Yesterday I decided to push myself with a trip to Speke retail park.

It's about eight or nine miles from Widnes, a bit longer than my commute to Warrington.

I felt great on the way, speeding down the lanes through Hale village.

I got a bit cocky and shifted up to the big front ring - it's faster, but harder to turn.

Blazing past weekend cyclists was great fun, and by the time I rolled up Halfords at the retail park to buy a D-Lock I felt like Eddy Merckk.

The agony began on the way back.

My 'heroics' had tired me out. The wind was so strong I felt like I was wearing a sail.

The cable lock in my backpack weighed 1.5lbs, the D-lock 2.2lbs, and the Sunday Times about 37lbs.

I had to stop three or four times on the way home just to rest. It's the tiredest I've been.

But in bed that night, while lifting my leg, I noticed a strange bump above my knee.

Was that what I had read about in books and seen on TV - a muscle...?