My dad recently bought a Silver Birch open canoe (he won’t grow up). I’ve been out on that with him twice. That is really lovely! I think my next purchase will be an open canoe

Good effort @kayak23 !

I’m knackered after about 1hr30 on mine! So that is impressive. But I’m stll new too it, so probably waste a lot of energy being tense.

I had the river bed strike > fall > landing in the rocks too! Bought a river fin now.

My closest water is jsut 5 mins from home, the Nadder (which becomes Avon) in Salisbury. It’s a pretty area, but very shallow in places. Loads of fish, chalke streams around there so really clear.

Fantastic Fungi

I think we’re in the same boat.

It’s a weird one, and I’m still very much on the route to discovering/sorting it.

I did a lot of research on it. I’ve seen all the people (chiro, oesteo, physio, proper doc and an MRI etc through private medical cover).

I do have discs that have gone, but that’s a red herring, and us lot probably all do by our age (40+).

I read some stuff on neuroplastic pain (also TMS). It’s possibly just that you’ve been in pain so long it becomes neurological or oversensitised or some other miscommunication going on. It’s a hard one, as it definitely feels ike proper pain and something is wrong.

That’s where we differ then, my wife gets fed up and SHE goes downstairs haha!

I’m stumped at mattress tbh. I feel pretty stiff and achey after a night on ours, but if I’m camping and sleeping on a self inflating mat, I feel great the next day.

Went to a bed shop, got advice, came away more confused, so have done nothing

Or just strengthen both, just to be sure?

Probably that if possible, get it all good and strong I reckon is the way

I have weak hamstrings, glutes, and hips from cycling so started running to help balance things out. It’s already helped with lowere back pain but knee are tight and the tightness keeps moving around

This is me! And I’ve taken around 5/6 weeks off the bike to see if it helps, but up until that I just persisted cycling despite the pain – even managed to do KaW in 3 days! But I’m a bit of a wreck, I’ve had chronic lower back pain since last August, triggered by a house move I think, anyway, never got to the bottom of it, I think now it’s been there that long it’s no longer actually structural but neuroplastic (but that’s another topic, worth looking into!). But I’m not just going to sit around and get grumpy, so I’ve diverted energy to other activities and tried to focus on things that might build some general strength without actually going to the gym, as that’s just horrible. I have a rowing machine at home, this is amazing for building strengh and cardio, thouroughly recommend it, crack the music up and get stuck in. BUT when it’s sunny outside I find it hard to go and sit on it sweating away inside.

I’ve just completed week 6 of coach to 5k, so far loving it and feeling much stronger in general. I also bought a SUP for a bit of fun in the summer, but this definitely probably helps “core strengh”, it certainly feels like it’s working bits of me I didn’t know I had.

As much as I really love bikes and cycling, I think I spent too long just cycling and nothing else. And sitting in that position for 000s of hours and then sitting in the office all day, I think has ruined me a bit.

I read more and more, that working on strengthening rather than stretching is the way, as above strenghtening the opposing muscles to swithc off the tight muscles, or even working on the tight muscles as they themselves are weak so overworked. Have to say I’m dubious stretching works, it tend to make things worse for me, so if I do do it, only lightly.

Constantly, using Chrome.

It’s OK using MS Edge, which I don’t use.

I’m mid C25K plan also. I love running, but always manage to bugger it up doing too much too soon. Will I manage this time to be restrained? We’ll see…

I think maybe just slow right down on the run bits, just an easy jog. I was getting really sore calf muscles, but was running a bit quick on the run intervals, slowed it down and it was a lot better. As cyclsits, we’re always a bit too keen!

Agree with that @molgrips

I love standing and staring into the surrounding landscape, having a ponder, the stones are just a part of that. Go up at sunset and it’s magic.

I think you’ll be disappointed TBH, it’s my local, but it’s a bit underwhelming. I ride past quite frequently, as other have said there’s a track very close if you’re on the bike https://w3w.co/models.ranted.estuaries

Avebury Stones are cool though. Or closer, Old Sarum is nice – usually an ice-cream van there too. You could do aloop from the Catheral, up to Old Sarum, then use the King Alfred route to go from Old Sarum up the the Stones, or cut left by Stings house, across the grassy hill and leggit across the A303

That film is excellent!

But, take up something new. I have to admit I do wander between hobbies over the years. But learning something new from scratch really is wonderful. I was quite an accomplished local time trialist. I gave that up when I realised it really didn’t matter, and I was missing out on lots of precious time with my young family. I still ride, but the amount I do is really very little now – I do get pangs of guilt about that, having spent so long getting good at it, and all the money spent on it.

I’ve recently embarked on the coach to 5K. I really love running! The post run thing, wow!

I’ve also bought myself a paddle board, which now after 5 or 6 sessions and working out things I’m really loving.

AND we have jsut taken on a full size allotment! We have no idea what we’re doing – which is the best bit! So many fantastic things out there, outside of cycling.

Honestly, nothing better in life than embarking on new things.

I’ve always felt like I’m just pretending to be a responsible adult at work.

Yep 100%. Confirmed by sneakily looking at toys (bikes, SUPs etc) all day. It’s pretty cool being a kid with grown up money though.

Also, totally get imposter syndrome, badly. It’s definitley hindered my career tbh.

@roger_mellie

I’m doing to C25K currently too, I’m only week 3 mind. My plan was do that, then do the Nike Run Club 5K thing to follow on, that looks to include speed work, longer runs etc. that I think might be too much for my cyclng legs at the moment.

For C25k I use intervals pro app on my phone. I just added the intervals as per the NHS program to it, and programmed it to simply beep once at each interval/rest. Just shove that in my pocket and get going. Nothing more annoying that an app crashing when you’re trying to do something like this!

We bought a Kampa Hayling 6 air tent earlier in the summer for our first family foray into camping. I looked at others, but some similary priced were quite small inside, I’m 6’4.

Cannot fault it! Superb tent. Not overly bulky/heavy for a family airtent, 25kg ish. Priced pretty well considering everything that’s going on, £775.

We got to site, I sent wife and kids to play park. Pegged 4 corners, pumped up the 5 air beams, finished pegging out the fly sheet and guy lines. Job done – love it! Chair out, beer open.

On the weekend, I add a dollop of salted butter….I know

Can’t you run there?

Yes – eventually. When I have gotten into it more. More off road options that road where I live – very hilly.

Thanks @pieface

Yes, that was my memory of it! Many niggles, pains and sometimes injuries stopping it all together. But still, it’s worth it.

I’m in no rush this time. Looked at the C25k thing. But think I’ll just take it easy, start slow, and listen to my body.

Just picking up running again myself, after a few years break. I feel a significantly better mood lift post run, that I don’t get from bike so much.

Trail vs pavement. Does it really make that much different to knee issues? Always thought there wasn’t much difference felt bewteen firm gravel/pavement. I can easily pop out the front door and run around my new build estate, new flat tarmac on dead quiet roads. I do have good flat trails, but need to drive there (only 5 mins though).

Reason I ask, is I could do with some new shoes.