Bolton Help

[Vantage]

Today I was ready for giving up cycling all together because yet again, my diabetes acting up cut short a ride and had to be picked up by my partner.
This is becoming all too regular now and is killing my enthusiasm for cycling.
Why is the diabetes acting up? Well, thanks to a stroke over 2 years ago I've lost a great deal of energy and muscle strength so I'm having to work harder to get anywhere which burns more carbohydrates etc etc.
This could probably be reversed to some extent by training and therein lies my biggest issue. Being motivated to get off my rear end to actually train. I have none. Not even a smidgen.
So if there's anyone here from the Bolton area who could ride with me and push me to ride that little bit harder in the training zone, I'd very much appreciate it.
I can't pay for this help so a personal trainer is a no go. The only thing you'd get out of it is knowing that me getting fitter would go some way to reducing my chances of further strokes, which is all too likely if I do give up cycling.
Thanks.

 

[fossyant]

T1 or T2 ?

T1 you might not want to take any fast acting (or much less) fast acting insulin before riding. Also how about a 50/50 fresh orange/water mix - my son manages fine on this (he's T1), but he can also adjust his pump delivery.

One thing that may help is using a turbo, to see how it's affecting your blood sugars and you're still at home. You can replicate the situation easier on a turbo.

 

[Vantage]

T1 fossyant.
The hypos I can deal with...more or less. But its the general lack of fitness that's the biggest issue. I
I found that when I joined my old cycling club, I was getting fitter and so could ride harder for longer and have no hypos.
Sadly, there are no such clubs with an average speed I can keep up with in Bolton.

 

[13 rider]

As @fossyant suggested a turbo at home seems a sensible way to train . You can push as hard as you want and if you feel ill your 10ft away from the sofa not miles away
A smart trainer and say zwift subscription is not exactly cheap but following structured training on these platforms works

 

[stephec]

What side of Bolton are you on?

I used to go out with the Lancs Road Club on a Sunday and their rides are quite long and average about 15mph.

Depending on exactly where you are, and if you can chuck the bike in a car to get to a meeting point, maybe give Salford Cycling Club a go, I know quite a few people in it and they seem more of a leisure type club than full on racing .

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

T1 fossyant.
The hypos I can deal with...more or less. But its the general lack of fitness that's the biggest issue. I
I found that when I joined my old cycling club, I was getting fitter and so could ride harder for longer and have no hypos.
Sadly, there are no such clubs with an average speed I can keep up with in Bolton.

What? Not even Bolton Clarion? Few ride as slowly as they do!

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

Here you go...
https://membermojo.co.uk/bolton-clarion-cycling-club/

Quote>
Where and when we meet for rides:

We meet-up adjacent to Bolton Town Hall, every Sunday at (8:30 am sping/summer) or (9:00 am autumn/winter) for various rides to different destinations. The distances of our 'A' rides tends to be lower in winter, gradually increasing through spring, peaking in summer & reducing again in autumn, but we do adjust these depending on the weather conditions; Our 'B' rides cater for riders who don't wish to ride as far or as fast and can be useful for new-members who feel unsure how they will cope.

The club has a wealth of experience and always makes sure that our new riders are looked after on their first few rides. We pride ourselves in riding in a disciplined and safe manner and respect our fellow road users. For example we acknowledge cars that wait and pass us safely, we single file when safe and appropriate to do so. We also slow down for horses and often chat to them as we pass, so that we don’t startle them.

 

[fossyant]

Look at British Cycling Go Ride Socials. They should be starting again soon.

 

[Archie_tect]

Vantage, there's a very active Diabetes UK Support Group in Bolton- I've posted a message on their FB page asking if they have any regular cyclists in their group - if they get back to me I'll let you know, then you can follow it up if you want to.

 

[ColinJ]

What? Not even Bolton Clarion? Few ride as slowly as they do!

@Vantage came on the first part of one of my Cheshire forum rides. He had told us that health problems meant that he was unable to ride quickly so we aimed for a slow start.

Obviously, you weren't thinking of us () but @Littgull and I were saying last week that we had promised to try to squeeze another Cheshire ride in this year and if we can find a free Saturday while we still have enough daylight hours for a leisurely imperial century we will do so. Let me know what Saturdays you can manage and we'll see what we can come up with!

Leisurely eh? Reeeeaaaalllyyyyyy???
The last time I heard those words, I was following you and Littgull. My bike nearly broke 13mph on the canal stretch. Paint starts to peel at those speeds you know! I looked back and @Katherine was wearing a gas mask because of the smoke from my tyres burning!

Honestly though, I hadn't really taken onboard how much the illness had taken out of him. I'd had people in the past worrying about keeping up but who then dropped me by riding off at 18-20 mph. I thought that 12-13 mph would be ok, but we probably should have been going at 10-11 mph that day (last year).

 

[13 rider]

Isn't @Katherine a Salford member

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

Funny you should mention those speeds. I (very) occasionally ride with a guy I know. He makes a great deal of the fact that he is European and British, or maybe just English, middle distance, age related triathlon champion. He struggles to ride at 12mph. His runs are little more than a fast walk. I can't run, but can ride comfortably at 17mph. I spend a lot of time waiting😠

Speed is all relative!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Funny you should mention those speeds. I (very) occasionally ride with a guy I know. He makes a great deal of the fact that he is European and British, or maybe just English, middle distance, age related triathlon champion. He struggles to ride at 12mph. His runs are little more than a fast walk. I can't run, but can ride comfortably at 17mph. I spend a lot of time waiting😠

Speed is all relative!

Sounds like he is bullshitting you, unless he’s 84 years old with those speeds.

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

Sounds like he is bullshitting you, unless he’s 84 years old with those speeds.

Nope. I've seen the results sheets. He's 72. There must be some pretty useless triathletes out there. We don't ride together very often....it is embarrassing for both of us.

 

[Vantage]

Thanks for the responses ladies & gentlemen.

@fossyant & @13 rider I've a Tacx Blue Motion turbo trainer here that I plan on using soon. Waiting on the big ass skewer to fit it, sort the speed sensor out (giving way wrong speeds on Zwift trial) and turbo specific tyre as its chewing up my usual tyres.
@stephec I'm on the north west corner and looked at Lancashire Road Club some years ago. Too quick for me as the pic below demonstrates

This was today descending from Bolton into Urmston. 9mph avg
Looked into Salford club too but their meeting spot is too far from here. Car isn't an option as only the other half drives and works odd hours. Shame really as I've ridden with @Katherine previously and enjoyed her company.
@Darius_Jedburgh Bolton Clarion was the club I used to ride with. Speaking with the clubs ex president a few months ago, he described the current B group members as "they take no prisoners" on their rides. I've no chance.
@fossyant British Cycling. Forgot about that! Rode with them in the past and will look into that.
@Archie_tect Thankyou! I hadn't thought about that.
@ColinJ No need to slow down for me. I'll just bring a tow rope next time