Since I started getting back into cycling, trading information and experiences within this forum has been such a great outlet, it is truly wonderful. I also have the same type of thing going with the girls at the gym, exchanging tips and egging each other on. I sometimes regret that I cannot go to existing close friends to share these things, but if they are not into cycling or fitness like I am, it tends to fall flat, there is little, if no, interest, which is not a huge surprise (some people are afraid you are going to start to tell them all about the bad things in their food and bore them with calorie counting). I don't go on and on about it, but if I had a friend who told me she had joined a program to get in shape, I would at least have a 'good for you' to give her. I should count myself lucky that my husband is into it and we can have a good exchange and we ride well together.

I have a really close friend who is into fitness through aerobics and other classes - she is in great shape and is very consistent in keeping it up. We have been friends for years. We email almost every day (we don't live in the same town), I give her my news, she gives me hers, we have a very warm relationship - but there has not once been so much as a 'good for you' when I launched into my fitness program at the gym, it just goes ignored. I mentioned my 200 km cycling tour, no comment. I have a nasty little theory that sometimes people have you in a mental box, they see you in a certain way, and if you go outside of that, it throws them off balance. Maybe to her I am the slightly pudgy cheerful friend, and that is the box I am in. Maybe she thinks I will change, and want to do things that don't interest her. Maybe she gets a little kick from being in better shape than me, and that kick will be gone if I am in shape too. Worse still, her husband is big into cycling - perhaps she fears her husband will pressure her to get into cycling so they can go for long rides like myself and my husband. I don't know, it is easy to imagine things when something does not make sense - when I read back over this I probably come off downright paranoid. It is just weird because she is so supportive and enthusiastic in every other way that it is sticks out like a sore thumb that she gives no recognition at all or encouragement of my efforts when I make any comment about my fitness (trust me, I don't go on and on about it). I have stopped mentioning it and it feels weird because we talk about everything. Ever experience that?

I should include that I am very lucky to have a close friend here (who is in great shape too) who roots for me and supports me all the way, and shows the kind of interest you would normally lend a close friend. She does nothing special to stay in shape! Good for her, won't begrudge her that, she's a super person.

Finally, when I planned my 200 km tour, I was so pumped by the encouragement by many of the posters here - you guys are great. It is so wonderful to feel encouraged! It can be tough when you are trying to get into shape and organize physical challenges - moral support makes a huge difference.