From A to B

Moving from Fife to London and going from unemployed to employed I expected to ride my bike a lot less. As it turns out the complete opposite is true.

I had already started a much more time efficient but intensive training regime in 2011 which although involving a significant amount of time on the turbo had resulted in a big improvement to my fitness. This has continued in 2012 and so my training time, apart from the odd weekend ride being slightly shorter, is about the same.

The major difference is commuting. I now commute to work by bicycle around 3 times a week. Currently this takes me around 30 minutes each way. Changing office next week this will increase to around 45 minutes but I imagine I will be no less inclined to get on the bike. I have come to love cycle commuting. My other options are the bus (taking over an hour) or the train and tube (taking around 45 minutes). Neither of these is very pleasant - lots of people, travel sickness (my new nemesis) and the only reason I bother at all is because I cannot cycle every day and not overtrain. If I wasn't a racer I probably would commute every day by bike.

I could now bore you stupid with the vexations of buses, taxis and cars, lack of showers and bike parking at the office (thankfully it is much better at the new one) and cycle commuting doesn't really save time, because you have to change and shower etc. on top of the riding time. But that bit of time at the beginning and end of the day where it is just me, the bike and my thoughts along with awe inspiring views down the River Thames is really rather life affirming.