For about 9 months now, following a small recovery period after the Classic Quarter, I have run a steady 40 miles or so a week, over 4 runs, but for the first time in a few years, I have no run events planned, no 24h runs, no ultras, no half marathons, and you know what? I’m quite enjoying it.

No pressure to train, taper, consume huge amounts of weekend time training, no crazy back to back 40+ mile weekends.

Having a really good base fitness for running means I can happily head out and run 15-20 miles for a long run and enjoy it, be able to walk after, do normal Saturday family stuff, like going to the library, decorating, tidy the garage, play lego and read ‘how to train your dragon books’ to The Boy.

Today I went out on a bike ride. The first proper ride this year. I’m still at the cobbling kit together stage – shorts, running tights, running jacket, vintage mtb shoes, even older gloves, but you know what, it kind of works for me.  Sure, I would love to get out and buy a load of new cycling gear, but I simply can’t afford it! I probably should look at eBay.

Anyway, onto the focus of this post, biking fitness. While I am running fit, and I certainly don’t shy away from hills, I really notice the lack power in my legs when it comes to hills. I can see I really have a lot of work to do.

But how?

I would like to find a way to add 50-100 bike mikes a week, without it taking up too much family time (or work time for that matter!) and am struggling a little with the idea of dropping a run to help make space for it. How do other do it? If you have any ideas on how to do this, do let me know please.

I want to set some cycling goals for 2016, building on the momentum of late last year. I want to have enough fitness to enjoy a hundred mile road ride, and a who knows, perhaps a 30-50 mile MTB ride (although where for that will take some working out!), but more of that to come in another post.

So here’s to re-working an activity schedule to include rides as well as runs. I’ll let you know how it goes.