During the earlier part of the year when people were talking about the shortest rather than the longest day, I sought solace in the gym in order to maintain my cycling experience through undertaking almost daily spinning classes.
I unashamedly am happy to identify the Velocity gym at the Village Hotel in Warrington as my choice of venue. They provide a comprehensive spin programme with a variety of different classes and if you are shy or don't like dance music, you can tailor your own workouts through 'my ride-virtual spin'.
Mark who hosts a double spin class on Tuesdays knows a bit about cycling and tries to replicate the road cycling experience in the class both with his workouts and through his imaginative commentary.After one class he told me that we had just ridden on the A5004 from Whaley Bridge to Buxton up 'Long Hill'. Judging by the amount of sweat that soaked the wooden floor beneath me, id say that we probably did.
Spinning gave me a lot this year with 'summer form arriving' in April, personal bests served to me on most rides, and the ability to climb and find others still behind me when i get to the top. Despite the better weather I still spin once a week on Tuesdays with the promise of further Peak district Hills.
Spinning also brought me something else.........Sarah May
Each winter night whilst I was trying to keep my personal data on the 'myzone screen' in the red, other far more impressive challenges were going on behind me.
Sarah and her husband Jeff were spinning too.
I had passed the time of day with Jeff on a number of occasions after he had commented on my Mule Jersey and determined that the spin studio was my winter retreat.
I soon convinced him that I also rotated pedals in a way that moved you forwards.
He exclaimed that was what Sarah was doing
Moving forwards.
It was then that I learned that it was not that long ago that Sarah was on a dialysis machine with a grim prognosis after kidney failure.
The only help would be through a new Kidney.
It was then that my education began, firstly I did not realise how many people have kidney failure through a variety of reasons and secondly how difficult it is to find a kidney that would match.The process is long and drawn out providing a roller coaster of emotion.
Amazingly in Sarah's case she got a kidney that came from her brother.
For most people after going through such trauma, being well again would be enough, but not for Sarah.
She wanted to help others in the same predicament and became heavily involved in a charity called 'Kidneys for Life'
I unashamedly am happy to identify the Velocity gym at the Village Hotel in Warrington as my choice of venue. They provide a comprehensive spin programme with a variety of different classes and if you are shy or don't like dance music, you can tailor your own workouts through 'my ride-virtual spin'.
Mark who hosts a double spin class on Tuesdays knows a bit about cycling and tries to replicate the road cycling experience in the class both with his workouts and through his imaginative commentary.After one class he told me that we had just ridden on the A5004 from Whaley Bridge to Buxton up 'Long Hill'. Judging by the amount of sweat that soaked the wooden floor beneath me, id say that we probably did.
Spinning gave me a lot this year with 'summer form arriving' in April, personal bests served to me on most rides, and the ability to climb and find others still behind me when i get to the top. Despite the better weather I still spin once a week on Tuesdays with the promise of further Peak district Hills.
Spinning also brought me something else.........Sarah May
Each winter night whilst I was trying to keep my personal data on the 'myzone screen' in the red, other far more impressive challenges were going on behind me.
Sarah and her husband Jeff were spinning too.
I had passed the time of day with Jeff on a number of occasions after he had commented on my Mule Jersey and determined that the spin studio was my winter retreat.
I soon convinced him that I also rotated pedals in a way that moved you forwards.
He exclaimed that was what Sarah was doing
Moving forwards.
It was then that I learned that it was not that long ago that Sarah was on a dialysis machine with a grim prognosis after kidney failure.
The only help would be through a new Kidney.
It was then that my education began, firstly I did not realise how many people have kidney failure through a variety of reasons and secondly how difficult it is to find a kidney that would match.The process is long and drawn out providing a roller coaster of emotion.
Amazingly in Sarah's case she got a kidney that came from her brother.
For most people after going through such trauma, being well again would be enough, but not for Sarah.
She wanted to help others in the same predicament and became heavily involved in a charity called 'Kidneys for Life'
Sarah does not take her health for granted and rejoices in being 'Well'
She decided that this summer she would ride with a few friends on a sponsored cycle ride from London to Paris.
Such is her infectious personality and positivity she has now persuaded others to join her, surgeons,other transplant patients, friends and family.
Knowing that there was not a great deal of cycling experience I offered to help out with some coaching but Sarah and Jeff soon persuaded me that I ought to cycle the trip too.
What could I say
Cycling from London to Paris has always on my bucket list and I look forward to completing it. I hope that over the coming months I can in some small way help Sarah and all the other riders to provide them with the confidence, stamina and ability to reach the Eiffel Tour with me.
Any money raised will go to helping people live lives that we take for granted.
This is where my readers come in.
Please support us.
I have provided a link to my just giving page on the right hand column
Remarkable blog! I have no words to praise, it has really allured me.wwde
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