Mark White
Active Member
- Location
- Tha Sala, Thailand
Hi everyone!
I'm a 45 year old expat originally from Nottingham now living in rural South Thailand, which has been the case for the last 8 years or so. From having bikes at an early age, I ended up with an Enfield racer at 14 and practiced to the point where I got a speeding ticket for drafting buses down University Boulevard at 16. So I switched to something slower, getting a Yamaha FS1E and sticking with small motorbikes for a while, until cars and, for a short while, a Kona MTB came into my life. But mostly I've been off-bike for 30 years.
The sudden realisation was that I have spent the last 6 years sat at a computer all day (as a work-at-home developer/sys admin) and with each passing year it was going to get harder to regain my fitness, I did some research and ended up with a hybrid, specifically a Trek FX 7.2, from the local LBS. And this has turned out to totally suit my needs over the last 6 months or so.
Cycling has gone from an early circuit of 5 miles at 12mph, to 12 miles at 15mph a few days a week, and this last week I've hit 18 miles at 17mph every day, and completed a 31 mile route this morning which is my longest yet. And I'm happy enough at all of this. Endurance is improving, average speed is increasing, and I have pushed to 20mph for 2-3 miles on my best run earlier this week. It might be a while before I can keep that speed up for an hour, but it's all good for now.
As for where I live, it's hot (35-40C right now), flat (20 miles to the nearest hill) and bumpy (roads are not well maintained). This adds its own challenges to getting out and about, but the peace and quiet of an early morning ride down country lanes make it all worth while.
It's good this cycling lark, innit :-)
Mark...
I'm a 45 year old expat originally from Nottingham now living in rural South Thailand, which has been the case for the last 8 years or so. From having bikes at an early age, I ended up with an Enfield racer at 14 and practiced to the point where I got a speeding ticket for drafting buses down University Boulevard at 16. So I switched to something slower, getting a Yamaha FS1E and sticking with small motorbikes for a while, until cars and, for a short while, a Kona MTB came into my life. But mostly I've been off-bike for 30 years.
The sudden realisation was that I have spent the last 6 years sat at a computer all day (as a work-at-home developer/sys admin) and with each passing year it was going to get harder to regain my fitness, I did some research and ended up with a hybrid, specifically a Trek FX 7.2, from the local LBS. And this has turned out to totally suit my needs over the last 6 months or so.
Cycling has gone from an early circuit of 5 miles at 12mph, to 12 miles at 15mph a few days a week, and this last week I've hit 18 miles at 17mph every day, and completed a 31 mile route this morning which is my longest yet. And I'm happy enough at all of this. Endurance is improving, average speed is increasing, and I have pushed to 20mph for 2-3 miles on my best run earlier this week. It might be a while before I can keep that speed up for an hour, but it's all good for now.
As for where I live, it's hot (35-40C right now), flat (20 miles to the nearest hill) and bumpy (roads are not well maintained). This adds its own challenges to getting out and about, but the peace and quiet of an early morning ride down country lanes make it all worth while.
It's good this cycling lark, innit :-)
Mark...
From a fellow MTB rider in Scotland, where it's not hot, plenty of hills and potholes!
Some expats miss the seasons and winter, but for me....no 
