I decided it was time to get fitter. I've always been able to find one excuse or another, but the reality is I ENJOY exercise - that's the perversity of it all. It makes me feel good to think that I'm doing something to make me healthier.

I've avoided doing much work on upper back since I ended up with a very sore back after a lot of gym work - clearly not for me. recent X-rays shows my spine bent at 90 degrees and fused from the middle down to my lower back, so I need to be careful about how I increase fitness.

Gyms are a waste of time and money in my opinion. Yes, they're great in the heart of winter when there's not much alternative but right now the sun is shining and I decided to look out that bike that I haven't ridden for ... oh... 2 years?

I am the kind of cyclist who's idea of cycling is to find the flattest canal path I can and do that for ten minutes or so, but that's not going to achieve what I want to achieve (and it means strapping the bike onto the car etc... another excuse)

2 weeks ago I got the bike looked out, pumped up the tyres, bought a helmet (yes I'm THAT rare a cyclist I never needed one!) and started out on a small run around Bo'ness. Now when I say a SMALL run, Bo'ness is pretty hilly! I went 3.08 miles (according to mapmyride), and managed an ascent of 171 feet - including a grade 1.96 climb apparently!

To say my backside was sore and my legs were dead would be an understatement!

Since then I have progressed slightly. I've now done a total of four rides. Today was the longest yet - 4.86 miles and an ascent of 308 ft - including (apparently) a grade 4.17 climb... whatever that means. At the end I was barely aching and I felt like I could have gone on for more... hows that for 'canal boy'???


The ride down the hills at the end was pretty exciting... (as you can perhaps see from the graph!) in 21st gear and couldn't keep up with the wheels... I did feel a little exposed sitting on my rickety old mountain bike wondering what was going to fall off and whether or not it'd be me...

What a beautiful day it was, and I'm glad I decided to put the excuses behind me and get on with getting fitter. And the bike is such a refreshing way to get out, especially when you're off the beaten track and can stop and take in the view.