Help fat and unfit

[nannie nannie]

after listening to my hubby go on about cycle touring I decided to purchase a Dawes Ladies Karakum cycle in the mis conception I could go cycling with my husband, who has cycled previously,only second time on bike managed 13 .5 miles,got lost 'upset hubby on lack of coordination between me and the gears ,got cold not a great day,sat here aching but on thinking about the ride I did enjoy it and would like to carry on,can any one give me a bit of help or advice on begginers routes in and around hull that will help build up my fitness level,so I can keep up with hubby, first ride manged 10 mile,today 13.5 need to build up as you can seenot very fit or expierenced

 

[dellzeqq]

you need somebody to ride along with you, show you the ropes and keep your spirits up. Put it to him.

 

[HelenD123]

You've done really well for your first rides. I did much less than that when I was starting out and I wasn't completely unfit and not at all overweight. Have you tried the trans pennine trail? You could get some miles in away from traffic while you're still getting co-ordinated, although it'll be a bit chilly down by the Humber at the moment!

 

[Arch]

Hello! I've replied to you in Beginners recommending route 65 in your area...

As for the unfitness. 10 miles is already pretty good. A lot of beginners, especially if they are trying to improve their fitness, struggle with a couple of miles. You get better very quickly. Going up to 13.5, you've already improved your distance by 33% remember. If you can do 13, then 20 is really not such a big leap. And then 30.... I know this might seem unlikely, but the more you do, the more you can add on. Up to last June, the most I'd ever done was 66 miles. Then I went and did 100. God, I hurt for the last 30 miles, and afterwards, but actually, it wasn't my legs that hurt from the effort, it was my bum and shoulders from being on the bike for 8 hours, and recovered really quickly.

It's all about practice. A little cycling regularly will work wonders. Do you go to work? Could you commute by bike? Could you go shopping on the bike? Do you have time to go out during the day each day, even just for half an hour or so? Lots of little trips will also improve your gear technique and your road sense and all that, just as well as fewer long trips.

With gears, what is your problem, knowing when to change, or the actual changing? The latter will just get better, like any physical skill. Knowing when to change will also come - the trick is to anticipate hills and change down early enough so that you don't end up grinding too hard, which is bad for the knees. Aim to keep your feet spinning at whatever rate (cadence) is comfortable for you, and have them spinning round fairly easily. If that means going very slow uphill to start with, so be it, you'll get faster.

If hubby gets frustrated then a) ask him to remember we all learn sometime, and you can always get some rides on your own to practise, or go out and do part of a route together, then you head home while he does an extra loop or something. But you'll catch up soon enough.

 

[rich p]

Dump the grumpy git and get a new more patient model

 

[Piemaster]

If you are in East Hull take the old railway line to Hornsea. Its flat (it was a rail line) and a reasonable surface, some tarmac, some gravel. It runs off road for most of the way from the town centre. You don't have to go all the way to Hornsea, there is the Railway pub on the way - a good place to head for and have an, err, salad
The route up to Beverley is quite pleasant too (mostly using Long Lane)
The council produce a cycling map with recommended routes for getting about.

Did you know the Humber Bridge is the longest bridge in the world you can cycle over?

But most importantly ENJOY!

 

[nannie nannie]

Thanks for support and advice ,will try to go out on my own till I get better ,will try the trans penine trail will wrap up warm,thanks again for support will keep you updated, on my progress,thanks again nice to see there is nice patient riders out there.

 

[Aperitif]

See you on the Friday Night Humber Bridge ride nannie nannie (Iff you're wondering, check out the Informal Rides' thread and look under FNRttC 2010) - just make sure that hubby wubby is up for the ride too - he'll be with people of his own ability!

(Unless your husband is mike e, of this parish of course! )

 

[TVC]

Dump the grumpy git and get a new more patient model

Fair point, are there any friends or family members closer to your level that you could ride with and improve together? Failing that, as Rich suggested, trade in your husband for a more sympathetic one.

 

[nannie nannie]

thanks will try these routes out, live west Hull ,so the bridge is within my reach ,will contact council for a map thanks for help and support

 

[Crankarm]

Tortoise and the hare ...........

Welcome. You've done well. Give yourself a pat on the back. It gets easier the more you cycle, honest. Don't forget to drink (water not alcohol ) as it's easy to become dehydrated.

Maybe you can enrol on some formal cycle training in your area? You will not only learn about being safe on the roads and basic bike maintenance, but you may well get to know a few other people you could ride with.

As above ditch the grumpy git and find some one who is prepared to ride with you rather than 1/2 a mile in front. Does he wear full team kit by any chance and have a team carbon race bike ?

 

[Arch]

thanks will try these routes out, live west Hull ,so the bridge is within my reach ,will contact council for a map thanks for help and support

And so you can explore a bit south of the Humber. I know it's daft, but when I rode along the north side of the Number last summer, I was looking across and thinking "Wow, that's a whole new county over there!" Somehow, being the other side of such a big river made it feel exotic! I loved crossing the Bridge when I did it a few years back, it feels like a real adventure, and you get some great views.

Oh, and with regard to keeping warm - you may know, but the key is layers. More thin layers is better than fewer thick ones - firstly they trap warm air next to the body, and secondly, you can regulate your temperature better as you warm up, by taking a layer off...

And about the husband.... No, don't ditch him. Just as you need to learn to get fitter and faster, he can learn to sometimes take it easy. Sometimes it's nice not to be pushing yourself, but to dawdle and see the scenery etc.

 

[postman]

A big cheer for you .Keep it up .And just wait for the summer .Everything will come in time .
Also see if your local council have some cycle leaflets .My BIL contacted Lancashire County Council and they sent him a load of stuff.Try yours and don't forget you can do little parts of rides not the whole chunk .Build up .
We all look forward to reading about your journey it starts here .
All the best .

 

[ComedyPilot]

thanks will try these routes out, live west Hull ,so the bridge is within my reach ,will contact council for a map thanks for help and support

Nevermind the council, they know 'nothing'.

Look up sustrans and the ctc on the web for better route advice.

Better still, join some of us East Yorks crew for sedate rides which usually involve cake or beer.....or both.

 

[mcshroom]

There's a cycle map of Hull here - [link]

Other than that +1 most of the advice above. Get out on the bike (nice bike by the way) and enjoy yourself. Remember you are riding to enjoy yourself, not to keep up with or please anyone else.

13.5 miles is a good run , so don't worry about that, and the technical bits will come with time and riding.

Have fun