the first cycle

today: first preparation cycle.

into central london, 50 mins each way. have just found out how far this is with mapmyride (http://www.mapmyride.com/). 13 kms. Oh dear.

apparently for the triathlon (according to last year's results) i'm supposed to do 23 kms in about 53 mins. even if i factor in things like stopping at lights, turning corners, almost being killed by taxi drivers - i'm still stupidly off target.

today, as always, fellow london cyclists were whizzing past me. the only cyclists i overtook were older than my mother, riding one of those little foldy bike things, and children so small i almost inhaled them.

i figure there's no way i'm going to be able to time myself properly before the triathlon, so i guess i'm just going to have to keep cycling into work every other day and work on building my cycling fitness.

unfortunately at London's Most Povo Fitness Facilities (ie. my gym) they don't do spinning classes. wish they did - because i really don't think i could manage using the bikes at the gym - if treadmills are a 9/10 on the boring scale, then bikes are not far behind. why wouldn't we want to be outside, it's called fresh air people - and taxi drivers who want us squashed!

am going to sneak another post in tonight - in response to a few comments on my last notation on the curse of the bad run...