Wheels and a will...a song of balance and fun!

Last week, Julie (Wellbeing Coach), Helen (Development Coach) and I attended a biking course with Cycling UK. It was the first time I had ever done anything like it, so I thought I would write about my experiences and hopefully inspire others to do the same. As you can see from the photos, I’m no spring chicken and neither am I your typical athlete.

Me and bikes go back a long way. A few years ago, I use to commute to work. In my time I have owned a fold-up and a mountain bike. I have even used proper gears! One catastrophic day, I fell off…

…BANG

It was a shock. I wasn’t seriously hurt, but afterwards, I found I was too nervous to get back on. In fact, it took a pandemic to give me the push I needed.

If you live in Sheffield, you will know how hilly it is. Biking up those hills for an overweight person is no joke. So…I bought an e-bike. And it was the best thing I have ever done.

Since last summer, I have gone from doing about 20 miles a week to doing way over 150. I go out around 4 times a week, sometimes more. I can now get up hills I couldn’t consider before. I have no doubt I’m fitter, and I have definitely got more confident. I still can’t stick my arm out without wobbling, and I don’t do anything brave, but I’m happy with the progress I have made.

I would like to pass on my love of the cycle to the families I work with. I had an idea about doing Safari runs around Concord Park, including a visit to the bike track. But I needed some training.

Julie, Helen and I spent a day with Rob from Cycling UK. I think we pushed his buttons, but he was very patient! He showed us how to ride the streets safely and with confidence. We had a lot of laughs. We even did a roundabout.

We hope to pass on our newly found skills to you, and are looking for volunteers to help.