Any advive/support u guys/gals can give me?

[J5311]

Well i started riding about a month and a half ago. I started a log of what i do, how many miles & the list goes on and on including approximate heart rate & temperature & humidity... Is this good to do? My main goal is that i would like to go for distance, but i am only going about 5- 15 miles per ride. I really get no time to ride & when i do, i am exhausted from work...

When i ride, its not like i have a set schedual. I know eating healthier will only bennifit me & my riding. What do you people suggest? should i plan out a schedual of when to ride & what to eat? any help will be honestly greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Jared

 

[tt1106]

I'm a data mining junkie, so everything is calculated. But a simple cycling log will work for you. There are some free one's online, like buckeye outdoors or bike journal.
Nutition is definitely part of the equation, although I'm remiss, but your gains will be better if you plan your nutrition correctly.

 

[J5311]

I'm a data mining junkie, so everything is calculated. But a simple cycling log will work for you. There are some free one's online, like buckeye outdoors or bike journal.
Nutition is definitely part of the equation, although I'm remiss, but your gains will be better if you plan your nutrition correctly.

Any other advice?

 

[Eden]

When you are just starting out I'd say unless its what it takes to motivate you, forget about all of the fancy data gathering equipment and ride because you think its fun. Try to approach it as entertainment/lifestyle rather than exercise at first.
Get a cycling computer (or it sounds like you already have one), because its always nice to know how far you've gond and how far you have to go, buy yourself 101 bicycle rides in ______ (where ever you are from), find your local Rail Trails and bike paths and just go and have fun. When you find you can ride - 30 miles, 40 miles maybe even 50 miles and you are still having fun, then think about training. Otherwise plan your weekends around riding to your favorite park - riding to a nice cafe for lunch and riding back, do your errands on the bike. Find a local club/group that offers rides at your level and do social rides. Give yourself a reason to get out on the bike that goes above and beyond just exercise.
When you feel more fit then you can get a goal that you want to train to like - do a century ride, commute to work 3 days a week, do a cat 5 race, do a week long cycle tour, etc. If you are just enjoying yourself riding don't worry about a goal and keep enjoying yourself.
my 2 cents - if it feels too much like going to the gym from the get go, you'll be less likely to really enjoy it and stick with it.

 

[slyjackson]

Well i started riding about a month and a half ago. I started a log of what i do, how many miles & the list goes on and on including approximate heart rate & temperature & humidity... Is this good to do? My main goal is that i would like to go for distance, but i am only going about 5- 15 miles per ride. I really get no time to ride & when i do, i am exhausted from work...

When i ride, its not like i have a set schedual. I know eating healthier will only bennifit me & my riding. What do you people suggest? should i plan out a schedual of when to ride & what to eat? any help will be honestly greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Jared

First thing you need to get consistant with your riding. I tell you right now 5 miles is not enough milage. If you want distance you got to train in distance.
The second thing is find a group of people or club to ride with. Just the fact of riding with others will push you beyond what you would do by yourself.

Example:

This week end I rode with my club on a "A"/ "B"/"CC" class 42 miler. I ride with the "B" class and sometimes with the "CC" class. There is not too much diffrence between "B" and "CC" if any in my club. Anyway at the half way point we stop for 15 min or so to rest and charge up again. On the way back I somehow got mixed up in "A" class and was the 3rd guy from the front in a pace line. Well I was suprised to see I was hanging in there at 21 mph pace.

Well it came my time to "Pull" . I was the first guy in front now and I gave it all that I had. I was now rolling between 24 and 26 mph and I rode like this at the 29 mile mark to 35.6 mile mark. I never pushed myself to ride at this speed before. A hill was approaching and I knew I could not pull up this hill so this was a good time to fade to the back and let the next guy start his pull and that is what I did. I got dropped on the hill and when I got to the top they were nowhere in site.

The point is, I have never,never, ever, ever pushed myself to ride between 24 and 26 mph for 6 miles when I ride by myself. I just do not have that disipline. I never even imagine that I could even ride at that speed for that distance. It was the group and my desire to do it because I was with them that allowed me to do this. The guy behind me was telling me to go up or down a gear depending on the roll of the road and helped me keep my cadence up so I could maintain the pace. As I faded to the back of the line, each guy who passed me (eight total) said "Good job" as they went by. Here it is three days later and I still pumped up from it.

Just find someone or a group to push you into achieving your goals, whether it be distance or speed. The challege from the people with get you to your goals a lot quicker that what you could do by yourself. Today I ride my daily 14 miler which I normally ride at a 15-16 mph pace, take a good guess what I will do today for a least 4 miles ......