Recently reading Cyclist Magazine, September issue - I read something I wanted to share:
"Melancholy is incompatible with cycling. As the American poet Diane Ackerman wrote: 'When I'm on a bicycle the world is breaking someone else's heart."
What does cycling mean to you?
Cycling links the adult 'me' to the child I once was. I spent my childhood playing outdoors, in fields, woods and gardens. Exploring and letting my imagination run wild. Once on a summer's day aged 9, I got on my bike and cycled to a nearby field. I crawled under the barbed wire fence to see the horses, I fed them carrots and took photos. I loved it, I'd touched on something that felt free, adventurous and most of all, mine.
I think that's why I love cycling - it enables me to create experiences that are mine. Experiences, that had I opted not to go out on my bike that day - would have happened to someone else, enriched someone else's life, helped form friendships between other cyclists. Cycling offers me the choice between accepting the day as it is, or improving it.
Today I am in Normandy. It is the most stunning day I have ever seen here. Endless blue skies, golden fields, cows and horses hiding in the shade and clear, open roads - a cyclist's haven. I woke up with tired legs and didn't feel like doing my training today, but I'm glad I did. After a 70 minute run, I was on my bike and stretching out my legs.
Cycling feeds mysoul.
I love being out on the bike with friends, or people I don't know who later become friends. But sometimes, it's amazing to be out on your own. Nothing but your own thoughts to occupy your mind. I've been cycling every day since arriving in Normandy and I've never done that before (London commute is not quite the same!) Going cycling every day has been nurturing a quietness inside me, a feeling of peace, of focus and strength. Living in London is great for so many reasons, but being in the countryside with the roads on your doorstep offers a whole different experience and perspective.
There are countless inspiring stories about how cycling has changed lives, helped mend broken hearts and provided a vehicle to achieve greatness.
On a daily basis, it continues to inspire me to lead a better life, what does cycling mean to you?
