Wading Through Treacle

Keen to have one more training ride before heading off to the sun for our 5 day training camp, I set off for a hilly few miles.

Cycling with Roland who thankfully was happy to take an easy pace, we set off up Harp, Ham and Castle Hills.

It could never be considered an easy route but today it felt exceptionally hard.

I can only describe it as being like wading through treacle, mentally and physically. My balance was poor, as was my posture. Braking and changing gears were a slow process as if my brain and my body were no longer communicating to each other. My power output was low and my right leg had a mind of it’s own and bumped against my bike frame with every pedal stroke. It moved of its own free will, regularly and involuntarily clipping out of the pedal.

My thinking was slow and I had to work out what to do each time I wanted to change gear. Something any cyclist will know is usually an instinctive response. I was uncoordinated and clumsy. I couldn’t get my meds out of my back pocket or zip up my jacket.

It feels very personal to share with you this failure of my brain and body to work together but I am learning what living with Parkinson’s is like and it’s not how I expected it to be. Many people ask, so it’s an attempt to explain rather than complain. It is what it is.

We all have good days and bad days. I prefer to think of them as productive and less productive days. Much more positive to have had a less productive day than a bad day!