Memories of bike rides in Argentina - Part 1

New bike lane in central Buenos Aires

As the professional cyclists compete on the roads of Argentina during the Tour of San Juan stage race this takes me back to this time five years ago when I took a trip to to South America. 

It was my second trip to the continent and a second time to Argentina. I also managed to get across to neighbouring Chile, which was a maiden visit for me. It was a pity I couldn't spend much time there, though I hope to return to the spine of South America and see a bit more than Viña del Mar, Valparaiso and Santiago.

Conversely Argentina is a country from where I've had a good helping both on and off the bike. Here are a few of my on-bike memories.

Buenos Aires (known as BA)

The first time I rode a bicycle in the Argentine capital was in 2006. I had this dream of getting around the city by bike as my time there was limited, so it would also be a way of seeing more of the city. After spending time in a phone box in the town centre, ringing almost every bike shop in central Buenos Aires listed in the yellow pages (paginas amarillas) I found a shop that had an old sit-up-and-beg bike that I could use. 

The shop owner, seeing me as a fresh-off-the-boat gringa was keen to make sure I would be safe riding around the city. He spent time showing me the controls on the bike like it was a new-fangled contraption that I was seeing for the first time. He offered me a cycle helmet that he had taken out of a draw and was dusting down. It was clearly not the custom for folks to wear helmets, but on this occasion he wanted to make my BA experience a positive, and at least, safe one. 

Then he gave me a map of the central area and pointed out various roads that I must absolutely not cycle along. Es muy muy peligroso, he kept saying. Then as I cycled out of the shop he stood and watched me, a bit like a parent anxiously watching their child riding a bicycle without stabilisers, unassisted for the first time.

It was really sweet of him to show that sort of concern. I guess I was a novelty, turning up on my own to rent a bicycle that I'd be riding around the city. At that time, cycling infrastructure in Buenos Aires was nothing to write home about. Well actually it was non-existent!

Emerging cycle culture in Palermo, Buenos Aires

I was staying in the Recoleta district and the ride from the city centre to my hotel involved going along the Avenida del Libertador, a wide road with four-lanes in each direction that was also a popular bus route. Vehicles would tear down the road like they were in some sort of a time trial and there were many bus stops along the way. 

So you had to be mindful of buses pulling in and out, as well as the rest of the traffic. Thinking back about it, it probably was a little scary. It was probably a similar road to the one in Colombia where former Tour de France winner Egan Bernal had his serious collision with a bus last year. I must say, I was riding around BA as someone who was used to cycling in Central London (pre-cycle Superhighways) so I felt quite at home!

Those few days I had on the bike were really fun, seeing different neighbourhoods including contrasting places like La Boca and Palermo. I did have to make an unscheduled stop in La Boca at a mini cycle workshop to repair the bike as a screw on the saddle was coming loose. Again, the guy there was very helpful and was keen to give a good impression. He was also curious when I said I was from London. "Which is better? Buenos Aires or London?" he asked. "Well Buenos Aires is lovely and the weather is much better than in London" I replied. Given that this was the month of February, and the height of summer in Argentina it was the best answer I could give, as someone whose favourite city is London! As well as getting to know different parts of Central BA I also did a ride out to Tigre, a popular arty, touristic town north of the city, on the Parana Delta.

On my return to the bike shop the owner was very pleased to see me and was just glad I had made it around the city in one piece! 

Cycling was not such a widespread activity at that time, but fast-forward to 2018, and I found that things had changed significantly. BA, like many cities around the world had developed its own cycling infrastructure, and there even seemed to be a nascent cycling culture. 

Bike lane in Buenos Aires

Avenida del Libertador now had a long cycle superhighway along it, as did many roads around the city. There were special areas to park bicycles and a bikesharing scheme. It was even possible to park my bike in a public multi-storey car park which is manned. You give the parking attendant a few Pesos and he shows you to an allocated place to lock up and leave your bike while he watches it. Now that's what I call that VIP service!

Palermo, the area where I was staying, had quite a few bike shops that hired out cycles, and some of the hotels were doing so too. So finding a bicycle was really easy, and cycling around BA had become as commonplace as it was convenient. It was so useful to be able to pick up a bike and use it to get to a running race I'd signed up for in Central BA (San Silvestre 10km). I also did other mini tours exploring the area around Belgrano, River Plate, the coastal roads near the University, and going south to the modern Puerto Madero district, where I met up with my friend, Mariana. 

Mariana seems to be a well-known christian name in Argentina, for I met another woman by that name, a hipster who ran a bike shop around the corner from where I was staying. She managed to get me a touring bike for my excursion to Tigre, and was really helpful in giving tips on places to go. 

She seemed quite excited to meet a real-life person from London, with whom she could even practice her English. I was only in BA for a week, as I had to push on to other parts of the country. The cycling I did in Argentina during my 2006 trip was limited to the BA area. For the 2018 trip I arranged to cycling in other regions of the country. So after my time in BA, on a very hot afternoon, I hotfooted it onto a southbound flight for San Carlos de Bariloche (commonly known as Bariloche), in the lake district of Argentina - a complete change of scenery and weather. 

