You never forget how to ride a bike once you've learned, probably as a youngster after you shook off stabilisers with a guiding parental hand on the saddle.
For many of us, biking was a childhood pursuit, cycling to the park to play football or meeting pals to race around the spaces outside Hampden Park - that's what I did growing up within the sound of the Hampden roar - more of that another day.
But in adulthood cycling is different. Indeed those who stayed with it are likely to be in lycra, powering down country roads with a plastic helmet and a grim expression.
A colleague I had not seen for a few months appeared at the office and I gasped at his new-found trimness. He had, in middle-age, rediscovered the bi- cycle, and more or less found a new religion.
"I am doing around 200 miles a week, and when I was on holiday in Lanzarote I did 550 kilometres in 4 days," he said proudly.
And the weight had just fallen off.
The other benefit for him was that years of football and five-a-sides had taken their toll on his knees and ankles, but pedalling is low-impact and he gets no joint pain.
Me? I cycle. I have a cheap bike - not fancy but okay - and I go out on it.
However, I am not Lycra Lafferty (what a disturbing image…). In fact I cycle like a lawyer - my idea of a good afternoon out on two wheels is to meander round the streets of Glasgow looking at buildings to work out their age, construction and conveyancing history.
Sad I know, but it combines moderate exercise, fresh air and professional interest.
Meanwhile for my marathon training I am up to 12 miles at a time, though it is rather hilly around where I live so I am going to have to hunt out some flatter roads.
Look out for the guy in the Batman top, and I now even have Batman earphones for my running radio.
Remember my charity page for the hospice movement www.justgiving.com/AustinLafferty
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