Study Break

Understated good looks, just like me. :-)

"Plucky" - despite a difficult Olympics she's back in the saddle.

Beautiful, scenic Granton Gas thingy.

I went a diabolical run with Peter yesterday. Well the run wasn't diabolical. It was kind of good fun, but my running was b-a-a-a-d. My ribs were all stuck together and I just couldn't really swing. We averaged a heart-stopping 11.34 pace.
Today when I got up my hip was sore - from sleeping funny. Peter showed no surprise as he saw me hurpling around. He laughs and says it's a shame for me. I can only agree.
I was going to do some studying and essay writing today anyway, but I would have hoped to go a wee run in the middle of the day to break it up...
However I have a plan B.
I have had a secret new bike since June 18th.
WHAT????
I know.
WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN???
It means I impulse bought it off Wiggle. It's a beauty. I got it on interest free credit and I'm paying it off month by month. But at the time I got it I didn't have any time to ride it, because I was starting my course, reducing my caseload, tapering for the St Magnus Marathon and then going up to Orkney.
HOW CAN YOU GET A NEW BIKE AND THEN NOT EVEN RIDE IT???
I know. Don't even. You should have heard Peter.
And then since then, well, I haven't been great but also there's this goddamn compulsion to run when there's time. Will the world fall apart if I run 4 days a week instead of 5 and have a day on the bike? NO. But it feels like it will.

So I thought, if you can't really run, or really you shouldn't, and you've got a new bike, what do you make?

YOU MAKE NEW BIKOLADE!!!!

Correct! But there's no need to shout.

It was with trepidation that I took my new bike out for a wee cycle. I'm so sore I'm afraid of bumps and crashes. Even braking hard is pretty bad. And I could be forgiven for thinking that maybe something was out to get me these days. If I took my new bike out, would it end in tears?

But you have to get out the house, especially on a sunny day, so off I went.
Trepidation soon turned to (cautious) joy as I swish, swish, swished along. I'd forgotten to fix the bell on, which was a shame and a bit of a liability on a Sunday. Still it wasn't too bad. I just necked it and called "Coming through" to get past people. There were more dogs and Sunday cyclists than I would have liked, but still it was good.
There's a little puddle on the cycle path just near Davidson's Mains that floods every time there's any rain at all. I reckon it must be the most corrosive body of water on the planet. In the winter the council got a bit happy with the salt even though it never got very icy....and I think it all got washed down into this particular puddle....my commuting bike has never been in a state like it was after this winter, as it got its salty bath every day. The rim on my back wheel actually split. My chain looked like the chain on a ship-wreck's anchor.
So I didn't like cycling through that.

I cycled down to Cramond and there was a distressing wash of dogs and children on scooters and bikes. I know. Be nice and share. I'd planned it so I'd have the wind behind me on the promenade though, because I wanted to see how fast I could go. I never tried it. This punk isn't feeling lucky. I'll wait for a week day.

Anyway. It is love. I love bikolade. And maybe now I can break this compulsion to run and do a bit more cycling. I'm pretty sure it would do me good.