Running with my bike

I’ve got a new hobby: I call it “running with my bike”.

I jump in the saddle, pedal somewhere green, jump off and start running with my bike. When I get to the other side/bored/tired, I hop back on Bob (my bike, the “Beast Of Burden”) and cycle back.

It’s wonderfully simple but it has opened up my eyes to a lot of new opportunities. It avoids the need to carry a lock, leave my bike somewhere and do a circular route; I can switch between the different modes of transport/exercise as conditions and energy levels dictate; and I don’t need to plan a route in advance (I like to combine it with running blind)

Most people I’ve tried to explain this to have considered it a little weird and, judging from their faces, I suspect that’s what many passers-by think. But, for me, it works.

Running and cycling are both very pure sports and I get a tremendous sense of freedom just being out in the woods with running shoes on my feet and a bicycle in my hands.

If you’re a cyclist and a runner then give it a go. It doesn’t require any planning or practice, and it might feel a bit silly but then the best things in life often do.