Muddy Care Blog Week 14

8th March. “B.C” (Before Corona)

Phase 4 – electric cycling

Written by Niki

Our second week of Cycling started in a cafe in Talybont so we could do the learning part of the day while our minds were allegedly fresh and open. As ever and gratefully, we talked about more tools to help us find the best ways to live our best life, despite the many and varied challenges of having chronic conditions. We’d previously discussed the importance of that connection with your “inner pilot light” or your “gut instinct” and how it guides and protects you through your life. It’s vital for everyone but really connecting and learning to listen to it is so vitally important when you have a long term health condition. It’s all part of learning and exploring your inner self and how to make it a priority in your life, as this has been shown in so much scientific literature to provide a very firm foundation for quality of life.

We then joined the cycling team in a nearby village and reacquainted ourselves with our precious electric bikes. As a team we cycled off around the local lanes, avoiding the ever-present potholes, and warning each other of coming vehicles. It was so lovely to again be part of a team, looking out for each other and chatting.

I again noticed the joy and freedom in the other participants faces and in their voices as we built up speed and distance, out in the fresh air and occasional rain spot; though as ever, the forecast rain was minor as we have “Muddy Care Magic”.

For many of us who have been restrained and limited by lack of health, fitness, pain, and energy, the assistance and safety net of the electric bike’s propulsion is amazingly valuable. For myself, I found that with an increasing level of fitness these days thanks to an improvement in pain and fatigue levels (due to hard work on self-care and management) I was predominantly using the “eco” function which allegedly only compensates for the additional weight of the bike and doesn’t “help” the cyclist very much. (I have reason to doubt this having since ridden a normal pushbike...where’s the exhausted emoji...) having the extra help is an incredibly valuable safety net for me. The additional help being available is such a freeing feeling; taking away so much anxiety and the need to monitor, judge, calibrate, and even risk falling into “fortune telling” how much energy you might or might not have. And should pain or malaise crash in unexpectedly, you don’t have to feel frightened of being stuck in extremis, both because the bike will largely do the hard work itself and also because you are able to be rescued by Muddy Care. This enfolding of care and enablement is the difference between doing this and just Not.

If you have never had a chronic condition to manage you could easily go much of life without ever needing to consider these aspects, and indeed even being privately somewhat scornful or dismissive of such impacts on physical and emotional lives. But this is what our life can be like. If you’ve been caught short and vulnerable (especially more than once), natural human fear will bring in increased caution, and that easily and understandably becomes closer to over-caution and it becomes more and more challenging to see the solutions, especially when adaptions include relying on other people or equipment you have no experience of. Thus being able to forget the need to so strictly manage energy and wellness and the possibility of getting stuck on ones own is a freedom very much appreciated and one that has been limited for me in the last 16 years.

We stopped off at the cafe again briefly for a break and talked over the positive aspects of the week for each of us and relaxed in friendship and joint endeavour. We then set off again, now doing the additional planned ride as we were all doing far better than we might have been doing which was a cause for pride and celebration.

We cycled to the Talybont reservoir and stopped there for photos and talking over next weeks route*. We then cycled all the way back to the van and start point in one go. Thus we cycled 16km in a round trip this week and we were all so delighted and exhilarated. We were all very much looking forward to the next weeks adventures.*

Then Coronavirus hit the country. Of course our Muddy Care adventures outside were put on hold. This was a major disappointment but as ever Muddy Care and the participants rose unerringly to the challenge. A check in system was devised and we are talking every day making sure everyone is safe and supported. We share our own personal adventures around our own houses, bolster each other’s spirits and listen and witness each other’s emotions as we deal with the anxiety, fear and uncertainty. In many ways we are better equipped than many as we have so many coping strategies, learned from our challenges with chronic health conditions and improved on with the learning through Muddy Care. The support and care of the Muddy Care community cannot be underestimated.

To add: Even from two sessions I found I really enjoyed the electric bikes, to the point where my desire to have one of my own is verging on painful, but funds will not allow. However that’s where positivity and reframing come into play and given the current lock down going any distance from home is not recommended so I have since dug out my sisters ancient mountain bike, and despite the fact it has no working gears and a sticky front brake, I’ve been taking it out regardless (whilst maintaining a clear eye on safety, I have a good helmet and reflective gear and am keeping speeds low) and while I regret the lack of electrical assistance with a nostalgic sigh, I’ve been out several times and am now up to 5km loop, although I admit to currently walking up the two steep hills I generally encounter. As Coronavirus restrictions currently apply its my best form of exercise as I’m out for a shorter period and do not touch anything or anyone and I get more exercise for the dollar as it were. I can also slowly and steadily increase my levels without frustration. Who knows what the near future holds with regard to increased restrictions so I take every day as it comes, something well worn and familiar for chronically talented people.

I look forward to Muddy Care activities resuming. It’s very much something to look forward to, but even if temporarily in abeyance the spirit and care still abides and strengthens us. Be safe, be well.

*postponed thanks to the Coronavirus lockdown...we will return!!!!