felt so unfit
- Thread starter ricky776
- Start date
Ride your bike, ride your bike, ride your bike!
Keep it up and in a few months you will be doing fine!
Keep it up and in a few months you will be doing fine!
Having started riding (seriously) just over 1 year ago, here's what I've learned in that time.
1). The hardest part is starting.
2). The next hardest part is sticking with it.
3). It will get easier (until you start raising the bar)
4). If it were easy, everyone would be in shape.
5). Set realistic goals. I'd concentrate on riding for time rather than riding for distance (at least at this point). Increase this gradually. After you've reached a certain goal (let's say riding for 60 mins non-stop) try to increase the miles you can go in that time.
6). Find a group of folks at about your same ability (or maybe slightly better) to ride with. It's always easier to keep going if you have someone to work with.
7). As you progress, you'll start to learn your body, when you can go hard and when you can't. Listen to what your body tells you.
8). Take advice from other riders and don't be afraid to ask questions.
9). Keep your bike well maintained. Why work harder than you have to?
10) Try to have fun!!
1). The hardest part is starting.
2). The next hardest part is sticking with it.
3). It will get easier (until you start raising the bar)
4). If it were easy, everyone would be in shape.
5). Set realistic goals. I'd concentrate on riding for time rather than riding for distance (at least at this point). Increase this gradually. After you've reached a certain goal (let's say riding for 60 mins non-stop) try to increase the miles you can go in that time.
6). Find a group of folks at about your same ability (or maybe slightly better) to ride with. It's always easier to keep going if you have someone to work with.
7). As you progress, you'll start to learn your body, when you can go hard and when you can't. Listen to what your body tells you.
8). Take advice from other riders and don't be afraid to ask questions.
9). Keep your bike well maintained. Why work harder than you have to?
10) Try to have fun!!
Rick,
I thought of one other thing, trying using your lower gears and spinning at a higher RPM until you build up strength.
Glad to hear you're enjoying yourself.
L
I thought of one other thing, trying using your lower gears and spinning at a higher RPM until you build up strength.
Glad to hear you're enjoying yourself.
L
ricky776 said:
This so reminds me of a few years back when I got back on a bicycle...
3 miles on Florida flatland, would just about kill me.
About 2 weeks ago, I rode from Springfield MA (where I currently live) to a friends house in Providence RI.
74 miles, up and down brutal 10-12% hills carrying a weekends worth of clothes and personals...
Ohhh.. and it was 99 degrees out
Just don't give up, and listen to your body.
Spinning is great advice (not only to increase your cardio, but also to save those precious knees)
Woohoo!! I am not alone in the feeling like demons entered my body and left me feeling unfit and out-of-shape.
I just bought my first road bike and have started riding a few weeks ago. I started off with a 15 minute ride (figured that the HR training might not be the best way to go until i figure out if i am still coordinated to ride a bike). Two days later I upped it to 30 minutes and I have been holding steady at 45minutes because its really pushing it.
Keeping up with riding is perhaps the most difficult aspect. When I find myself making excuses and coming up with other things to do, I know I just have to get on the bike right then and there and go.
Its been so ridiculous hot and humid in Philly (where I live) so I have opted to take an evening ride so I don't feel as out of shape.
I'm so glad I found this forum...I found comfort in your post
I just bought my first road bike and have started riding a few weeks ago. I started off with a 15 minute ride (figured that the HR training might not be the best way to go until i figure out if i am still coordinated to ride a bike). Two days later I upped it to 30 minutes and I have been holding steady at 45minutes because its really pushing it.
Keeping up with riding is perhaps the most difficult aspect. When I find myself making excuses and coming up with other things to do, I know I just have to get on the bike right then and there and go.
Its been so ridiculous hot and humid in Philly (where I live) so I have opted to take an evening ride so I don't feel as out of shape.
I'm so glad I found this forum...I found comfort in your post
I also started riding recently (August 2004). I lost a bit of focus over the winter and now I'm going like crazy. I would agree with everything that's been said but add: Hydrate, drink before you're thirsty. Your body will thank you. Also, for anything longer than about 30 minutes, I would drink a sports drink. As you get fitter, you can make that anything over an hour. Good luck. Have fun.
The discipline of suffering is the only thing that can make u great
“The discipline of suffering, of great suffering – do you not know that only this discipline has created all enhancements of man so far? That tension of the soul in unhappiness which cultivates its strength, its shudders face to face with great ruin, its inventiveness and courage in enduring, preserving, interpreting, and exploiting suffering, and whatever has been granted to it of profundity, secret, mask, spirit, cunning, greatness – was it not granted to it through suffering, through the discipline of great suffering?” -Beyond Good and Evil
worldgod
“The discipline of suffering, of great suffering – do you not know that only this discipline has created all enhancements of man so far? That tension of the soul in unhappiness which cultivates its strength, its shudders face to face with great ruin, its inventiveness and courage in enduring, preserving, interpreting, and exploiting suffering, and whatever has been granted to it of profundity, secret, mask, spirit, cunning, greatness – was it not granted to it through suffering, through the discipline of great suffering?” -Beyond Good and Evil
worldgod
ricky776 said:
Yes it definitely has a familiar ring. It's amazing what can be accomplished in a few short years.coolworx said:
Just keep nudging up that 'Time In The Saddle' and the milage will naturally follow
46 mins.... then maybe 49. Just never let a week go by (unless illness) where your total T.I.T.S. is less then the previous week. Even a minute more is a success!
One thing is, now that your edging close to the hour mark, you should maybe think of some riding chow - ya know... a cliff bar, a banana...
46 mins.... then maybe 49. Just never let a week go by (unless illness) where your total T.I.T.S. is less then the previous week. Even a minute more is a success!
One thing is, now that your edging close to the hour mark, you should maybe think of some riding chow - ya know... a cliff bar, a banana...
wondergurl said:Woohoo!! I am not alone in the feeling like demons entered my body and left me feeling unfit and out-of-shape.
I just bought my first road bike and have started riding a few weeks ago. I started off with a 15 minute ride (figured that the HR training might not be the best way to go until i figure out if i am still coordinated to ride a bike). Two days later I upped it to 30 minutes and I have been holding steady at 45minutes because its really pushing it.
Keeping up with riding is perhaps the most difficult aspect. When I find myself making excuses and coming up with other things to do, I know I just have to get on the bike right then and there and go.
Its been so ridiculous hot and humid in Philly (where I live) so I have opted to take an evening ride so I don't feel as out of shape.
I'm so glad I found this forum...I found comfort in your post
I've been wandering around these threads looking for rookie tips as I also just started cycling. I'm overweight, 40 but generally my body responds well to activity. I started riding about every other day mid-June and this morning I went 19.5 miles with hills and felt like a champion!!! I don't want to burn out but I just think about cycling lots and can't wait to go again. I feel like I improve with every ride. I try to do longer rides on the weekends, last weekend my long ride was 15. I keep reading here about 40, 50, 60 mile riders and I'm amazed and hoping to be there some day. It was good to hear about your success too!
Melinda
Melinda
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