breakfast????

[Sapper]

Got to get to sleep now, thanks for all the advice, I will try as much as I can tomorrow and check back for more info tomorrow night.

Thanks ever so much for being a friendly forum, the advice is great, have learnt a lot tonight. Of course the boot is on the other foot to my horseriding where I am doing the advising.

Very greatful, once again.

Sweat dreams...

Relax and enjoy your cycle ride. As your fitness and cycling stamina improves I am sure all your little issues will fade into insignificance over time.

I think what you need to focus on is food types and when, and your tyres.

Adrian

 

[balzer69]

kturner1,

like yourself i have recently started cycling again after a long time. These forums have been a valuable resource for advice regarding cycling.

However, you sound as if you have complex, longstanding health problems, and I am worried that you will receive unsound medical advice from well meaning forum members.

You sound as if you would benefit from a consultation with a trained dietician

No one knows what causes a stitch, although there are theories(usually involving the diaphragm). However is completely untrue to imply we have organs hanging off our diaphragm!

Sorry if I sound a bit patronising, yes I am a doctor. Your post has finally stimulated me to contribute to this forum!

 

[Moonlight]

Hi kt,

I don't really have anything to add, the breathing is the cure to the stitches though.

Just to say, you may wish to change your name as a spam box may quickly find your email and could send you spam emails. I know from experience.

I admire your determination. Well done.

 

[boybiker]

I havent read the whole thread so im sorry if this has been suggested but you could get an electric bike so when you come to the hills you have a bit of help. Then once you can do it both ways with the motor on try and do half a mile without the motor on etc.

I know this means more money and i have no idea how good electric bikes are but it seems like a good idea to me?

 

[summerdays]

He moved the seat forward, handle bars up, seat up, fixed the geaers as they were missing and the chain was jumping off. I have 18 gears. But only use up to no.3 or 4 at present. (3 on the left and 6 on the right.)

That sounds like an Apollo bike from your description - I once bought one for one of my kids before I started cycling and we could never get all the gears working.

When you say you are using gear 3 on the left.... do you mean the biggest or smallest ring at the front. If it is the biggest ring then that is a big mistake especially with hills. Normally cycling you tend to use the middle ring quite a lot and then the smallest (which is normally numbered 1 on the left), when going up hills. Then you can use 3 - the biggest to wizz down hill.

Not fully understanding your medical condition and how that affects your cycling, but you usually aim to put less power into each revolution, and do more revolutions - called spinning, rather than trying to push really hard - which is called grinding.

Thanks Sappa. I usually only have 3 meals a week and fill up on cereal and apples, it is easier than cooking. But this last 10 days I have been making myself eat better. I am now having cheese, eggs, tuna, bread, rice, I also bought Horlicks and Hot chocolate to have a litre of milk everyday. I definately have more energy. I just wanted a short cut with those muscle building things so I dont have to cook. I have also been eating carrots at the horse's yard to give me energy to ride home.

I think a light weight bike with thin smooth tyres would have been easier than this one??

I seem to have a problem cycling after lunch ... I assume the food hasn't got to my muscles yet or all the blood is trying to digest the food. But it may be worth experimenting with different gaps between eatting and cycling. (I don't have that option really as I usually have 1 hour to eat my lunch and get to the next location.)

Its probably worth mentioning too that you are meant to eat shortly after finishing the cycle ride - something with carbohydrates and proteins - I usually have fruit juice and a handful of nuts to help replenish the energy you have lost from your muscles (gycogen???).

 

[Andy in Sig]

What about porridge about half an hour before you set off?

And the fact that you've already noticed physical improvements in yourself should make you very optimistic indeed. Provided you don't charge at it, you should carry on improving. After a while you may even find that one mile isn't enough and you want to do more just for the fun of it.

 

[k turner]

Yes it is an apollo. Bought a gel seat cover today, they wouldnt stop trying to sell me a whole new seat for £50. The cover was only £12, and it really helped a lot today.

I am eating 6 small meals a day now instead of big ones, and that seems to help with the indigestion and stitch. Had a much smaller breakfast, no stitch but my muscles werent warmed up so early so I walked a lot.

In the afternoon I nearly made it all the way without getting off so often. The better diet and boost drink is helping. I am not out of breath anymore (gave up smoking for the second time this year about a month ago).

I am sticking to my usual motto of "little and often" or "slowly, slowly catch a monkey".

I am now sure I will be OK by November to do this twice a day and as you say if I had more flat areas, I wouldnt mind a longer ride now!

I am definately enjoying getting fit and not missing the car at all.

 

[Sapper]

Yes it is an apollo. Bought a gel seat cover today, they wouldnt stop trying to sell me a whole new seat for £50. The cover was only £12, and it really helped a lot today.