With Mariana at her local bike hire shop in Palermo

Cycle rides on Strava

City tour to San Telmo

Ride around Palermo

Ride out to Tigre

Tour of Tigre

Bariloche 

My first impression of Bariloche wasn't especially positive. Sure the folks I shared with the collectivo with from the airport to downtown Bariloche were friendly. But the view from the shared taxi was a bit morose. Granted, it was around 9pm and it was getting dark, after having touched down from a massively delayed flight from Buenos Aires. But the setting looked pretty grim as it had been raining all day, and the temperature was very low. 

Riding around the Bariloche area near Colonia Suiza

This was a stark contrast to the 35degree Celsius and blazing sunshine in BA that afternoon. Bariloche being in the province of Rio Negro, set in the Nahuel Huapi National Park, some 1000miles (1600km) South of the Argentine capital and on the fringes of the Andes has naturally a cooler climate than many parts of South America. In fact, I wore all my winter London layers and was still not warm enough! On my arrival at the hostel where I had booked to stay, my spirits weren't particularly lifted when the receptionist said, "You haven't picked the best day to come here. It's just been rain rain rain!"

The following morning was not much better, with persistent rain firmly on the agenda. Thankfully, things picked up in the afternoon, so I went out. It was then that I began to appreciate the town. Bariloche is not necessarily anything to write home about in terms of architecture. What is most remarkable is the mountain vibe in this gateway to Patagonia. You are stuck in this town right in the middle of mountains (known as Cerros) and lakes where everyone there seems to be hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking or some other pretty energetic activity. A popular ski resort, Cerro Catedral is nearby, but peak time for that activity would be in June, July, August. At this time of year folks had come over for the rock-climbing, hiking and via ferrata. It was like a South American version of  the English Lake District, but with much higher peaks; or maybe like Chamonix, France - but with loads more lakes.

Circuito Chico at Llao Llao, along Nahuel Huapi lake

I had reserved a mountain bike (via email) to do a tour of the Seven Lakes, so I caught a bus to the shop in El Trebol, just outside Bariloche, to introduce myself to the guys working there. While I was at it, I hired a bicycle to do a mini ride around the local area, the Circuito Chico. The route was well sign-posted for cyclists, and easy to navigate, and the roads were smooth and wide. Traffic was quite light, even though it was the height of summer and there were many holiday makers and coach parties. They seemed to have all gathered either at the Colonia Suiza or at a hugely opulent villa and restaurant at Llao Llao (pronounced shao shao). It was a very relaxing way to spend the Friday afternoon, even if there were a couple of small hills to get over. 

By the time I started my ride the bad weather had disappeared and the sun was out in full force. The area looked spectacular with the Perito Moreno Lake being a constant along the 32km (20mile) ride. I couldn't help but stop every few hundred metres to take photos. The views were amazing. 

In the woods, set in the Colonia Suiza was an independent brewery and beer garden called Berlina. It would have been rude not to stop there, so I joined the throng of the hip folks of southern Argentina and enjoyed a couple of beers. I would highly recommend the beers there; they tasted almost as good as Black Sheep beer. It was a pleasant way to end the afternoon before preparing for my upcoming mini-adventure by bike the following day.

Well-earned beer stop at Berlina Artesanal Brewery - Patagonian answer to Black Sheep!

Circuito Chico cycle ride on Strava

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So how is my Paris Marathon training going?

Last autumn I signed up for a couple of challenges that I hope to take on this year. One of them was the Etape du Tour, and the other one was the Paris Marathon.

As the marathon is taking place in April I have been focusing mainly on running. And it has definitely been a focus!

Preparing for the Paris marathon has been a quite an undertaking, not least getting in the regular training and staying injury free.
It won't be my first attempt at running 26.2 miles (42.2km), but the previous times when I ran a marathon I was a sprightly young lady in her early to mid thirties as opposed to now, roughly fifteen years later, with joints that get that bit stiffer and creaky. Plus I need more time to recover after exercise, and am just an tad slower than I used to be.

Although I have done a lot of running in my time, in recent times my running training has just been limited to 3- or 4-mile outings, the odd Park run, and then once a year a longer event like a half-marathon or 10-mile race that I would plod round.

Running 26 miles just seems such a long way, and a long time to be on my feet. What am I going to do for four or even five hours while I pound the pavements? I might get bored! For the first time I may have to break a life-long habit of not wearing headphones just so I can get through the challenge. Yes, challenge is exactly what it will be! It's quite handy that the setting for the challenge is in a lovely place like Paris, which should make the task a less arduous ordeal!

I also rely on the fact that the two London marathons that I did were such a long time ago that if the running experience was not good that trauma has now been erased from my mind! I vaguely recall crying as the finish gantry on The Mall came into sight, but that might have just been relief that I had managed to get through it in one piece! I also recall the volunteer who gave me my medal avidly congratulating me as though I had won, when I had probably finished in around 13,000th place!

