Basically I’ve just done my first ride of 2024. My last ride was August 2023 and then suffered a back injury that kept me from any exercise till November. By then the weather was tosh.
2024 began and the weather still awful and then back, Neck and shoulder injury due to a car accident stopped any riding till April. Then final wedding preparations and getting married meant no time.
now I’m mainly using my Mountain bike as a overbiked Canal cruiser and a few visits to Gisburn now and again. But I get sick of cleaning after muddy rides. Don’t mind my clothing getting muddy but the constant bike cleaning is boring.
So looking to do something else on crappy weather days to keep fit. The obvious one is running along the Canal but I haven’t ran since 2006 at Catterick. Used to do Cross country at School.
back then I had never touched a cigarette but now at 38 and having just quit smoking a fortnight ago I need to keep fit.
I walk on average 5 miles per shift at work. I do enjoy being outside.
We took up kayaking as our shitty weather option. It is considerably more faff than running however.
Running along the canal gets dull pretty quickly and is harder on the joints than you might think because it’s so flat and repetitive. If you had some trail or fell shoes you could walk and run up and down hills and footpaths all over the place - just briskly walk up, run along, and do your best to run and leap down. Way less dull and a great way to scout out new trails for when things dry out!
Running. It'll hurt to start with but stick with it and you'll reap the fitness benefits.
EDIT: and/but what Hannah said.
Get a single speed HT and don’t bother cleaning it until absolutely necessary! That or a Kayak or Paddle Board. Running is something I think you have to enjoy to get anything back from it. If you enjoy it then go for it.
I do enjoy being outside
Dogging?
More seriously. Not outdoors but we started boulder at an indoor wall earlier in the year. Good workout and you can just pitch up and do it without any real faffage.
Get a CX/gravel bike and spare wheels - then road when muddy, and CX/gravel when still muddy. Got covered in mud this weekend on the CX - it's terrible. Haven't touched the FS
A run with a difference - jog to a spot with a view and a suitable tree/fence/hard point with a TRX (other cheaper brands available) in a small backpack. Do some body weight suspension training. Jog home. I will never use a sweaty noisy indoor gym again when your own outdoor gym is available in a handy go anywhere bag.
As above, but replace TRX with a slackline.
Can you put a sup in the canal? Ideally something a bit tourer/racing shaped, that'll track better whilst you put the power down, rather than a lidl blob shaped one. Can be a surprisingly good workout if you do it right.
Stop washing your bike so much!
Get a rigid single speed and don’t bother cleaning
FTFY
Cleaning: Hose it off if its covered in gloopy mud. Every few rides show it a sponge and some chain degreaser. Life is too short to immaculately wash your bike after each ride 🙂
PS Singlespeed, seconded. Start with some flatter stuff then find some hills and watch your fitness and strength rocket 🙂
I’d happily take up hill walking mixed in with a bit of trail running. Tried Road Cycling, nearly got killed promptly sold it and my legs will stay forever hairy.
Tried Bouldering at Entwistle Reservoir. Got about 8ft high and nearly needed a change of pants.
I do enjoy Photography so can combine that with something. I live in Rishton and am directly on the Canal and have access to all the local hills etc.
Boulder UK in Preston may be better for you then, indoor and much padding.
How about getting a BMX/dirt jump bike and hitting a skatepark. There's quite a few round the area.
Gym?
I've been walking for years, don't tend to walk the distances I used to, but love getting out whenever I can weather permitting.
Get a subscription to OS Maps (or a free trial) and plan out some interesting walks off the beaten track - I've had some cracking days out courtesy of that.
Rishton? So you're not far away from some stunning locations.
Unfortunately Can't afford to join a local Gym yet. But do want to eventually. Happy to do Press up, Sit ups at home though. Probably be able to afford a Gym membership in 24 months or so.
I do enjoy a good walk outdoors.
But could do with some new walking boots or trail shoes.
I'd suggest running, but with the usual warning I give to cyclists; you might have the cardio to run a decent distance but without conditioning you're likely to hurt yourself. The various Couch to 5k programs might seem a bit pedestrian but they do help build you up.
Here's a more comprehensive program to get your speed and distance up
Also, think about stretches and yoga to get those muscles and joints in good condition. I'm enjoying the range of videos on this channel;
https://www.youtube.com/@RunBetterwithAsh
Hiking and indoor bouldering.....both are awesome. Indoor bouldering for me is one of the easiest entry, lowest faff sports there is. Starting to get more pricey, but most walls do a monthly entry price for about £40, maybe a bit more. I know that you said that you can't afford a gym membership (no idea how much they are) but surely the cig money that you're now saving can go towards the cost
Outdoor hobby - Indoor Bouldering?
