On yer bike!!

Woke up this morning and couldn't even put my foot to the floor! I hopped to the bathroom and back, noticed that the ankle was still extremely swollen and made the executive decision that I needed to take a day to get the swelling down. Apart from a minor operation, this is the first day off I've had to take in over 6 years of teaching so I guess I shouldn't feel too bad - I just hate not being there especially on the first day back!

Sitting here with my foot in an elevated, (but not very comfortable!) position as per the doctors orders, my thoughts have turned to exercise again! I am still determined to get my fitness back and loose weight. Sure I have slimmed down the diet and, (very unusually for me,) still have several boxes of chocolates still sitting here untouched from Christmas but clearly the impact of running is not going to be such a good idea, especially on dark nights, around country lanes and with a weak ankle. Now to bikes....

.....I think I'll go cycling! I feel a little like 'Toad of Toad Hall' in 'The Wind in the Willows'. I half expect to be seen driving around the country lanes in an old open top sports car going 'poop - poop'! I think cycling will have less impact on my ankle yet still have the same effect so long as I still get my heart into my training zone. I can use towpaths in the summer months and stick to the road in the winter and can also use it more for genuine purposes such as popping into the village etc. so has an added environmental benefit too. I used to do a lot of mountain biking as a kid and young teenager so rekindling part of my past sounds good, (oh dear, I sound as if I'm having a mid life crisis and I'm nowhere near old enough for that yet!)

I want to find a mountain bike with quick release front wheels so that I can fit it comfortably in my cratch, (I don't want one of those expensive and horrid looking folding ones,) but I also fancy suspension as this was never around in my days and I quite fancy the luxury of it and I don't want to spend a small fortune! I think Halfords beckons at the weekend! Watch this space....