fitness shitness

I'm managing to get out most weekends for a 10 mile bike ride. This past weekend, got up early on Sunday and went out before there were too many cars about.

It was cold, but not windy, so the circuit took me ten minutes less than it has recently. But I felt under the weather anyway, and aches and pains marred the experience. Both hips hurt, and my arms.

I was also hypochondriacally aware of the blood pounding in my veins and felt sure I was going to drop dead any minute from an aneurism. B insisted I carry her mobile in one of the pouches on the back of my cycling shirt, in case I dropped dead. Then I could call her and tell her to put the chicken in the oven with my dying breath.

Slowly, slowly, I am, losing weight and I guess I am a little fitter, but you know, I've never really had any strength or stamina. 20 years ago, cycling to work was a pain, and my hips used to hurt then, too.

So there's a long way to go before I'll be able to tackle the hill near B's parents' place in France. It's on a road that has been used on a Tour de France stage, but the hill, if it has a category, would only be a Category 3 or 4, if they go that low. On the other hand, I am determined to give it a go.

Week before last, in the blasting wind, I was forced to use the Granny cog (the smallest at the front) on my little hill. Otherwise, I was being blown backwards faster than I could pedal. But this has been the only time. On the other hand, I shouldn't even need to use the middle front cog on this hill, if my legs had any strength (but they never have had, as I said).

But there's a way to go yet, as I said, and as I realised when the old man overtook me going up said hill on his old touring bike. He had white hair and was at least 20 years older than I am. Bet his hips don't hurt.