I am eating 6 small meals a day now instead of big ones, and that seems to help with the indigestion and stitch. Had a much smaller breakfast, no stitch but my muscles werent warmed up so early so I walked a lot.

In the afternoon I nearly made it all the way without getting off so often. The better diet and boost drink is helping. I am not out of breath anymore (gave up smoking for the second time this year about a month ago).

I am sticking to my usual motto of "little and often" or "slowly, slowly catch a monkey".

I am now sure I will be OK by November to do this twice a day and as you say if I had more flat areas, I wouldnt mind a longer ride now!

I am definately enjoying getting fit and not missing the car at all.

Good for you and keep it up KT

you seem to be getting on the right idea with byour diet and how often you exercise.

Take it easy and as you already have noticed your fitness will come quickly

Adrian

 

[Muddyfox]

I take my Hat off to you Miss Turner

you are an amazing woman

Simon

 

[Danny]

KT - I appreciate you don't like doctors, but have you considered seeing a nutritionist? I think you probably need some expert advice on what food to eat and when, and I suspect that most of us on the forum are not qualified to give that advice.

 

[Arch]

I take my Hat off to you Miss Turner

you are an amazing woman

Simon

Yes, I came to this thread late and don't have much to add but I second this. I have experience of what Chronic Fatique alone can do to someone and for you to be so positive and determined is brilliant.

Nutrition isn't something I know much about, but I'd second the suggestion that you fit slicker tyres, that is a very easy fix to make it easier. And it will get easier. If you ride horses, you'll already have good fitness, but riding a bike IS different (for a start the bugger usually goes where and when you want it to, not always my experience on horseback!) and it'll take a while for a new set of muscles to get acclimatised.

And hills are something that get better with practice too. I live in York, which is basically flat, so the first day I'm anywhere with hills, I'm rubbish, and it takes a day or so for my hill legs to come back (at which point, I'm a bit less rubbish). Make sure you use a low enough gear so that you aren't 'honking' on the pedals, but your feet can 'spin' round as much as possible.

If, in the worst case, you do still struggle, I also second someone's suggestion of looking into electric assistance. This doesn't have to mean just sitting on a bike and letting it do all the work - there are are bikes that simply help you along when you need it, but still allow you to get the exercise. However, I'm sure, with your attitude, that the right kit, and practise, will get you there. Welcome to the forum, and I hope we can continue to be useful.

 

[k turner]

I dont think I will get a NHS dietician/nutritionist, and if I ask my doctor to refer me, if you are not on the floor in front of them they will just ask why and tell you to eat better.

I was going to get an electric bike to help on the hills and now I am so glad I didnt, because I would have been lazy and not got any fitter at all.

I saw a scooter go past me and my pony sharer yesterday, we were both on bikes and she said why didnt you get one of those. I said, yeah and how fit would I be then, still smoking and struggling to get up the stairs at home because of muscle wastage.

At least now I can say I am fitter and can walk to the shop, climb the stairs at home and nearly cycle all the way to feed the pony.

I had my second 6am "short" warm up/practice ride this morning, it was great, just to the pub on the corner which only involves one short hill which I can ride up now.

Then I sleep till 2pm when I have to do feed pony. Anything else gets done after that.

 

[Andy in Sig]

As you seem to be starting from doing almost no mileage with stops etc. it might be interesting for you to keep a diary to monitor your progress. Also if you ever get the chance to get the bike to a flat area you might want to see how many miles you could do then in one go.

Don't be too quick to reject the nutritionist idea as it couldn't do any harm to see what they have to say.

 

[k turner]

Andy, I would be interested in a nutritionist, what I was trying to say is HOW do I get my doctor to refer me. They wont do it for no reason.

I think I could probably do 5 miles slowly on the flat, but I am in Sheffield, in a town right on the Penine way and there are only hills, where I live, so I couldnt even get to the flat places.

My breaks are squealing very badly and the neighbour toed them in, and said they just have to wear in as the bike is new. I got fed up with the noise and oiled them after I got back this morning.

Dont worry, by that I mean used the squirty stuff they sold me and a cloth on the rims. There was a lot of muck on there. I wiped all the excess off and tried it on the lounge floor (where it lives) and the breaks still work. I will be careful when I go out this afternoon as well.

 

[Andy in Sig]

I'm afraid I haven't a clue how to get referred. What might be of interest is dietary advice based on blood groups. A bloke called d'adamo has written books on this (you can get the book for your own blood group). A mate of mine who is as sceptical as I am about diet fads put me on to this and I got the book for my blood group. Basically it works on the idea that some foodstuffs are not going to be right for you and some will be. I largely (but not completely) cut out the things I liked but allegedly shouldn't have and have noticed a general improvement in skin condition as well as losing a bit of weight. Google "d'adamo diet". You might think it worth a go.