Inkalinka_on_the_bike

 As tomorrow is the first day of a new month, which is February, I have started feeling nostalgic about the warmer days to come. 'Already?’ you ask. Technically it is still deep winter and we have just had a wonderfully snowy twist in the British weather, too. But we are still under lockdown rules and, without being able to go out or travel anywhere, days blend together into long, indistinct chunks and time, though seemingly passing very slowly, one, two, three click and it really does fly! I find it quite interesting about the 'One swallow doesn't make summer' proverb, too (which is my blog title today). In Polish, we have exactly the same one, but it translates to ‘One swallow doesn't make spring'. Are Polish people a little more logical, thinking about spring first after winter, or are British people more impatient, hop skipping forward all the way to the summer? I am wondering what other languages do about the first hints of warm weather. Let me know in th...

I ventured out for a 40 mile ride today, out-out, as the weather was TOASTY, at a TROPICAL 7 degrees Celsius. I picked a route which wasn't too hilly, as this was my first real ride out in weeks (Zwift had dominated my training schedule). I also had to make sure not to be on the smallest of the country lanes, due to flooding and tonnes of mud. 👍 Mud, however, was unavoidable. I came back with a bike, and everything else absolutely caked in it! And so, even though I didn't beat any records in distance, speed or elevation, I was so glad for actually getting out and enjoying the great outdoors. As much as I love Zwift and I think it's a great training tool, as soon as the weather gets better and the days get longer, I am totally ditching it for real life riding. 🌞 What are your views on Zwift or other interactive turbo training platforms? Or do you just ride in whatever the weather conditions? Let me know your thoughts on comments below or on my Instagram page. 😚😚😚

I grew up in Poland and my first PROPER bike was Wigry 3. It was blue and I bought it with my Holy Communion money. I guess this is where is all started… I don’t have a photo of my blue Wigry 3 but I remember it vividly. If you have ever watched Stranger Things, you know what I’m taking about. And if you haven’t watched Stranger Things, watch it! It’s amazing. Well…if you vaguely remember the kids’ bikes in the series, my bike was kind of like that. It had one gear and a Dynamo front light which only shone when you pedalled…It went like the wind! Nostalgia.  Then there is a big gap without cycling in my life. The most cycling I did in my 20s was to and from the pub to save on taxis. I had to study, party and work in a cafe on the Main Square in Krakow. I had no time for sport. I had to get other things out of my system first. After my children were born, I started running. It began with a local Race for Life, a 5K for cancer charities, grew to 10K, half marathon, marathon, ultra…al...