Blast on the fixie

The highlight of my week so far (yes i know its tuesday) is the rediscovery of my fixed gear bike.

A couple of years when i still lived in town I commuted to work on a fixie; in my case a much loved Giant Bowery, however since moving a bit further out and the commute dramatically increasing in distance and time, I choose to use my road bike to commute on.
For those foreign to fixes- it's cycling stripped back to the basics and incredibly popular in major cities. The bikes are generally metal and have a sprocket welded onto the rear hub meaning that the drive chain has to be in constant motion to turn the move forward. This means that you are able to (when good) limit or completely get rid of the brakes by applying backwards pressure to the pedals, also helping you develop incredible strength and perform cool trackstands at junctions (check out YouTube).
The rediscovery was due to the car being in the garage and needing to get to the train station, whilst not wanting to take my road bike and leave it over night. instead I opted for the Giant, thinking that it was in single speed mode. (It has a flip hub meaning you can turn the wheel and freewheel on one gear).
Within a few pedal strokes I very quickly realised:
A) it was in fixed gear
B) it was in fixie as the brakes were non existent
C) just how petrifying/ exhilarating fixed gear riding is!
Fortunately I survived the journey, and picked up some new brake pads on the way home. But having rediscovered the feeling of fixed gear riding (and changed the pads)  I'm defiantly going to get out on it more often! If anyone has the opportunity to give it ago then I strongly advise too- it's a brilliant feeling! And no I won't be cycling to Paris on a fixie.
In other news, marathon training is well and truly underway, having playing with a few shorter runs over christmas, the distance has increased to 8 and 11 miles for the last couple of runs..pray for nice weather!