Tales of a cycling sportive newbie
In our guest blog this month Lorna Johnston from Ayrshire describes her journey from self-confessed 'couch potato' to taking on a cycling sportive – a long distance challenge ride which involves completing a set route within a time limit.
Riding a bike is a rite of passage – most of us will remember that intrepid moment when the bike suddenly felt lighter as a parent’s hands left the saddle and we felt the rush of excitement at pedalling alone on two wheels for the first time. The bicycle in its simplest form is a passport to freedom, a social tool and a means of being active. So why it took me to reach the age of 30 to rediscover this joy, I do not know!
The beauty of this skill is that once learned, it's never forgotten. So no matter how fast or how far someone else can go, don’t forget that they also started from the same point as you.
My love of cycling started when a good friend suggested we take on the London to Paris challenge. We had six months to prepare. I had to go from couch potato to being able to ride for three days in a row, covering an average of 60 miles a day... it was daunting to say the least. I bought a bike and relied heavily on support from friends and family. This was the real key to my training – without support from other people, I'd cheat if left to my own devices.
Getting started
We started with small, slow rides around familiar roads and progressed to managing slightly hillier terrain and slightly longer distances. I wasn’t confident enough to tackle a route by myself, so instead I attended regular spinning classes at the gym. I enlisted the support of a friend who works in the fitness industry and he taught me the basics of regular exercise for endurance, which equated to many, many sessions of reasonably low effort exercise, either on the bike or in the gym. I only made it through to complete the challenge because I had a goal and a plan. Without a reasonable plan and target I would have failed miserably.
But I did it… and it felt great!
The cycling bug
This challenge was a real turning point for me because I'd thought that, like many who participate in marathons, I would take part in the challenge and then hang up my cycling shoes. But the enjoyment of completing such an event and doing so as part of a group made me want to feel the same sense of achievement on a regular basis.
I now continue to ride, and sought out a friendly cycling club to join. The club rides, along with the new British Cycling Sportive training plans are both excellent ways to help train towards a set goal. It appears that the training plans are an exercise schedule that any personal trainer would be proud to hand over!
My future
I looked ahead to the coming year and set myself the goal of riding sportive events of increasing distance throughout the season. Again I've roped in as many people as I could to ride with me and spur me on. I'm very much a social rider and find I have a limit of about an hour of riding on my own before I crave company.
Inspired?
Inspired?... You can achieve what I have with a set plan and goal. If you're new to cycling or want to set yourself a personal challenge, I would highly recommend the Ride Strong Plus rides, as they're a great way to work up to a sportive. They give you the opportunity to ride increasing distances with likeminded people and make friends along the way. Once you're ready to take the step of entering a sportive event, check out the variety out there first and plan your season wisely.
Lorna describes herself as ‘passionate about participation and sharing my experience with others.’ For someone who describes herself as a beginner, Lorna is taking on some serious rides this year, with both the epic and infamous Bealach Mor and Etape Pennines on her radar.
