Picking up new skills when you're over 50.

I am learning to cycle!!!

When I was young we only had an old 28" frame bike in our household. Like other kids in the neighbourhood I tried to learn using this big thing, unlike most of them I never had anyone to help to hold the bike and run along with me. The result was I repeatedly fell off (with the bike landing on me). As a youngster, I forgot the pain in minutes, picked myself up and tried again. After a few days, I did get a little bit better but still, I felt that the bike was riding me rather than vice versa! I am no masochist, also I was worried the poor old bike might fall to pieces in my hands, so I called an end of my little cycling experiment.

Years pass by....

I found out, recently, that South Gloucestershire Council offers 2 free cycle training lessons and also one can loan a bike free for 4 weeks . So I jumped at the offer. However, the loan-a-bike scheme is so popular that there won't be a bike available for weeks. Didn't want to wait till winter to learn so I bought a 2nd hand bike (Thanks to our local community Facebook page. Who says Facebook is a useless, waste of time? I do for one but in this case...). Never thought I'd have this kind of commitment

A week has passed since I got the bike, I've had one lesson and I can now wobble along. This morning, MrH accompanied me for a ride around the village. A big drawback here is there are few flat places, rolling downhill while desperately squeezing the brakes was ok-ish, but going up slopes.... every one of my muscles screams, and at the same time, kids, 10 times younger, zoom past me... all I can think of is not to fall off in front of them...

Now I'm sitting on the sofa, resting my aching body, there is one phrase going round and round in my head: "no pain no gain, no pain no gain...". Remind me again, "what's the gain??"

I'm wondering if anyone else has picked up or is learning new skills ??

 

Got some paints for my 51st, been brushing up, excuse the pun, on watercolours.



Been meaning to do some more, but winemaking has taken over at the moment.

 

Nice Zigs, can see where Willow gets it from,
Jenny

 

Only because you're not yet used to it. Take it easy. Rome wasn't built in a day. You will get there.

Because they are used to it. Plus kids are not actually human.

That is an outdated saying from the 1980s. It should really say "no pain, no long term muscular or ligament injury and reduced risk of arthritis" but that's not as catchy. Its inevitable that your bum will hurt after sitting on a bony bike seat when you're not used to it, but anything more than slight discomfort is not good. Little and often is the way to go. Allow time for your muscles to get used to the different demands being placed on them. This is a brilliant opportunity for you. After the initial enthusiasm starts to wear off, you have a choice, either carry on because you've learned to enjoy it, or carry on with 'no pain no gain' until you hate it and never do it again. I recommend the former.

 

I learnt to dance (jive, tango) at age 47 and had no trouble, either mentally or physically. However, 12 years later I am trying to master a complex mental skill - change-ringing - and am struggling badly. Admittedly, it is probably something I haven't got much natural aptitude for but I really feel that the quick memory and sharp concentration I took for granted years ago is letting me down. I'm still bl00dy determined to do it, though.

Oh yeah, and that thing about kids zooming past? It also applies to brainwork, grrr.

Clueless, I think that No pain, No gain holds true when it's applied to building muscles. If muscles hurt the day after unaccustomed exercise it feels unpleasant but isn't actually harmful and is completely normal. If you repeat the exercise regularly then soon it will stop hurting anyway.

The trick is working out if you've actually done damage to joints, ligaments or tendons as they will need a lot more rest, healing and treatment. A sore muscle just needs to be stretched and strengthened by - more exercise! Whoopee!

 

Thanks @clueless1 and @Madahhlia, I've drawn lots of comfort and encouragement from what you said. They all make perfect sense to me.

The main reason I took up cycling at this age, apart from South Glos Council's offer, is I've got a Landshare veggie plot which is 25 minutes walk away and now the parish council has granted me an allotment as well starting in October, which is 15 minutes walk in the other direction. With 2 allotments to tend to next year, there will be a fair amount of work, so if I can cycle to them that would save a lot of time, and keep the need for driving to them to a minimum.

"No pain, no gain" is a phrase knocked into my head by my father a long, long time ago. Whenever I feel I'm suffering, the saying appears in my head (for good or bad ). Whatever happens, this time I'm not going to suffer for nothing, like Madahhlia said:

PS: @Zigs , the water colour paintings are lovely

 

Ta HsuH

@Madahhlia Bloody is not on the swear filter, so you don't need to bypass it

 

So I can bloody well swear as much as I bloody well like? Yay!

 

Only when you're talking about The Bloody Cranesbill

 

This is what I was trying to paint

 

YOU DID

 

I thought it came out as a thistle

 

The other thing is also present.

 

Besides, thistles get everywhere as you know. Why should your paper be exempt?

 

Fantastic, Zig! PS and no wine spilling on it.