Hello, East Devon cyclist joining...

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IDMark2

Dodgy Aerial
Location
On the Roof
Hi,

My cycling history has been on and off for most of my life but a wakeup call in the form of a stroke back in 2010 gave me a good reason to start getting to grips with things... I weighed 16 and a half stone, smoked and polished off a bottle of red most nights.

My birthday was coming up so I asked my family and friends to club together for a Turbo Trainer for my bike. At that stage I couldn't stand up or walk without a stick because my right-hand side was under the control of some entity other than myself, but I was determined to do something to get fitter and I duly installed my old Trek 1000 on the trainer in the shed at the bottom of the garden and began. Ten minutes later I finished and went back to the house and slept for a day or two.

Anyway, I carried on over the next year or so and was dreaming of getting out on the roads like in the old days. I got stronger and did exercises to improve things like only using one hand on the handlebar for 5 minutes, or looking over my shoulder as if checking for traffic behind. Smoking and drinking had gone and so had over 3 stone. Just one thing to do before I could say I was a cyclist...go out on my bike!

So I'm here now, doing two or three rides a week of 30 miles or more, out and about, dressed in 'cheap as I could find' lycra because I haven't earned in a while, thanking you for reading so far and hoping that you all are happy and healthy because it's better to be that way!

Ian
 

the_mikey

Legendary Member
Hello and welcome to CycleChat :welcome:
 

welsh dragon

Thanks but no thanks. I think I'll pass.
Good lord. What a remarkable story. Thank you for sharing it with us today. It kind of puts things into perspective to read stories like yours. You are truly inspirational and a winner to have overcome so much. And to be able to do the mileage that you do is humbling. Welcome to the forum, and I hope you go from strength to strength with your cycling.

I look forward to hearing more about your rides and successes.
 

Doyleyburger

Veteran
Location
NCE West Wales
An amazing read and deserves to be a feature thread IMO.
Fair play to you Ian, that just goes to prove you can achieve anything if you really want it hard enough.
Look forward to hearing more from you on CC
 

Pat "5mph"

A kilogrammicaly challenged woman
Moderator
Location
Glasgow
:welcome:
Welcome Ian!
What a great positive attitude, good for you! :thumbsup:
 

openroad

Well-Known Member
Welcome Ian ^_^reading your story you must me chuffed with yourself .Have you got any cycling goals?
 

MikeG

Guru
Location
Suffolk
Welcome Ian. Great story!

Are you North East Devon or South East Devon? If NE, are you close to Porlock? (I know that's Zummerzet.........but have you ridden up THAT hill?)
 
OP
OP
IDMark2

IDMark2

Dodgy Aerial
Location
On the Roof
Thanks for all the replies, well and truly feeling welcomed! :blush:

I live near Exeter Airport @Peteaud, my loops don't generally lead me further than about ten miles from home but there is some challenging terrain in terms of climbing around here, well challenging for me anyway.

@openroad, My brother and I are determined to do the route of the Tour of Britain stage that we went out to watch locally last year, we know most of the roads and might get the chance to do it together this year. We've been out to see the race pass by whenever it's been through Devon over the last few years and we thought we might do a slow and redder faced re-enactment ourselves.

@MikeG Yep, I know the hill from my sales repping days, no I haven't cycled it...yet!
 

Ian H

Ancient randonneur
Plenty going on in East Devon. I run events from Honiton and Exeter, as do others in Devon CTC and Exeter Wheelers. Google will quickly find them.
Oh, and I'm Ian from East Devon ;)
 
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