What sets cycling apart

I have a confession to make. I've dabbled in running recently. It's only a run of 4-5km once a week, and usually interrupted with a workout on some free gym equipment by the beach at North Burleigh, but it's generally been the workout of choice on Tuesday morning's over the last two months. Some years ago I was quite a proficient runner -- doing anything from 10-18km each day, half of which was on sand. In 1997 I'd even been offered sponsorship to run in the half-marathon in July's Gold Coast marathon. A knee injury put paid to that, the cycling part of my life expanded to fill the gap, and the rest is history.

The thing is, that while I'm enjoying the brief return to running each Tuesday morning, I don't look forward to it with the same enthusiasm with which I look forward to my bike rides. Barring some totally unforeseen catastrophe, there is really no chance of it making a major impact on my life. The reason why was really rammed home on Thursday's ride -- through the remains of the previous evening's storm. Cycling is not like any other exercise.

What sets cycling apart is the places it can take me. Sure, I can go for a run along the beach tomorrow morning, and it will be pleasant (assuming I can evade the drunks), but I can ride to the same beach, then double back and ride up a mountain to a world-heritage listed rainforest, all before lunchtime. Then when time permits I can throw my bike on a plane and spend a month exploring another country, yet still travelling at a pace that allows me to see and experience everything that place has to offer. And still, if a place doesn't meet my expectations, I can cover the ground with sufficient haste to find another that does.

This, is what sets cycling apart from other forms of exercise, and yet another reason why it's a major part of my life.