But I get sick of cleaning after muddy rides.
Rigid bike with full length mudguards, and mud flaps down to 3" off the ground. Works for me - clean bike, clean clothes, clean shoes.
Become a roadie?
Just grow a freddy mercury tache, start talking watts and KOMs, bingo, you're good.
I’d happily take up hill walking mixed in with a bit of trail running.
how about orienteering - often not as physically punishing as trail or fell running.
I’d happily take up hill walking mixed in with a bit of trail running.
Geocaching?
Boulder UK in Preston may be better for you then, indoor and much padding.
Yell if you want a climbing partner, I'm in Padiham. You've got the Artist Formerly Known As West View Leisure Centre in Preston which is excellent, and I think Barden in Burnley is still going but I haven't been there in decades. There's a couple of clip'n'climb type places round here also.
Unfortunately Can’t afford to join a local Gym yet. But do want to eventually. Happy to do Press up, Sit ups at home though. Probably be able to afford a Gym membership in 24 months or so.
Get a decent set of resistance bands and find some workout routines online and you can do plenty of good stuff at home. Way cheaper and much more convenient.
Any local parks have a decent outdoor gym?Do the exercises one handed if the machines are a bit easy for you.Also,what about gardening or renting an allotment. Green gym plus fresh food for the win.
Freestyle Motocross?
I hate riding it in the wet, but for me it’s the clothes rather than the bike. I’ve got a cheap hybrid I can ride locally when the weather is bad, I’m planning on eventually getting a rigid MTB or HT that I can equip with some guards and use year round and a gravel bike and I’ll get rid of the hybrid. if you can’t afford the gym though and you can’t afford a pure gym then I think running or walking are going to be the best option.
I also race kayaks and I’m happy to do that in any weather but depending on your proximity to a club you might struggle with costs there too. Not sure where you are, racing canoe clubs thin out the further north you go sadly.
Ha for some reason I read it as new sport rather than outdoor hobby!
Hiking!
Bushcraft and foraging? If you're near the coast sea fishing (don't have to spend a fortune in gear and no licence /permit needed) coastal foraging? Wildlife/birdwatching?
I think you'd already said photography is something you do? YouTube using your camera/phone doing the above activities?
We took up kayaking as our shitty weather option. It is considerably more faff than running however.
I tried kayaking and loved it, but the faff kind of stopped me getting into the habit.
I don't enjoy running but still do it 2 or 3 times a week. Currently doing it enough to not find it actively unpleasant.
I do enjoy a good walk outdoors.
Get out hillwalking then mate. If I'm reading this correctly then you are well located for Pendle Hill, West Pennine Moors and not far from the Lakes or Dales.
There's a good little bouldering place in Blackburn (Onyx).
Get a dog or borrow someone's who doesn't have the time/energy to walk their dog. I absolutely love being outdoors with my dog both from a physical and mental wellness point.
Paddle board / kayaking, faffage but nice peaceful serene activity especially when combined with a #2 above.
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Find a focus to your walks. That way you are on your way to see stuff. Old military bases, old railway and canal infrastructure, neolithic sites. There will be tons within ten miles of where you live. Compare old maps with new and work out what was under that new housing estate.
I do enjoy Photography so can combine that with something.
Use one of the sunrise/sunset apps (I use Golden Hour) to plan amazing places to be for the right light (for example the sun rises in line with the gorge of the river I live in only for a couple of weeks every year. Then plan a walk to get tp get there at the right time. My personal hobby is taking sunset/rise shots in remote places that can only be taken if you sleep out at the right spot at the right time.
I'm fed up with cleaning the bike this year too and have a paddle board ....
But ... due to this bl**dy rain the river I launch on has only been normal levels a couple of times this year for me to get out. It's not safe when in flood.
We have canals locally but they are relatively short as they are only to bypass weirs as the river is the main navigable waterway.
It's also very wind dependant, it's hard work when it's windy !
I’m planning on eventually getting a rigid MTB or HT that I can equip with some guards and use year round and a gravel bike and I’ll get rid of the hybrid.
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There’s a good little bouldering place in Blackburn (Onyx).
Ooh, that's a new one on me. Opened last year, it's an Ian Vickers outing so should be good.
due to this bl**dy rain the river I launch on has only been normal levels a couple of times this year for me to get out. It’s not safe when in flood.
