This is my first visit and post, so hello. After quickly scanning a number of threads, I was impressed with the level of advice and participation found on this forum. Hopefully I can squeeze out a few more words of wisdom.
I have just (re)taken up cycling after a few too many years of being quite out of shape. I used to ride regularly about 15 years ago, but exercise just hasn't been part of my routine for a few years and the pounds (not the monetary kind) have piled up. With the goal of getting into better shape and maybe losing a bit of weight, I've dusted off my old touring bike and started taking it out on some tentative rides.
But I am impatient; I want to achieve everything right away. I've only been riding now for about 2 or 3 weeks....trying to get out at least 3 or 4 days per week, but I'm already frustrated by the fact that I've not lost weight and still struggle through almost every ride (in addition to impatience, I also seem to suffer from an inability to take it easy when I ride...I always want to push as hard as I can, so I'm usually at or near my limit).
I'm hoping that for motivational purposes more than anything, I might get some sound advice about a reasonable time frame to focus on and a realistic series of goals I might might try to set for myself in terms of, for instance, length, speed and frequency of rides....weight loss....etc.
To give you a sense of what I'm doing now, I'm mainly riding a 15 mile route that is basically flat but has a few very mild hills. It's an out and back type route, so there is often a headwind for either the coming or the going. After maybe 10 or 12 rides on this route, I seem to be able to average around 16mph (up from 14mph or so on my first couple rides). Once or twice per week I've been doing a longer route -- about 30 miles -- with a lot more (short) hills. On that ride, I seem to average about 14.5 to 15mph. I'm riding what I guess would be considered a fairly hefty touring bike with a rack, pump, cheapo panniers, etc. (ie, not a thoroughbred).
If by the end of the summer (northern hemisphere here) I could do the 30 mile ride without my legs feeling like rubber....maybe get in a couple 50 mile rides without feeling like it was overdoing it....improve my average speeds a couple mph....and lose, say, 10 pounds, I would be thrilled.
Any advice on how best to get there? Or, for that matter, whether these are realistic goals? I've never tried seriously "training" on a bike. Even when I used to ride a lot years ago, it was to commute and otherwise just to enjoy the ride. So intervals, heart rates, and RPM's are not things I've thought about thus far. And, as I said, exercise just hasn't been a part of my routine for years, so I'm not starting out very fit.
Thanks for you insights,
Itazura
I have just (re)taken up cycling after a few too many years of being quite out of shape. I used to ride regularly about 15 years ago, but exercise just hasn't been part of my routine for a few years and the pounds (not the monetary kind) have piled up. With the goal of getting into better shape and maybe losing a bit of weight, I've dusted off my old touring bike and started taking it out on some tentative rides.
But I am impatient; I want to achieve everything right away. I've only been riding now for about 2 or 3 weeks....trying to get out at least 3 or 4 days per week, but I'm already frustrated by the fact that I've not lost weight and still struggle through almost every ride (in addition to impatience, I also seem to suffer from an inability to take it easy when I ride...I always want to push as hard as I can, so I'm usually at or near my limit).
I'm hoping that for motivational purposes more than anything, I might get some sound advice about a reasonable time frame to focus on and a realistic series of goals I might might try to set for myself in terms of, for instance, length, speed and frequency of rides....weight loss....etc.
To give you a sense of what I'm doing now, I'm mainly riding a 15 mile route that is basically flat but has a few very mild hills. It's an out and back type route, so there is often a headwind for either the coming or the going. After maybe 10 or 12 rides on this route, I seem to be able to average around 16mph (up from 14mph or so on my first couple rides). Once or twice per week I've been doing a longer route -- about 30 miles -- with a lot more (short) hills. On that ride, I seem to average about 14.5 to 15mph. I'm riding what I guess would be considered a fairly hefty touring bike with a rack, pump, cheapo panniers, etc. (ie, not a thoroughbred).
If by the end of the summer (northern hemisphere here) I could do the 30 mile ride without my legs feeling like rubber....maybe get in a couple 50 mile rides without feeling like it was overdoing it....improve my average speeds a couple mph....and lose, say, 10 pounds, I would be thrilled.
Any advice on how best to get there? Or, for that matter, whether these are realistic goals? I've never tried seriously "training" on a bike. Even when I used to ride a lot years ago, it was to commute and otherwise just to enjoy the ride. So intervals, heart rates, and RPM's are not things I've thought about thus far. And, as I said, exercise just hasn't been a part of my routine for years, so I'm not starting out very fit.
Thanks for you insights,
Itazura