I’ve had an odd relationship with cycling most of my life, owning at least one at all times for at least the last ~37 years. But it was usually simply a mode of transport, rather than cycling for exercise and fitness.
I had times when bikes gathered dust, because I opted to drive commute instead, or used the bus after my cycle commute rta at Xmas 2013. Because I had let all other sports go over the years since ~1998, bar a brief spell in 2004 where I used the Quays gym, I put on a fair bit of weight from ~72Kg to as high as ~95Kg at one point and become incredibly unfit.
But I changed things around in small steps in summer 2016, reducing my food intake and dropping to ~80Kg by January. I then gradually increased my cycling for fitness from 5 hilly miles to as much as an unplanned 85 miler last month.
These days I love hitting the cat4s and the two cat3s on the South Downs this side of Petersfield, or very recently doing ~2000+ feet of hill reps for fun around Witts Hill.
It’s given me a reason to go out when not at work, the endorphin buzz is great, as is feeling the forest I’ve been for over 20 years. But when I don’t cycle, my mood drops within days!