So here I am, just over one month away from the big day in Paris. Training has been going okay. I have not followed a set training plan from on-line or a magazine, preferring to start my training early - back in October - and running on feel. The aim was just to get up to running 13 miles by Christmas, and then to run 20 miles by early March at the latest.

I have achieved that, but it wasn't easy and it wasn't pretty - especially the 20 miles I ran along the River Thames a couple of days ago without properly carboloading! While doing my training I have been doing cross-country league races with my clubs in London - Serpentine RC and South London Harriers - so that has made it complicated to juggle.

A short fast run over mud, wearing spikes is just as taxing as a long slow run on smooth ground. So doing these back to back on the weekend just means my legs are shot during the week! As the long runs have gotten longer, the Saturday cross-country league races have had to be run slower just so that I could have a bit left in the tank for my Sunday run!

Since getting past the 12-mile mark things have become more sketchy for me in terms of risk of injury. Throughout my adult life I have suffered from either patella syndrome, ilio-tibial band syndrome, Achilles tendinitis or calf strains.

So as the training runs have lengthened, this has steadily become a greater and greater exercise in injury prevention and damage limitation! I am spending a lot of time (and money) at Crystal Palace Physio Group to get in regular massages and keep my muscles loose. The foam roller, a tennis ball and a golf ball have become my best friends. Yoga has also been the order of the day, though I have tended to do that at home because when attempting it in a class I felt so self-conscious at how rigid my body is compared with all those supple women of a certain age!

Then I have reintroduced the post-run sitting in freezing water routine to my regime. That moment when I hit the water is massively unpleasant, takes my breath away, makes me squeal, I worry I might get hyperthermic afterwards, but it is character building (apparently) and healing!

There have been good parts in this marathon preparation though. It has made me vary my runs that bit more and go to new places. Instead of just running the usual parks in South Norwood and Crystal Palace, I have also added in Dulwich Wood, Dulwich Park, Cator Park, Beckenham Place Park and Shirley Hills.

San Silvestre 8k in Buenos Aires 

Wherever I have travelled I have kept my trainers nearby to get in a few miles. So I ran to work when I worked in Central London, I did regular runs around the Royal Parks, including Richmond Park. Of course when I recently travelled to Argentina I ran - around Buenos Aires, Bariloche, Mendoza, even doing a running race while there.

I also did a running race in Tortona, near Milan and plan to do some running in Paris when I recce the route. I even did a run en route to join my second claim club, East Hull Harriers, up in East Yorkshire! It had been tempting to just peel off the motorway to go running around some National Trust land in a place called Sharpenhoe, near Luton!

My biggest issue now is that I will run out of time to go to some of the other interesting places I had hoped to run in. I haven't yet done the South Downs or the Box Hill area yet, and I was also hoping to do a bit more stuff north of the river like Hampstead Heath or Hackney Marshes. There's nothing like a marathon to get you out discovering new places!

The other great thing has been in this era of social media (which didn't exist when I last ran a marathon) it has been great to connect with other people. There's a Facebook group for Londoners who are running the Paris marathon, a group for all women who are running the Paris marathon, as well as equivalent groups on Strava. These are great ways to stay motivated while training, get tips and advice if you have doubts, and even make new friends.

Catching up with Mariana in Buenos Aires 

When I went to Argentina I managed to meet up with one of the girls from the Facebook group, Mariana who lived in Buenos Aires. It was great to be able to catch up with one of the Paris marathon girls on the other side of the world.

I look forward to seeing her when she is in Paris, and also when she comes for holiday in London.

So how is my marathon training going? Well, it's not too bad. I haven't had any injury or illness, apart from a cold a couple of weeks ago. There have definitely been moments where I thought this is all a silly idea and I won't get through it - particularly on those days where I felt really tired just doing a 3-mile run! But in the end I just had to really hang in there and believe in my strategy.

I have put in a few miles, so I am almost good to go. I just need to not break my leg during a ski trip that I've got planned, or pull a muscle during that final 20-mile training run! The coach trip to Paris (without Brendan!) is booked, my lodgings are sorted, so I just need to show up at the Champs Elysées on 8th April. But even now I'm not taking anything for granted!

Some might ask, why do a marathon? It's so time-consuming, there's a risk of injury, it can be painful physically and mentally. It's hard to fit around everyday life, it can be expensive when you add in the cost of equipment, travel, accommodation, entry fees and medical bills to prevent or treat injury. After all, I have done a marathon before, so it's not like I have anything to prove.

I guess the answer is that I do have something to prove. These challenges can't be taken for granted. Also my pet hate is living off my achievements from many years ago. I feel much happier celebrating something I achieved last week than trying to milk off something I did more than 10 years ago!

So as long as I am getting older the bar will naturally be getting higher, and so there will always be something to prove! Perhaps it is part of the mid-life crisis phenomenon but hey, I say if it's keeping me off the sofa, I'm happy!



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