Why Cycling?

"Why cycling?"

A TV reporter repeatedly asked me that question.

"Why cycling?"

The interview was in a friend's bicycle shop. About a month prior to the interview I had purchased a Fatbike (a bicycle with  26" x 4" tires) from the shop. My friend had told the reporter  he had a customer (me) that had purchased a Fatbike to increase the intensity of cycling as exercise. He also informed the reporter that I had lost 170 lbs, much of it by cycling. I didn't hear about this conversation until my friend called me and asked if I would speak to the reporter on air.

Five years ago I weighed well over 400 lbs; I had difficulty climbing a flight of stairs, I could barely manage a 20 minute bicycle ride at less than 10 km/hr. My joints ached, I wheezed with every breath, I needed help with tying my shoelaces. Attending a concert or a sports event was unpleasant because it was difficult getting in and out of the seats at all the venues; just sitting  there, squeezed into the seat was painfully uncomfortable.

Today things are very different.

Yesterday I went for a 77 km bike ride, averaging just over 20 km/hr.

This July I will be cycling in a fundraising ride in the Canadian Rockies. A seven day ride from Jasper, Alberta to Waterton Lakes, Alberta.

As part of my training for this ride I am participating in a month long fundraising ride for the Sick Kids Foundation (Toronto's Sick Kids Hospital). My Goal is to ride 2000 km in the month of June 2017.

Why cycling?

I can think of many reasons. I'll save those for upcoming posts.