Amashova short comings

It would seem that every form of exercise has its challenges, dangers, risks and pitfalls.

 

We know road running has its risks because of cars!  Road running and the repetitive jarring on your skeleton is not fun!  So you decide to find a more or less low impact sport – certainly one which places less stress on your joints and body in general.  That sport would be swimming.

 

I tried that once with the Midmar Mile – which should be renamed the Midmar 1 600metres or The Midmar One and a half Kilometres.  Midmar Mile just makes it sound too easy and too possible.

 

With swimming, of course, you run the very serious risk of drowning!  Not just because you are in  a body of water and getting cramp, plus the hundreds of other swimmers who you are in the water with – all flailing and battling to breathe.  It is just not like road running where, if you get a cramp, you stop. You sit down and gently rub it out.  In water if you stop swimming – you sink!

 

So, whereto from here?  Well, I heard that cycling presents a nice form of exercise.  None of the impact of running and no risk of drowning.  

 

However – there is the risk of the other road users who don’t seem to be able to get it into their head that cycling is actually an alternative means of transport.

 

The fact that we’ve also discovered the leisure and exercise aspect of cycling doesn’t change the fact that it IS an alternate means of transport and any cyclist is entitled to use the road as well.  In other words – that one and a half metre safe overtaking distance should really not be too much to ask!

 

But hang on a second, we live in a country where we don’t even know how to approach traffic circles, let alone other road users who – when on a bicycle – becomes the crumple zone.  But that aside – for the Amashova cycle race the roads are cordoned off for the entire race. So you would be correct in thinking that it is all completely safe.  

 

There is no traffic, no water to drown in, minimal impact to your joints so what could possibly go wrong?

 

Well!  You wouldn’t believe it but it is a very risky pastime.  Cyclists don’t have rear view mirrors or side mirrors.  They are looking forward and hence have absolutely no idea what is happening behind them.  So when you – a fellow cyclist – is travelling at approximately 40kms per hour and there is a cyclist in front of you, and you want to get around them, the last thing you expect from them is to swerve out in front of you!  

 

This happens most often at amateur level and over enthusiastic kiddy winks cycling with Mom and Dad. Please do bear this in mind!  The funniest thing about this is that the kids, when riding with Mom and Dad, will tend to stray so the parents will reprimand them telling them to come back to the family pack.  The kid will swerve across the road in an attempt to get back to the family with no thought to look behind them.  And therein lies the challenge!

 

This almost happened to me during Amashova this weekend – several times in fact.  

 

So I decided not to try and break any records and just to cycle at the same pace as everybody else.

 

Some amazing things come out of Amashova.  As we cycled through the outskirts of town and through the CBD, there was all this available parking.  I almost felt guilty not using it!

 

And another thing – I have a new fun game which I am definitely going to do at Amashova next year.  

 

Everybody has a race number pinned on their back.  Their names are also on this piece of paper.  So I had great fun cycling up to a complete stranger, seeing what his name was and, for example, saying ; “Hey Ralph.  How you doing?  Long time no see!”  

 

Their reactions were great – complete and utter confusion combined with the fatigue of cycling.  So they just went with it: “Hey, I’m fine man.  How are you?”  

 

Me: “What you been up to”?  Ralph: “You know – school, work, extra murals.”  Me: “OK!  I’ll catch up with you later.”  Ralph; “Ja, ja ja – let’s do that!”

 

Fun and games at the Amashovashova.

 

-DSM-

 

@DarrenMaule