Just a couple of things to mention.

If I stick at cycling and reach the point I'm aiming for to cycle to work 2x per week over the summer I'll really be enjoying cycling.

Then when I get to this point I'll have a rethink about the MTB and will use the savings to put towards one alongside some birthday money and maybe Christmas money to buy one and set a realistic budget to stick to with what spec I want.

Today is mostly assignment rewriting which I'm about to start when I log off here - boo. However the weather is dreadfully miserable and wet today. So it's not really boo, its more hurrah when I finish it today!

fedupandskint

Have done a lot of work on the assignment to resubmit shortly. Just one more section to do that's stumped me a bit.

Better get back to it if I want to finish it today

fedupandskint

Still stumped on one very small section of the assignment. So will print it off and have a read and see if I can make any more sense of it tomorrow.

A productive afternoon too, almost finished assignment, then went on a bit of cleaning splurge in the spare room of doom. Tidied up lots of things out of the way, chucked out things that needed to go. More stuff in charity shop pile along with shoes that don't fit, I don't like yet insist on keeping (bought many years ago).

Rediscovered my twisty stepper all abandoned on its side. Turned it over the right way found out the DVD popped it in to play then while tea was cooking did 20mins of step with upper body toning which was very enjoyable indeed.

20mins flew by leaving me thinking how I can fit this into my exercise week. It's a good one to fit in like on a day like today when I'm busy with uni work, can't let myself go out for a run, or really my legs need a day off like today.

I might see if I can fit it in some mornings before work, which mean a very busy morning before I set off for work. All good training for my arms and my obliques - better be anyway! Let's see how I get on for a month, aiming to do this 3 times a week for 4 weeks and then review how effective it is in toning up these flabby arms and belly and back.

fedupandskint

Got up for work and squeezed in 20mins on the twist stepper this morning. Pretty easy for first thing in the morning and will do again on Thursday morning.