Just took my first (real) ride.

[Vile]

Forgive me if this post is a waste of space, but this is the first time I got to take a road bike out for a long* ride.

*I'm sure a long ride means different things to other people.. I was out for an hour, and just rode around town in various places.

I'll tell you.. for someone who hasn't been on a bike in a while, it's tough. I ran out of steam pretty quickly. I stopped a couple times at different parks to sit in the shade, cool off, and drink some water. It's about 80 degrees and windy, so I didn't almost pass out.

Can anyone recommend anything that will build leg strength and endurance aside from more cycling?

 

[Don Shipp]

Forgive me if this post is a waste of space, but this is the first time I got to take a road bike out for a long* ride.

*I'm sure a long ride means different things to other people.. I was out for an hour, and just rode around town in various places.

I'll tell you.. for someone who hasn't been on a bike in a while, it's tough. I ran out of steam pretty quickly. I stopped a couple times at different parks to sit in the shade, cool off, and drink some water. It's about 80 degrees and windy, so I didn't almost pass out.

Can anyone recommend anything that will build leg strength and endurance aside from more cycling?

Exercise, eat, rest. Without the right nutrition, or sufficient recovery time (especially sleep) exercise is counter productive.

 

[Vile]

Exercise, eat, rest. Without the right nutrition, or sufficient recovery time (especially sleep) exercise is counter productive.

Well... I did sleep from 5am to 9am... whoops.

I have trouble sleeping, but I think it may have something to do with the fact that I never exercise!

Now that I am.. I can probably fall asleep at night.

 

[roadhog]

Just log miles. Don't worry about details like speeds, times, heart rates, etc, for now. Just ride and have fun. Start with whatever time period / distance feels comfortable but a good workout, and improve from there. It doesn't take long to feel improvement in your legs and then you will start to get more ambitious. Then you can start to worry about more technical things. If you're enjoying it, try to get out 3 or 4 times a week. If you can, get away from the city and built up areas so you can really see the countryside and avoid traffic and maintain constant effort. For me, half the fun of the sport is exploring new areas and little towns, etc. Every ride is a mini-adventure.

 

[Vile]

Just log miles. Don't worry about details like speeds, times, heart rates, etc, for now. Just ride and have fun. Start with whatever time period / distance feels comfortable but a good workout, and improve from there. It doesn't take long to feel improvement in your legs and then you will start to get more ambitious. Then you can start to worry about more technical things. If you're enjoying it, try to get out 3 or 4 times a week. If you can, get away from the city and built up areas so you can really see the countryside and avoid traffic and maintain constant effort. For me, half the fun of the sport is exploring new areas and little towns, etc. Every ride is a mini-adventure.

Oh it's many miles until things get "foresty" and not as populated.

 

[badhat]

"ride till it hurts, then turn around and ride home."

do that every other day and do easy short days between.

and yeah eat right. and snack and hydrate while you ride and you'll hurt less during and after you ride.

 

[Insight Driver]

Here's a slightly longer answer and the same theme everyone else is giving you. You did a personal best and that is great. Do feel proud of your accomplishement. How will you improve? Ride more often, but don't push yourself every time, just every third time. As far as running out of gas, think of your body as an engine. Let me give you a good impression.

If you have not excercised for a long time think of yourself as an engine all crudded up with junk. The food we eat is fuel. First thing is, to clean the crude you must run a bit lean (eat less except that you should definately have eaten a decent meal about an hour to two before riding). As your engine runs more and starts running better you have a stronger engine to run with and the fuel you take in lets you go further with the same effort you used to put in with the cruddded-up engine.

I'm 52 and I started riding regularly about three years ago. I got up to riding a regular ride of 20 miles on a paved bicycle trail. I started out by taking a short break every five miles or so. I progressed to riding ten miles to my turn-around point then taking a break at the fifteen mile mark. I then got to riding the entire 20 miles without stopping. I then started to try to ride it faster each time. When I first started after my ride I was done for the day, beat, tired.

