Really mine?

That’s my bike. I still can’t believe it. Let me explain.

Road biking, the very thing I’ve been so singularly disinterested in for the whole of my life has suddenly, from nowhere grabbed my imagination. It came out of the blue. Graham, a keen cyclist convinced us that it would be a good idea for Marchday to sign up to the Government’s ‘cycle to work scheme’. A few weeks later  I thought ‘why not?’ when invited to join Tim and Graham for a vist to the ‘Iron Horse’ cycle shop in Darlington town centre. An hour later I walked out, my head reeling, the owner of  a pedigree racing machine which confusingly I had no intention of riding. But, I reflected, it was a thing of beauty and cycling did offer access to a whole new (slightly bizarre) wardrobe and plethora of gadgets.

That was back in November. Our bikes arrived a month ago and to my amazement I’m hooked. I’m now the proud owner of a Giant Defy 3, lycra padded bib, spd shoes and pedals and the most incomprehensible bike computer known to man. I got a dayglo biking jacket for my birthday and even bought my first copy of Cycling Weekly. Believe me, I’ve got it bad…. but then I always get it bad.

My mentor and cycling guru is Colin, a member of the landscaping team at Lingfield Point but more importantly a member of the Stockton Wheelers. Colin is a sub 3 hour marathon man who left running for cycling following a string of injuries. He’s fast and looks like he could go all day. Like a schoolboy, I watch him closely and imitate his every move in the saddle. He’s my Lance Armstrong but as a traditionalist he probably wouldn’t welcome the comparison.

So, if you happen to visit Lingfield Point on a Tuesday evening you could well see the Marchday juggernaut as it ploughs it’s way around our measured mile with Colin pulling us along. I would never have thought I’d say it but for me, cycling is the new golf – and that’s got to be a good thing.