Just saying hello, and introducing myself!

Rabbit171

My name is Phil I live just outside of Bridgend, South Wales. I'm 35 years old and have recently returned to mountain biking after a while away from off roading (12 years to be precise!)

I started mountain biking when I was 13 and rode religiously everyday until I was 23 when the vices of life got the better of me, women, booze, large meals and parenthood - not necessarily in that order! Still been riding on and off, usually before visiting Centre Parcs, so I don't have a heart attack whilst riding, but I've got well out of shape in between!

Anyway trying to get fit again and up to a level where I won't drop dead on climbs, which I'm still pretty far from doing yet, but it is definitely getting easier - thank God!

My son is starting to show an interest in mountain biking which I'm trying to encourage, so hopefully I can get fit using the nursery slopes first - so to speak, at the same time as getting him into it. I'll try taking him through my old training runs up at Castell Coch in the next few weeks.

Things have changed so much since I was riding seriously that I feel like a newcomer to the sport, but this forum will hopefully help me get my head around all the new fangled terminology and technology! At least the bikes still have pedals!

Anyway hopefully I wont have to pester people too much!
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robmanic1

Hello Rab, you'll find a wealth of advise on here (some of it can be helpful), your story is not unusual on here, lots of guys returning from either a forced or voluntary lay-off, funny how most come back eventually eh?

You'll soon realise how much gear you didn't even know you needed to enhance you new found enthusiasm, prepare to spend!

Seriously though, welcome back to cycling, build up the miles slowly and you'll soon be powering up them climbs (chasing after your boy, no doubt).

Rabbit171

Hi Rob,

thanks for the vote of confidence I'll need all the encouragement I can get! I'm glad to hear there's more of us gone to seed 30 somethings getting back to it I won't feel so lonely when I'm nursing my aching body and complaining it never used to be this hard!

Already spent money on a nice shiny GT a couple of months ago whilst I'm trying to renovate my old AlpineStar - in fairness to her, she was the first serious bike I bought ( I was 16!) and I've never been able to bring myself to sell her, but I think my return to training was too much of a shock for her!

Just been out for a nice 6mile ride followed by a 2 mile walk - got a nice puncture! Oh how I've missed the joys of cycling!

Cheers for saying hello!

Phil