5 Mile and Maxed Out

[Mrs M]

All good advice as expected.
Just ride your bike and enjoy it.
All the benefits will sneak up on you.

 

[ianrauk]

I'm riding around the block,

This exactly what I did. Small laps and close to home. That way you soon start to see and gauge how well you are doing.

but it highlights the need for a cadence sensor

Not needed, save your money. Just concentrate on the cycling.

 

[Domus]

If recovery is quicker you are getting fitter. On big hills (for me) my lungs are bursting my heart is banging away and I stop. I don't walk up I just wait a minute, my breathing comes down and I get back on and pedal. Next time up the same hill my stopping point is higher up the climb. Set small targets, get to the big tree, or the five bar gate or whatever, then next time try to get a bit further. First time up the climb out of Cartmel over to Grange I stopped twice, next time up no stopping at all, all be it very slowly but I did it. I was very pleased with myself. Take your time, never mind about anyone else do your own thing.

 

[Andy_R]

All good advice as expected.
Just ride your bike and enjoy it.
All the benefits will sneak up on you.

^^This.

As we grow up, we tend to forget that cycling is supposed to be fun!

 

[boydj]

Ride at a speed that would allow you to have a conversation if somebody was riding with you. Your first requirement is to build up your stamina, so the aim should be to cycle at a controlled pace for a period of time or distance which you will gradually build up. If you are exhausted at the finish, then you have gone too hard. Once you've built up some base fitness, then you can think about stretching yourself more in terms of speed

 

[adamangler]

As above - its vital for you to get some aerobic fitness before worrying about going hard.

I can only imagine that you are going wayy too hard.

Look online and pick a 30 minutes route, make it as flat as possible and aim to ride it as slow as possible

then try to do an hour, then 2. dont worry about mileage too much its time that matters

personally if riding solo my longest rides tend to be 3 hours max but thats my preference

once you can ride 3 hours steady, if you want to then you can start thinking about stuff like interval, threshold work, hill reps, sprints etc

short hard rides are very good for improving fitness but if you cant ride more than 5 miles something is wrong (aerobic)

 

[Pale Rider]

I'm guessing you are riding short laps because you fear being stranded too far from home.

Laps to get mileage can be mind-numbing in themselves.

You can now cycle five miles, so I would suggest you plan a five to seven mile loop, or out and back, which would give you more variety in your surroundings.

 

[bonsaibilly]

Welll done for keeping at it, and if you want a ride buddy to get you up to ten very gentle miles, I am in Warrington too

BB

 

[Wetdog]

Very kind of you Billy, maybe one Day. I'll do a bit more first and when I get to 8 miles I'll give you a shout

 

[simon.r]

Just take it as it comes. Many of us started at a mile or two and built up from there. I wobbled badly after a mile on my first ride and now think nothing of doing 30+ miles. It gets easier

 

[Vantage]

Type 1 here also. I've a bike computer to keep track of the bikes mileage (F*** all lately ) and a GPS coz even having spent 30 years here I still get lost
Cadence sensors and heart rate monitors and all the rest of that technical wizardry crap is completely unnecessary. Pedal at a rate that feels comfortable, not at which some gizmo tells you.
Flapjack is your friend along with some Haribo or Jelly Babies to deal with those wretched hypos.
As others have said, pedal further, not faster. That'll come later. Personally, I'm happiest when pootling along at my snail like 10mph average over a 30-40 mile ride enjoying the view

 

[slowmotion]

Don't see it as a gruelling challenge that you have to suffer for. Just bimble about and enjoy the sights and sounds. When you enjoy the experience of being out and about on your bike, you'll want to do it more and more, and slowly you will get better at it. Most of all, have fun.

 

[Stevec047]

What your doing is perfectly acceptable look your out on the bike that's one big hurdle out of the way.

When I started cycling back in october last year I stuggled getting to the 10 mile mark and my whole body was burning. A few weeks later I found that I could easily pass the 10 mile mark and get to the late teens. I am now regularly doing 25-35 mile rides and my recovery is a matter of a day and I am ready to go again as opposed to a week of muscle pain.

Just take things as they come don't worry about the miles one day it will just click and you will have the best ride ever. Your fitness and strength will improve and by this time next year you will be wondering what all the fuss was about.

Don't worry about expensive cadence meters or power meters leave these to the hardcore guys. Get yourself a £5 cycle computer that shows speed and mileage and be done with it. If you want to track you performance gains get Strava and log each ride at the end it will show you time riden, speed and if your cycling around an area with segments listed it will show you your pb.

Keep up the cycling and keep an eye on your overall health.

 

[broady]

@Wetdog
Do you have a cycle computer?

 

[Smithbat]

As all of the others have said just take it as it comes. I don't have diabetes (yet ) but I do have an awful lot of bodyweight to shift to become even overweight let along normal. I started off as you have doing small laps, for me it was the 2.4 miles to work. When I started it took me over 20 minutes and I had to walk the little hill. As someone said above, gradually I walked less and less and eventually I made it up it.

If you are finding pedalling hard drop a gear, so it is easier, very gradually you will find your 'cruising' gear raises little by little. I can now happily ride 15 miles without stopping granted it is slow and I may be on the lowest possible gear going up hills but I do it. It will come gradually, I promise.