Stuck in the mud

I have signed up for a sprint triathlon which involves training 5 times a week and I'm finding a bit of a struggle fitting in. Last Sunday early in the morning I went out for a long session on my bike along the Thames. So off I set from Kew Bridge and was doing ok managing to cycle along the narrow path so I could get a lovely view of the Thames (I'm such a middle aged mum!). This was perfect until I got to a section near a bridge where I couldn't see how I could continue on a path, so I decided to go under the bridge (Barnes) as the tide was out. I sensibly asked the rowers who were launching (not sure if that's the right word) their boats if I could get back onto a path if I went under the bridge, to which they replied yes. Off I set pushing my bike, then the mud started getting thicker and thicker. I was struggling to push my bike through the mud and then it started going really wrong, my feet started sinking into the mud and I could hear the rowers commenting that I should be careful of the sinking mud. Omigod, now I'm panicking: do I leave my bike and save myself? Will I get stuck in the mud forever? Would hubbie pick me up in the car if I was so muddy? After 10 minutes I eventually got back onto the path, with mud all over my beautiful sparkly bike and no mud guards to stop mud flicking up everywhere. As usual, another embarrassing moment.   When I got home, after much discussion with hubbie of where I was, which side of the Thames I was cycling (how do I know if its South or North) I discovered that I could have taken the road path just a bit to the side of the bridge.  Damn it!