Any Cyclists who are Recovering Alkies?



Fooleycat

New Member
Jan 21, 2007
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Hey:

I am curious if there are any riders out there who have given up the
booze. I am a long time cyclist but managed to drink myself silly for
20 years before giving it up last August. I am now suffering acute withdrawal symptoms, October through December being the worst of it. I have managed to ride the road bike on short 20 -30 mile jaunts and commute on the MTB through this withdrawal period. I feel pretty good on the road bike, averaging about 19-21 MPH. I am hoping to up the miles in February and focus on doing a local time trial series throughout the spring and summer.

I have to be on top of my diet, rest, stress level, and exercise. So I am basically writing to connect with folks who may have gone through what I am going through now. Any replies are appreciated!

Eric
 
Fooleycat said:
Hey:

I am curious if there are any riders out there who have given up the
booze. I am a long time cyclist but managed to drink myself silly for
20 years before giving it up last August. I am now suffering acute withdrawal symptoms, October through December being the worst of it. I have managed to ride the road bike on short 20 -30 mile jaunts and commute on the MTB through this withdrawal period. I feel pretty good on the road bike, averaging about 19-21 MPH. I am hoping to up the miles in February and focus on doing a local time trial series throughout the spring and summer.

I have to be on top of my diet, rest, stress level, and exercise. So I am basically writing to connect with folks who may have gone through what I am going through now. Any replies are appreciated!

Eric
Good job, keep it going.
 
Last time I was in Eugene I was still a drinking man. I got 14 years sober this past 1/1/07. The first year's a ***** bro. Did all the meetings and stuff - my attitude became I don't want to be an addict to a program OR a substance. The bloody my sponsor this and that, the spouting about how clean they were ( between coffee and cig drinks and puffs ) really put me off after a while.
War stories...ho hum...
As an ICU RN I run across enough end stage booze hounds ( in their 40 and 50's), bloated, jaundiced and actively bleeding from EVERY orifice to keep my sorry ass sober.
After about ten years I allowed myself about three beers a year - but you ain't there yet, newly !
I have had to quit more things than most people ever start - I draw the line at caffeine though.
Funniest thing during my first 3 -6 months was a MAJOR fixation on chocolate ice cream flavors. I left for a roadtrip once , caught myself in the driveway, not worrying if I suffered a break in ( a few going around then ) that I might lose the TV, the motorcycle, the weed (oops), but HOLY **** ! I've got an untouched half gallon of rocky road in the freeze !!
Don't beat youself up if you relapse - just stop and start counting again.
Nothing more pitiful than aged drunks too.
Glad to have you among us !
I will pm you as well.
 
So good to read your words! I hear the withdrawals start to fade at around 6 months...this is when most people relapse.I'm at month 5. Good thing with me is that I have no desire to drink. After what these withdrawals have put me through I have been scared shitless into staying sober...also have a little family to give myself to, that is what really keeps me going.
I really have yet to crave any booze.
I am craving a new road bike!
As far as meetings go, I hear NA meetings are better thank AA. A friend clued me into that one. I have to go and check them both out. Maybe I'll find a good group. It sure helps to talk about it.

Thanks again for the words. It really does mean a lot to me!

Eric
 
I've been sober since September 05. I found that since I stopped scarfing down 8 beers and a couple Yukon shots a night, I don't hack as much during my riding.
The hardest part for me was the first 3 months, after that I realized I can still have FUN without it. Congrats to all of you! Keep it up. ;)
 
That's odd...I never met any maineiacs that like the sauce.

HA !

Welcome aboard.
Kinda fittin your handle - we are alien astronauts stranded on earth.
You FNG's keep up the good work.
 
The cliche in recovery is don't do anything for a year ... don't quit your job, don't fall in love, don't breakup a relationship, because for the first year you have no frame of reference to which way is up.
Do get around sober people, this is really what na and aa is about, meeting people who've made it work, who know the signs of someone heading back. If you go to meetings you will connect with other athletes perhaps cyclists who can share their stories. There is no 6 month curse, it's always there waiting around the corner for you. You need to acquire new tools and apply the discipline you've gained as a cyclist to move forward. It's just another hill to train for the rest of your life.
If you have insurance look into an evaluation, perhaps an outpatient program.
Get you family and friends onboard.
Do not be suprised if your athletic performance falls some, it is very common for an athlete getting sober to become very discouraged when this happens. A good treatment program can help to explain this. At 6 months you should be sleeping better but maybe not. Sincere luck, pye
 
i have 20 years this month. one of the things that helped me was quitting smoking the same day i quit drinking. unlike the RN, i don't have three beers a year, i tried one and it made me sick (thank God). each recovery is a story unto itself. but i think some of the things you have going for you are (1) the desire (2) the willingness to ask for help (3) the desire and need to be physical - such as your riding. keep it up, and as has been said, if you fall, don't kick yourself, just get up and try again. i think you are a winner, and i am glad to have met you.

cole
 
Just stay sober today and you don't have to worry about any of this other shiznit. ;)
 
Not drinking wasn't anywhere as big a problem as dealing with all the bs in life that I created or just what comes up next. Learning new skills to deal with stuff without drinking or drugging was a challenge for me.
All the revovering people out there are like your own personal Chris Carmichaels coaching you though the maze.
I agree that every story is different but they all have one common thread, alcohol or drugs.
You are halfway there just by posting the question.
 
pyeyo said:
I agree that every story is different but they all have one common thread, alcohol or drugs.
QUOTE]

that is a fact. no matter what the reason we use to fool ourselves into the quagmire, it all comes back to putting that **** into your body. keep the mind busy on constructive stuff, even if it is exhausting (better so), keep riding, spin classes in bad weather, etc. also, pm me if you need someone to talk to.

cole
 
WotaHay Umatilla. Spent part of a very enjoyable Oregon trip with a bud who grew up on the Umatilla Res. What a trip to leave the greenest place around and experience a "brown out" on the freeway headed East. Been to the top of the vision quest hill - some crazy mofo's there. Can't think of a group of folks who would benefit more from our current path. Firewater heap bad news. Humboldt heap good smoke .
I think we are pooling enough cats to get a pretty damn good team going !
Give everyone a big Roundup Howdy.

"We may be old, but we ARE slow "

umatillarider said:
pyeyo said:
I agree that every story is different but they all have one common thread, alcohol or drugs.
QUOTE]

that is a fact. no matter what the reason we use to fool ourselves into the quagmire, it all comes back to putting that **** into your body. keep the mind busy on constructive stuff, even if it is exhausting (better so), keep riding, spin classes in bad weather, etc. also, pm me if you need someone to talk to.

cole
 
Good to see all the replies! Things on my end are slowly getting better.
PAWS or Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome is known to lessen at month 6 and could possibly reach into a year. But considering how I was during the Fall and early winter, I know I am getting better. Riding the bike leaves me feeling so much better.

I have the trainer set up in my "room" now...the music/cycling room.
Got the Tour going on the TV for entertainment and an endless library of music to go along with it. Managing to get rides in on the weekend and the trainer during the week nights along with the therapy ball routine. Can't believe how good I feel after that! An hour on the trainer is about all I can take though!

I'm sleeping pretty well these days and take a calcium/magnesium drink to help out. As with the syptoms of PAWS, I can get over-stimmed from work and just need some quiet time. I still have some short term memory stuff too but that is getting better.

Going to check out some group rides coming up and hit up a few meetings to see if it's for me.

It really helps to read these posts! thanks!
Cycling is key to so many things!

Eric
 

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