Great to be out with the Sunday Cycling group again. A lovely route out to The Old Prison at Northleach. The company was great, the rain held off until the last ten minutes and the bacon sandwiches at The Old Prison were fabulous. After two weeks away from my bike, the hills felt hard, so … Continue reading A Sunday Cycle
Tag: Parkinson’s
Blogs about living with Parkinson’s
ABC
Having recovered from the Raid Local challenge, spent some time with my family, caught up with some of the things I had neglected whilst training and taken some time to reflect, it's time to put pen to paper and, of course, it's time to get back in the saddle again. But first, once again, a … Continue reading ABC
A Team Effort
Doing the Raid Local challenge would never have been possible without the support of so many people, so I'd like to say 'thank you' to everyone who trained with me, encouraged me, supported me for months while I prepared for the challenge, supported me on the day, donated to The Cure Parkinson's Trust and to … Continue reading A Team Effort
Not So Easy!
The challenge, in reality, was not nearly as easy as I had dreamt it might be! (See Previous Blog) In reality, it took me a lot longer, it was a lot harder, my average power output was a lot lower and I didn't see Rowan Atkinson at all! My stats came in four parts: Until … Continue reading Not So Easy!
Easy!
Having lived cycling, talked cycling, blogged cycling, thought about nothing but cycling for the past few months, I have now started dreaming cycling. If I believed my dreams, I would be cycling ahead of the rest of the team, they would be shouting 'Slow down! We can't keep up! When did you get so good … Continue reading Easy!
The Peculiarities of Pedalling with Parkinson’s
When I learned that exercise is the only thing that has been shown to slow the progression of Parkinson's, I started cycling, overcoming the numerous obstacles that Parkinson's puts in my way. Amongst many other symptoms, Parkinson's affects my balance and coordination, causes dizziness, muscle cramps, dystonia, rigidity, stiffness, pain, slow movement, tremor, fatigue, poor … Continue reading The Peculiarities of Pedalling with Parkinson’s
Fourth ‘First’
My fourth 'first' for this week was to cycle Sudeley Hill today without stopping. As part of a hilly ride today, after Harp and Ham hills, I finally did it! At 2.5km long, with an average gradient of 8.4%, a maximum gradient of 18% and a total climb of 215m, it was a tough one. … Continue reading Fourth ‘First’
With a Little Help From My Friends
Cycling with friends is so much more fun than cycling alone and There are many wonderful people I cycle with regularly. This post is a shout out and huge ‘thank you’ to the other lovely people who have joined me for the occasional cycle ride over the last couple of years. To Alison, Michael and … Continue reading With a Little Help From My Friends
Some Normality
For all sorts of reasons, we haven't cycled together since Lanzarote: Work commitmentsFamily commitmentsThe weatherThe CoronavirusEwan living 450 miles apart from the rest of us! So, it was lovely to cycle today with John A, John A, Roland and Caroline. A socially distant cycle - note the lack of team photos, no sharing of snacks, … Continue reading Some Normality
Lighthearted Learning from Lanzarote
1. Uphill is Hard, Downhill Terrifying! 2. The Heavier We Are, The Harder It Is 3. Regular Rest Stops are Essential 4. The Cycle Tracking App Relates To Your Menstrual Cycle Not Your Bicycle! 5. Rehydration is Vital 6. Team Kit = Team Work 7. Style is a Personal Thing 8. You Can Never Carry … Continue reading Lighthearted Learning from Lanzarote
Quote of the Week
I thought 'Bloody Hell - I'm going to have to wait for Alison again.......and there she was, right behind me!' Anonymous Either, I'm getting quicker or everyone else is getting slower.......sometimes I'm even at the front! Great to have the support of these fabulous guys.
Longest Day
With everyone feeling at least a little better, we set off with some optimism for our last day's cycling. Optimism proved an essential component for our longest day in the saddle...... The Challenges of the Day With different bikes, I struggled to clip into my cleats and should have guessed I would struggle to clip … Continue reading Longest Day
No Plan!
(Just Realised I Hadn't Posted Sunday's Adventures!) Our plan today was to have no plan today. To keep things flexible, have a range of options and see how we felt as the day progressed. Ewan has the same stomach upset that John had, so couldn't cycle this morning. Miraculously, he joined us mid afternoon, feeling … Continue reading No Plan!
