Am I Really That Bad?

[aces_up1504]

Well I did my first ride this evening!

After very little exercise apart from golf for the past 5 or 6 years, at 33 i decieded enough was enough and wanted to improve my fitness and energy levels.

So will some help from here and a local bike shop i have bought a Tricross with the C2W scheme, but i wont get the voucher until Jan.

So had some spare time today and dug out ( literally) my old Raleigh Quicksand MTB, which has not been used for maybe 7 years, so you can imagine what state it was in.

Well got into some kind of working order, Just and went out for my first ride tonight. Gears are pretty messed up i quickly found

http://app.strava.com/activities/30437451

Just on 4 miles was more than enough in near freezing conditions. But was out cycling for just shy of 30 mins and a average of 8.4mph

Aerobically i did not feel to bad, but have some serious weak cyling muscles and any incline was a killer and have admit i had to take a couple of breathers.

TBH felt a bit of failure, but shows how lazy i have become. But its a start and have created a couple of segments in Strava to compare improvements hopefully.

Hopefully built up enough fitness over the comming month to do the tricross justice.

 

[MattHB]

Not a failure at all.. You got out on your bike in December.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

You are really brave to have braved this icy weather

 

[Peteaud]

You have to start somewhere.

And with Strava to help you will soon get much much fitter.

And well done for getting off your backside and getting out.

 

[aces_up1504]

Not a failure at all.. You got out on your bike in December.

Cheers, Cold does not bother me to much, playing as goalkeeper for years in midwinter you get used to it!

 

[MattHB]

You'll be amazed at how much easier the tricross will be, even with no gains in fitness between now and then

 

[aces_up1504]

You'll be amazed at how much easier the tricross will be, even with no gains in fitness between now and then

Thats what i am hoping, rough it out for a month on the knackered tank of a MTB and the tricross will feel like a breeze

 

[MattHB]

Thats what i am hoping, rough it out for a month on the knackered tank of a MTB and the tricross will feel like a breeze

Modern bikes are just astonishingly good, especially good ones like the tricross. Your problem will be not over doing it because you'll want to get out ALL THE TIME

 

[ianrauk]

Not a failure at all.
Near 7 years ago I took up cycling again after an 18 year break.
My first ride after all that time was only 1 and a half miles.
It took 7 minutes to ride and over half an hour to recover. The wife thought I was going to have a heart attack.

So near 7 years down the line... 4 stones lighter.. and well, just look at my cycling log below.

You are certainly not alone on this forum... you are just one of many of us who have experienced the same thing.

Well Done!

 

[Easytigers]

You won't think it now but good going mate...just wait for 6 months down the line when you look back and think "How could I have found that hard?".It all starts somewhere!

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Not a failure at all.. You got out on your bike in December.

+1 for this. There was a time when my bike went into store in about October and didn't come out again until Easter.

So why do you think you failed? Speed? If your bike is a heavy one and on knobbly tyres then 9 to 10mph is about what I'd expect, and less in winter as the muscles don't really want to get working the same in the cold.

Distance? If this is your first ride in 7 years I think you've done okay. I wouldn't expect you to be going off and doing 10, 20 or 30 miles straight off. Cycling works different muscles to many other sports and this is a challenging time of year to be starting. Just go out often and do a bit more distance each time and the rest will come without you realizing.

 

[MrJamie]

Well done, it really only can get better. The new bike, seeing your fitness improve and better weather next summer (hopefully) should make it a lot more enjoyable

 

[aces_up1504]

+1 for this. There was a time when my bike went into store in about October and didn't come out again until Easter.

So why do you think you failed? Speed? If your bike is a heavy one and on knobbly tyres then 9 to 10mph is about what I'd expect, and less in winter as the muscles don't really want to get working the same in the cold.

Distance? If this is your first ride in 7 years I think you've done okay. I wouldn't expect you to be going off and doing 10, 20 or 30 miles straight off. Cycling works different muscles to many other sports and this is a challenging time of year to be starting. Just go out often and do a bit more distance each time and the rest will come without you realizing.

2nd ride i did a 20m ride in barmouth in september with my 3 year old bolted on the wife, so was done very leisurely. About 4 hours in the saddle.

Yeah heavy was an understatment, Would not be suprised if was near 20kg.

I was dispointed in as soon as the incline i really struggled

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

2nd ride i did a 20m ride in barmouth in september with my 3 year old bolted on the wife, so was done very leisurely. About 4 hours in the saddle.

Yeah heavy was an understatment, Would not be suprised if was near 20kg.

I was dispointed in as soon as the incline i really struggled

Apologies, I must have missed something there. It's still early days though so you're not doing so bad.

Dunna worry about those inclines, it won't be long before you'll look back and be amazed that you once struggled on them.

The new bike will make a massive difference, both in how it rides and how much easier it'll be to motivate yourself.

 

[Peteaud]

Dunna worry about those inclines, it won't be long before you'll look back and be amazed that you once struggled on them.

.

When i got back on my bike the "massive hill" i struggled to get up is now in fact a very slight incline i dont even think about.