After a while I began to realize that I was able to come home, shower and feel like I was ready to do something useful for the rest of the day. Riding just 20 miles got boring. I've gradually increased my day rides. My most recent ride was for over 63 miles, almost all flat, at an average rate of 15.8mp. This has been my improvement in strength and endurance as a cyclist and I'm still getting better. I'm definately passionate about riding now and have it in my blood. I don't like being off my bike more than three days in a row now.

 

[Randomus]

I'll tell you.. for someone who hasn't been on a bike in a while, it's tough. I ran out of steam pretty quickly. I stopped a couple times at different parks to sit in the shade, cool off, and drink some water. It's about 80 degrees and windy, so I didn't almost pass out.

Can anyone recommend anything that will build leg strength and endurance aside from more cycling?

Stopping for a quick water and snack break definitely isn't a bad thing. I usually stop for a few minutes by the water and just relax for a quick breather.

Just like the other guys have mentioned, take your time with the rides. Just get some miles on your legs and then worry about max HR, speed, etc. You will begin to notice that your legs will become stronger and a bit more explosive (but it certainly doesn't happen overnight).

As to what you can do besides cycling, you could do some weight lifting.

Insight Driver: Do you ever ride on the AR trail? It is very nice.

 

[JTE83]

I started biking 2 years ago and my first rides were 10 to 15 miles long. I was still fat and was biking to lose weight. Then about 8 months goes by then I start doing 30 mile rides. Then I start doing 35 to 54 mile rides regularly and my speed has increased while losing a lot of weight. I now only think a real ride is 35+ miles or more. One of my latest rides was 46.65 miles at 17.9 mph average.

 

[scotty72]

Well, I'm in a similar boat to you.

Spent several years off the bike getting lazy and fat.

I've been back on my bike for two or three weeks now.

I started commuting to work. It is about 16-17 kms (10 miles approx) each way.
It is reasonably flat with a few medium hills that remind me I'm still alive.

My first day was a tough. Took me an 1:20' and I was stuffed. Almost whimped out and took the train back, but didn't.

Decided to rip the speedo off the bike as it was just depressing me when I saw I was struggling along at 7 - 8 mph.

Now I've done it 10 or so times I feel much better. Got it down to under an hour and I no longer feel stuffed. I actually feel good and recover within a minute or so once I'm off the bike.

Can't agree with the advice above enough. Forget the speed, rip the speedo off, and just go along at a steady rate and keep peddalling. I haven't lose much, if any, weight yet but boy I feel good, especially when on the bike.

For me the important thing is that when I approach a hill, I don't dread it anymore. I don't try to tear up it, just go along and work on the steady cadence. Before too long, I'm at the top and enjoying the run down the other side.

As for drinks etc.

Yet, i go through a bike bottle of water each way (1-2 mouthfulls every few kms)

Scotty

 

[Dijital]

Forgive me if this post is a waste of space, but this is the first time I got to take a road bike out for a long* ride.

*I'm sure a long ride means different things to other people.. I was out for an hour, and just rode around town in various places.

I'll tell you.. for someone who hasn't been on a bike in a while, it's tough. I ran out of steam pretty quickly. I stopped a couple times at different parks to sit in the shade, cool off, and drink some water. It's about 80 degrees and windy, so I didn't almost pass out.

Can anyone recommend anything that will build leg strength and endurance aside from more cycling?

Not really. I think sport specific training is what you need most. Even in small doses, it will help. I also run a lot and that keeps my CV system in good shape.

Just keep riding, and slow down the pace. It should be enjoyable, not a painful experience otherwise you wont stick with it.

Comit to two, thiry minute rides during the week and a longer one on the weekend.


Enjoy.

 

[blowin mud]

Can anyone recommend anything that will build leg strength and endurance aside from more cycling?

If you want to build leg strength for cycling then cycling is the best way to do it. If you don't enjoy riding then get into another sport.

 

[Cyclist14]

Just keep riding, soon you will be calling a 3-hour ride short