Monday, May 14, 2018

Healthy Mama || Braving The Mountain Bike Scene As A (Rather Wobbly) Beginner!



This year I promised myself I'd say yes more, I'd get outside my comfort zone when needed and try out new things. I'm not allowing myself to be put off things for fear of being considered too fat, too old or whatever else, I genuinely don't care what people think, but I care about being happy, having fun and getting healthy. 

One thing I really wanted to try properly this year was mountain biking. Adam (hubs) is a keen mountain biker and he's always wanted me to have a riding day with him, so this year I've done up my bike, I've got myself some kit and I'm ready to go. I'm no longer worried about looking silly or being too large, life is far too short and I want to start living it more and trying EVERYTHING!




Although I'll have my very own MB expert on hand, there's also a great new 'Beginners guide to mountain biking' from Halfords which is super handy if you're just starting out and need a bit of advice. The world of bikes is a bit of a minefield if you don't know what you're doing, so it's always good to know what you need and what will be right for you. The guide contains information on things like what bike would be best and important details like what the colour coding means on the biking trails! I'm keen to avoid being one of those 'all the gear and no idea' people, so I've just got what I need to get started and hopefully, if I can still ride a bike and enjoy it, it's something I can improve at whilst enjoying time with Adam out in the fresh air, as well as the kids.




This is the perfect time of year to start mountain biking too, with longer days, warmer evenings and a good stretch of better weather in front of us to get stuck in. None of us are too old or too unfit, there's no right starting point, we're all different and should always try new things, however daunting. Mountain biking will hopefully get me outside more and seeing as we love going to forests and scenic places already, it just gives us another excuse to get out, whilst getting fitter at the same time. 




I've had my bike a few years, but after having kids my back and pelvis were so painful it's only now I've felt strong enough to actually give it a go. I'm going to be careful but I really really hope I manage to strengthen up and enjoy longer and longer rides. Mountain biking is a great way to get fit, see the beautiful countryside, spend time together or even escape the stress of the day for a solo cycle and I'm really excited to get stuck in. 


Have your tried mountain biking before?