Too Windy
20km into the windiest cycle imaginable, I completely lost my bottle! Having been swept across the road more than once I couldn't do today's route. John, putting aside his competitive streak, had the patience of a saint and stayed with me. Finding a roadside cafe, we stopped for a drink, some respite from the wind … Continue reading Too Windy
My Big Sis
Guest Blog by Lucy Ferrier Well, where to start? Growing up as the eldest of three girls, Alison always had a sense of responsibility and she embraced her role as the elder, more sensible one! She took her role seriously and enjoyed keeping her younger siblings in check. Alison was kind, fun and as I recall, … Continue reading My Big Sis
Team Training
For the first time today, twelve of the Raid Alpine team are getting together for some training in Lanzarote, many of us meeting for the first time. After an easy journey, we arrive at the resort reception and only half an hour later, with our hire bikes fitted, we were ready to cycle together. With … Continue reading Team Training
Guest Blog
TRAINING & TEAM-BUILDING by Ewan MacLean The Cyclopaths have all been training in our own way: individually, in pairs and in a variety of groups. We are only one small part of a much bigger 'Raid Alpine' group who have all been doing the same across many different UK geographic locations. Between us, we have … Continue reading Guest Blog
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 … Continue reading Wading Through Treacle
Wild, Wet, Windy and Wintery
With a dislike for indoor training, despite the threat of rain and a moderate breeze, the great outdoors won my vote. The weather forecast wasn't great but it painted a more optimistic picture than was the reality! Heavy rain, strong winds, debris on the roads, flooded roads, fields, cars...... Emergency tree felling to avert an … Continue reading Wild, Wet, Windy and Wintery
Road Closed
If you've followed The Cyclopaths before, you will know that we view the 'Road Closed' sign as a challenge, rather than a warning...... Naturally, news that our favourite, Cleeve Hill has been closed to traffic for three weeks, made us immediately think - how wonderful it would be cycle the hill without a steady stream … Continue reading Road Closed
In a Nutshell
Even I recognise that there is a limit to how many details I can post about cycle training without sending everyone to sleep. So, in a nutshell, in between stormy winds, torrential rain, snow and ice, we have managed to find pockets of calm, dry(ish), warm(ish) weather in which to venture out on our bikes. … Continue reading In a Nutshell
The Original Cyclopaths
I have cycled 1,000s of miles together with these wonderful people. Thank you to the original and very fabulous Vietnam to Cambodia Cyclopaths 2017. Caroline, Chris, Claire, Jim, John, Julia, Marianne, Matt, Mick, Paul, Paula, Roland, Ruth, Sheena & Steve
Mountains to Climb
Bad weather and curiosity got the better of me last weekend and so I subjected myself to an indoor training session on the turbo trainer. Let's be clear, I have absolutely no desire to train on a bike indoors. There is no company, no scenery, no breeze, the dog wants to join in and every … Continue reading Mountains to Climb
Guest Blog
What cycling has taught me about Parkinson's Disease By Paul Jones Thanks very much to Alison, PD fundraiser and networker extraordinaire for letting me guest on her blog. Cycling has always meant freedom to me. As a child growing up in 1970s Hemel Hempstead, cycling set me free to explore the world beyond home and … Continue reading Guest Blog
From the Heart
Yesterday, I received a message from Ewan who is training hard for the Raid Alpine challenge. Despite being hundreds of miles from the other Cyclopaths and therefore having to do much of his training alone and with the added challenge of the harsh winter weather on the east coast of Scotland, his enthusiasm and enjoyment … Continue reading From the Heart
Too Much?
In a bid to get up those mountains a little easier, I thought I’d lose a little weight. I’ve possibly overdone things a bit!
Boxing
Another evidence based exercise with proven benefits for people with Parkinson's. https://videopress.com/v/MTa5dpGu?loop=true&posterUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ftheramblingsofacyclopathhome.files.wordpress.com%2F2019%2F08%2F14ea11ae-f6b3-4ee4-a394-f245660164e7_1_105_c.jpeg&preloadContent=metadata Great fun, great exercise, great people! Lessons from the former world boxing champion!
We’ve got Wind!
According to the Met Office, the following descriptions of wind apply. The Met Office does't mention cycling in these winds, so for the cyclists amongst you, here are a little additional information. Light Air (1-5km/hr) Not a problem for cyclists. We generate more air by talking on the flat and deep breathing when going up … Continue reading We’ve got Wind!
Exhausted!
I'm often exhausted after a ride..... And I'm often exhausted during a ride........ But reassuringly, I'm not the only one!
Against the Wind
The plan: Early startLots of kilometres (90)Lots of hills (1,000m+)A brief coffee stopFast(ish)!Back by 2pm The Weather Forecast: 7-10 degrees ('Toastie")!A 'fresh breeze' The Reality: Early startLots of kilometres (76) - many of them slow due to head on windLots of hills - 1,166m of them with segments of up to 20%For 'fresh breeze' - … Continue reading Against the Wind
Challenging Times 
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