Cycling – Achilles & Aristotle

The Wonders of Walking…

My surprise discover of the last month is the wonder of walking…

For over 15 years I’ve routinely cycled to work; rain or shine, hot or cold – but not freezing cold. My one rule is not to cycle when it’s near freezing or snowing. Too slippy all round.

At the same time I’ve realised – thanks to my FitBit – that I burn about 130 calories on a half hour cycle to work. And sometimes as low as 95 calories when in traffic; a 20 minute walk burns more…

All that faffing about getting changed and locking up and remembering keys and lights and all the paraphernalia – and then a perilous ride dodging tipper tricks, taxis, buses; not to mention ‘friendly fire’ from Lycra louts whizzing inside and out on racing bikes. Plus the handful of times I’ve fallen off, it REALLY hurts.

So instead, given the cold weather I’m walking – 20 to 35 mins – then either hop on a bus or sometimes a hire bike for the last bit to work. When you factor in locking up and getting changed same time taken; but lots more done…

More calories burnt (wards off the spare tyre)
More phone calls made (extra mileage and running repairs with people at work)
More music listened to (additional joy and nostalgia in the tank)
More thinking time (clearer view of the road ahead)

At the Science Museum (for work) this week, I briefly took in their lovely new Robot exhibition – 300 years of trying to make human-like machines. Some of them are wonderful, some spooky; one in particular heartbreakingly engaging – she gives you a fist bump and twinkles at you when you lay your hands on hers.

But the one thing the roboticists struggle with the most is the human foot – it’s too clever by half. Given it’s so surprisingly special, good to make full use of it. All roads lead to more walking.

Life, Work

My left foot

Nearly a year ago I was preparing myself for a big change: a change of job, role, sector and working context.

About the same time, I decided to change foot. For over 15 years of cycling to work, pretty much every day, I’d always rested and hopped about on my right foot – at the many traffic lights and junctions to and from work; the left leg never used, bent double, toe strapped in toe clip.

Result – a dodgy left hip and a chronically sore tendon at the back of my right knee.

If you’re going to change some things; why not change everything, was my reasoning: job, route and standing leg. And so I was wobbly, uncertain, off balance and uncomfortable on my bike – just as I was in the new job. Great idea!

But in a way, learning to stop, stand and push off on my left leg has been a metaphor for my life and the year at work.

Many was the time in a long cold winter and an endless wet spring, I yearned for the certainty and sure footedness of old. But the other day on a summer cycle in, I noticed I am unconsciously surer now, left-footed on the bike – more confident in my balance and stronger kicking-off.

A year of trying something new, and it has become something I can more or less do. Much like my job. Practice makes perfect; we’re never too old to adapt and learn.

Life, Odysseus, Poetry

Ouch

Massed commuters
iPods on
Wave of ignorance
Marching along
Poor old cyclist
Trying to get through
Smacks into one of them
Minor to-do
Felt for both of them
Embarrassed and hurt
But the ignorant pedestrian
Should feel worst.

Not on my bike today, I observed a nasty bump as commuters spectacularly ignored a truck and a bicycle as they surged across a road. Groupthink, ‘me first’ and headphones to blame. Reasonable accommodation fell – along with the cyclist – by the wayside.