Hi โ Iโm Alison Salthouse. At 53 I was seriously overweight, hadnโt been on a bike since a young teenager (knocking about with my brothers), or done any exercise at all since my late teens (when I played football).
Iโd just had knee surgery after a fall and cycling was recommended to me by my physio. How hard could it be..... I went to my local bike shop โ told them Iโd never need โcurlyโ handlebars or โfunnyโ clothes.... and came out with a ladies, flat bar, hybrid bike. Off I went down the road only to find, to my horror, that I couldnโt ride half a mile without getting out of breath and jelly legs. If I hadnโt bought a brand new bike Iโd have despatched it to the back of the shed and given up.... So instead set small, achievable goals. 3 miles, then 5 miles... I then entered my first sportive โ a massive 13 miles! 5 miles became 10 and I successfully completed the sportive โ enjoying it so much I immediately signed up for the following year and a 52 mile distance!
I bought a brand new โdrop barโ bike and invested in โfunnyโ clothes (lycra) and โclipped inโ shoes!! I joined a local club and started to enjoy riding with others. The next few years saw me try my first crit race and a rather nervous track taster (aged 56). I found that despite my initial nerves (a track bike has no gears, brakes or freewheel and is ridden on a 42 degree banking), I loved it! I carried on going through the winter. I rode in โladies onlyโ sessions and got my track accreditation. I even entered track league โ racing youngsters young enough to be my children or even my grandchildren! I loved it, the sheer exhilaration of crossing the finish line and going fast.
Aged 59 I entered my very first Masters National Competition and found I could race people my own age! This was different to being lapped by the kids/grandkids! I was holding my own โ discovered I was a bit of a sprinter (track sprinters get to lie down after a couple of laps after all). I wanted to get on the podium though..... so employed a coach to work with me and started upgrading my kit.... Learned to ride on rollers and use a gas start gate.... I also learned about torque wrenches and how to change my gearing... I was becoming a track geek!
I also started riding outdoor track โ not as steep as indoor โ but usually larger (400m instead of 250m) and s bumpier surface. I trained 4 days a week and followed a training plan set by my coach. I still loved it.... It was awesome!.
2019 I was approaching 60 and got my first ever podium โ silver in the match sprint โ beating a lady who had first raced aged 9.... I started to realise just what a mammoth journey I had been on. I was so so proud. I started to want a โtop stepโ and a National jersey..... I was willing to work hard and it was still so much fun. I changed coaches, increased to 5 days a week training, reduced to 3 days (rather than full time) paid work and started doing weights!! Sometimes I couldnโt believe this was me.....
I went on a track camp in Alkmaar (Netherlands) and the Covid hit the world...... how dare it.... 2020 was going to be my year...... I remembered my first, shocking, ride aged 53 when I couldnโt ride half a mile.... I knew I could get through.... But hadnโt expected it to impact for as long as it did..... so.......
In Part 2.... The Covid years and beyond....