From "I could never..." to 100 miles

A year's journey from Couch to 50k to 100 miles (160k)

By Ali Gatenby

A year ago, I nervously turned up for my first Newbury Road Club Women's Green Ride. If you'd told me then that just twelve months later I'd be riding 100 miles with six wonderful women from the club, I'd have smiled, laughed and quietly thought, there's absolutely no chance.

Ali's first 100 mile ride on July 13 2026

The funny thing is, only a month earlier I'd joined Newbury Road Club's joint venture with West Berkshire Spokes called 'Couch to 50K', which helps inexperienced riders. That gave me enough confidence to handle my bike a little better and ride in a small, friendly group. Looking back, I don't think I'd have had the confidence to join Newbury Road Club without it. It turned out to be the perfect stepping stone.

The truth is, I didn't grow up riding bikes. As a child I never cycled, and as an adult I'd only been out a handful of times. Every ride ended with me saying, "I can't believe people actually enjoy this!" Joining a cycling club wasn't something I ever imagined doing.

So when I arrived for that first Green Ride, my head was full of doubts. Would I keep up? Would I manage the distance and the hills? Would everyone think I should have practised a bit more before attempting a club ride? I couldn't have been more wrong.

From the start, I was made to feel welcome. The women were kind, encouraging and incredibly patient. Nobody minded that I was new or that I had so much to learn. They quietly encouraged me every step of the way, and I drove home knowing I'd found exactly the right place to improve.

Over the next year I learnt far more than I ever expected. I became more confident using my gears, cornering, riding downhill and, eventually, taking what I thought was a huge leap and switching to clipless pedals. Like so many things, I'd built it up in my mind to be far scarier than it really was.

Without really noticing, one ride became another. The miles got longer, the hills became less intimidating, and cycling changed from something I was trying to get through into something I genuinely loved. I progressed from Green Rides to faster Blue Rides, and one of my proudest moments came in May when I returned to Riccione with the club. The previous year I'd gone as the non-cyclist. This year, I was one of them. Looking back now, that moment meant far more than I realised at the time.

Then came the encouragement and opportunity to ride 100 miles. A year earlier, I couldn't understand why anyone would choose to ride that far. This time, I couldn't wait to share the challenge with six amazing women. Crossing the finish after 100 miles was an incredible feeling, but as I looked back on the day I realised the distance wasn't what meant the most. What stayed with me was how close I came to never experiencing any of it.

If I'd listened to the little voice telling me I wasn't ready, I'd have missed out on a year of incredible rides, beautiful countryside, growing confidence, wonderful friendships and yes... quite a lot of cake!

So if you're reading this and thinking, "I could never join a cycling club," I hope my story makes you think again. Or perhaps you already know someone who says exactly the same thing I did a year ago. If they're just starting out, I'd wholeheartedly recommend Couch to 50K. It gave me the confidence to join the club, and joining the club changed far more than my cycling.

Looking back, the biggest step wasn't riding 100 miles. It was having the courage to turn up to that very first Green Ride. Because the biggest journeys don't begin with confidence. They begin with someone quietly wondering, ”What if I can?"

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More details about the Couch to 50k programme and bookings for future courses can be found here: https://www.westberkshirespokes.org/projects/couch-to-50k-cycling-programme/