So while it might be true that you never forget how to ride a bike, it seems that it is all too easy to forget just how badly you ache from getting back on your bike after a couple of years. I obviously got carried away when I finally stopped wobbling around on my bike, I think I rode for about an hour, thoroughly enjoying the sense of freedom on my bike, and of course the lovely countryside I found myself riding through after not too long. When I realised I’d been out for a while I thought it best to turn back as I didn’t want to wear myself out, or even worse discover that my puncture repair wasn’t the great job I thought it was – I had certainly ridden too far to push the bike back and riding on a flat tyre didn’t appeal. Home I went, and I felt great – it certainly made the trials of digging the bike out of the shed and fixing it up worth it and I decided that I would really make an effort this time to get out on my bike at least twice a week.
I suspected I might feel it a little bit the next day and was pleased when I was only a little achey and sore when I woke up – the sign of a good bike ride I thought. I was also pleased to see that the tyre hadn’t gone flat overnight just to spite me. I resisted the temptation to go out again that day and agreed with myself that I would go again tomorrow, perhaps further this time, seeing as I and the bike were apparently in good shape. I spent a while looking on the internet for cycle routes around my way and found a couple that I thought might be worth a try. This was not to be the case however, as on waking the next day, full of thoughts of cycling I realised that I was in pain, lots of pain in fact – my legs felt like they had been run over by a truck and my back was throbbing dully. Not as fit as I thought apparently, so much so it took my body a day to realise just how unfit it was. Delayed onset muscle soreness apparently – it’s a common thing in unfit people returning to exercise. I am considering returning the bike to the shed.