Sara tries…cycling!
I’ve never been very confident on a bike - something must have happened with me and a bike when I was younger to give me a deep rooted fear of bikes. I love spinning though, it a great workout but I never got up the courage to take the cycling outdoors.
A few months ago, my husband asked whether I would ride an electric bike if he were to buy one. I internally rolled my eyes, I knew he was just looking for an excuse to buy another bike - but I said that I would give it a go.
Eventually this new bike arrived and my nerves built when the day came for me to give it a go. Richard was brilliant, we went to an empty car park and I was tasked with learning how to use the gears, brakes, seat adjuster and also the added speeds! I realised that boost mode was a little too fast for a beginner but after an hour I started to build my confidence. We got home and I asked Richard whether we could go anywhere local for me to test my new skills. He was pleased, but I reckon he was secretly worried that I was still very new to this electric bike malarkey and a full on meltdown was highly likely.
The next day (Bank Holiday Monday) we got up early and headed over to Ladybower Reservoir in the Peak District, bikes in tow. Richard told me that the route was mostly on closed wide roads which alleviated most of my anxiety about what to expect. I had a slight meltdown getting out the car park as there were lots of cars about, and a family of ducks that I thought I was about to run over. I pushed the bike up to the closed road.
Once we got going, I could see the benefits of cycling - it was a beautiful day and the scenery was stunning. My hands were glued to the handlebars and despite Richard’s pleas for me to relax, I was anxiously dodging round pot holes and bumps in the road for fear of falling off.
We stopped for a quick break and it was so lovely to be out in nature with Richard, we are so lucky to live 20 minutes drive away from this beautiful place.
The ride carried on without much drama, a few little races between us led to me feeling more confident on the bike, apart from when I nearly went head on into a group of cyclists coming the other way! The high point was getting up to 17mph going uphill (thank you electric motor!). We reached a narrower, more rocky, off road section that Richard has conveniently not told me about. He really is a whizz at helping me manage my anxieties.
From that point on, my confidence soared - I made it round a tight bend and through a little gate without having to get off and shuffle! I whizzed over a cattle grid, manoeuvred around unpredictable dogs, children and big groups. I even started going through the potholes and tackled the rockier parts of the track.
It wasn’t a perfect bike ride - a few stops were necessary for me to relax. I found I was concentrating so hard at the beginning that I had to get off for a breather. As we went on and I relaxed more, I didn’t want to stop!
In total we did nearly 11 miles in about 90 minutes which yes, is a little slow but I was so proud to have got round the whole loop. I know it’s a bit silly for a 32 year old to be nervous on a bike, my anxiety has meant it’s something I have avoided for so long. What I realised is that I had shut the door on these lovely experiences through fear and anxiety.
For a beginner cyclist, Richard had picked the perfect route - we had luckily got there before all the big crowds arrived. We made a pledge to go back soon on a summer’s evening, first I need to buy my own helmet!
I felt great for the rest of the day, I had given myself a massive confidence and self-esteem boost. I felt like I had started to strengthen the muscles I need to go on more challenging rides. As with most exercise, I found a deep sense of body appreciation that I was able to try something new and do okay!
