NORMAN'S CONQUEST

Ageing is diminishing Norman's powers, yet hope remains

Over two decades ago, the topography of where I lived was of little concern when I got on my bike. Of course, it took me about a year to comfortably ride up the North Downs hills around my home, but from then on, hills were about the challenge and summits about their views. In the last five years, however, my attitude towards them has taken a turn, and the way I ride them - or don't ride them, more to the point - is testimony to my physiological decline.

There is one hill in particular, on my most direct route home at the end of most rides, where I have been loath to admit to myself that it might be time to change my approach. Recently, getting off to walk up it was the point at which I decided I had to. Sometimes, your hand is forced. So I decided that I would attempt the hill for a series of 10 rides and then decide what to do thereafter. In total I have now done seven rides and I think there is sufficient information for me to come to a conclusion. Played seven, won one, drawn one and lost five. That's relegation material. It's not that I haven't put the miles in. Since my most recent holiday and time off the bike I've clocked 400 of them. Getting off to push isn't because of a lack of effort.