The rivers round here have the opposite problem. There's rarely been enough water. Last time I paddled a local stretch of the Spey I had to drag my raft across the shingles three times. The narrow, flowing sections are often under strainers (we had a paddle board fatality only last week).
I would second running and especially trail running. Running is painful and boring at first but gets fun when you start to build some fitness.
Also, trail races (as distinguished from proper unmarked fell races) are fairly numerous, easy to find online and very welcoming with a real mixed bag of competitors. If you look for some with waymarked courses they are great fun and you can just jump straight in.
Personally I find running more fun when I'm following a training plan and then long runs seem quite relaxing and meditative compared to the hill sessions and so on etc rather than just plodding around every day.
Running is painful and boring at first but gets fun
Very subjective, I do quite a lot of running and it's never been what I'd call fun.
😀
Trail building / maintenance? I don't know how that fits in with your injuries but it can give more of a purpose to just going for a walk!
Get into teh dales and go for a walk. bloody fantastic landscape.
And you are not that far from teh lakes as well..
obviously get some waterproofs/boots! I love a good hike just as much as biking.
Yeah just ordered some trail shoes from Go Outdoors and will probably get some Boots for winter.
I don’t mind cleaning the bike when it’s muddy as I just snow foam and rinse then clean and lube chain. But it does get tedious after winter rides, so I just do the chain and leave the mud to dry. Got Waterproofs Endura Singletrack Jacket and Pants. Keep me bone dry on Mountain bike.
Id like to attempt running and do actually have some comfortable running shoes that I use for walking in Greece and at work some Nike Revolution and they are the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn.
Any tips for beginner running again for a ex smoker?
If you are in Rishton then Onyx climbing wall at Blackburn will be a bit more convenient for you than Boulder at Preston. I’ve been quite a few times and enjoyed it.
The narrow, flowing sections are often under strainers
My google skills are letting me down. What's an under strainer?
Any tips for beginner running again for a ex smoker?
I did couch to 5k at the start of this year after not running for about 3 years. It's a slow burner and feels like a lot of faff at the start but it got me there. Though I gave up on the program when it got to 20 mins solid running (just over 3k for me). I then decided I was going to do 5k instead and walk bits if I needed to. Did a couple of runs with a little walking and then built it up to the full 5k run from there. It definitely helps me to listen to a podcast while running to distract myself from my own thoughts and realisation of what I'm actually doing. I don't believe anyone who says they enjoy running. The feeling afterwards is great, but during is normally hell.
walking. At pace. And ideally with a dog. See if you can borrow a dog if you don’t have one already.
A strainer is any obstruction in a river that the water can get through but solid things can't. Often fallen trees with debris built up around them. As the water level drops in the summer you're left with a wall of shit across the channel just above water level and if you are unlucky and don't see it you'll get stuck underneath it. Nasty things.
My google skills are letting me down. What’s an under strainer?
Think they mean "under a strainer" vs "under strainer". Strainer is anything which lets water through but not kayaks and swimmers.
In this case probably the best water is probably close to the bank with a bunch of overhanging trees with low branches.
Thanks both, that explains it.
I strongly recommend running, but it will take a while to build up fitness and even at your tender age that needs to be done slowly... I was getting injured every couple of months until I started doing run/walk - 3 mins run, 1 min walk - with my Garmin watch providing the alerts. I'm almost 60 but I haven't had a serious injury in the 2 years since I started run/walk, and have now built up sufficient fitness that I have mostly dropped the walking and just run through. When I started running I couldn't see myself being able to run 5k in under 3o mins, but I now manage it in under 25. I don't care about my speed, but I find it inspiring to see shorter times as an indicator of increasing fitness.
Last year's running shoe models can be found for much less than the latest ones. Running costs nothing compared to cycling - you can buy full running kit from Decathlon for the less than the cost of a cassette!
Most of all, have fun - the first 2k are always horrible, but it gets better after that 🙂
Running costs nothing compared to cycling
Someone I was dating was talking about the cost of running stuff, I did an actual LOL and set her straight.
MTB is worth every penny though, obvs.
Any tips for beginner running again for a ex smoker?
Most of all, have fun – the first 2k are always horrible, but it gets better after that
Always. The only time I've found it not to be the case is immediately after cycling (as in a triathlon).
@chakaping - it is definitely *possible* to spend significant money on running, but much harder than it is for cycling!
And you're right about MTB of course 🙂
You can spend plenty once you realise you need a shoe "rotation".
If you enjoy photography. Pick up an old film camera. Take meaningful photos at the top etc.
