Tried to persuade my 17 year old daughter to do some sport with me for around 5 years, suggested squash, parkrun, tae kwon do, aerobics ,okay I knew that last one was unlikely to fly!

Finally settled on group cycle or spinning as it sometimes known, went last night in the nearest but one leisure centre so she would not be spotted.

I am not bad with bikes that move but stationary bikes are a slightly different animal, we struggled to raise the seat but my bigger mistake was not adjusting the resistance of the pedals. This meant I was pedalling way too fast and then when standing up , with my appalling balance , and feet encased in pedals it was only going one way, I ended up in a right contortion , twisting my already fragile knee in the process.

After going on a spinning forum when home , ( what I should have done before of course !) she completed the class, I had to sit the second half out and understanding the resistance point, I resolved to return to a class and adjust the bike properly to see if it can be for me . Otherwise , that's daddy daughter exercise bonding out the window and we cannot have that.

I still prefer bikes that move however (!)  and on that note, am now off  on the bike to visit my mum with cakes after testing the knee with an hour's run on the Parkland Walk from Finsbury Park to Highgate.