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Miles 20.15; Bike Miles 10; Units 27

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"Get a bicycle. You will not regret it if you live." (Mark Twain).

So, here I am commencing my first week of my 40th year with a bicycle - a present from Janet, and what I really wanted. I last owned a bike in my 2nd year at University, which was of course a "Brideshead Revisited' type bike (did you expect anything else?) with wicker front basket and 3 Sturmey-Archer gears. It satisfied a need to throw coursebooks in the basket, don the cycle clips on my tweed suit (yes I did sometimes used to wear a 3-piece green tweed suit and tie at Uni...oh help me someone...) and then afterwards partake of a glass or two of Shepherd Neame's finest on the way back home. I seem to recall that I sold it to my landlady for £15 when I moved out. Since then I have eschewed the 2-wheeled form...though I have always been keen to get back in the saddle.

My, how bikes have moved on! So, this 'city hybrid' model, as they call it, is made of oh so light aluminium, 21 gears with paddles for up/down, and a rock solid seat! It has very direct steering and feels nimble. My commitment was to ride to work one day a week provided the weather was ok (I'm not mad) and to use it to pop into town and the like. Hence, 10 bike miles, 5 each way to work, on Wednesday. A little scary but we made it! The sense of freedom and exhilaration is intoxicating, I think I'm going to like this. The jury is still out on the saddle..

Doubly proud of myself for a 'brick' session, as the triathletes have it. I jumped off the bike on Wednesday and ran just under 5 miles. That is a strange feeling. The legs, unused to this style of exercise, are a bit jelly-like and uncertain. I don't yet believe I am ready to embrace fully this world of multi sport. Still unfinished business in running for me...London 2011 maybe?

Wine of the week would have to be another excellent bottle of the Hess Allomi Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2005. A classic bordeaux blend, but with that much bigger fruit of the US of A. All ripe blackcurrants and green wood. Lovely!

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