roubaixtuesday
self serving virtue signaller
OK, a bit of a brag coming here, but felt like sharing and maybe it'll inspire others.
I've always fancied riding the Stelvio, and the end of Covid combined with incipient decrepitude (I'm mid fifties now) inspired the organisation of a trip, which is from next Sunday.
Of course, this required getting fit, and whilst a lot better than the previous winter, the dawning of 2023 found me about 90kg, which is too much to enjoy the alps.
So I set out to eat less and cycle more, and I have to say I've massively enjoyed the cycling part Eating less makes more difference to weight than exercising and I've done it, now being about 80kg, which is about as light as I've ever been as an adult. For anyone interested, I didn't do any kind of particular diet, just stuck religiously to normal meals, absolutely zero snacks, and was really hungry a lot of the time for 4 months, but it worked.
The cycling has been brilliant. I've not missed a single commute (20 miles round trip) and since March have been extending into the hills several times a week either morning or night. I've also managed a few really big rides, including a couple of very hilly centuries. Strava tells me I've been much quicker up my regular hills than ever before, and I've totaled 6000km, probably double my typical, maybe more.
I'd never have done this without an objective at the end, and now I feel I'm ready for the Stelvio!
Not sure I'm ready for the weather, though...
https://webcam.myortler.it/stilfserjoch
I'm sure others have more impressive stories of getting fit for a challenge - would love to hear them.
I've always fancied riding the Stelvio, and the end of Covid combined with incipient decrepitude (I'm mid fifties now) inspired the organisation of a trip, which is from next Sunday.
Of course, this required getting fit, and whilst a lot better than the previous winter, the dawning of 2023 found me about 90kg, which is too much to enjoy the alps.
So I set out to eat less and cycle more, and I have to say I've massively enjoyed the cycling part Eating less makes more difference to weight than exercising and I've done it, now being about 80kg, which is about as light as I've ever been as an adult. For anyone interested, I didn't do any kind of particular diet, just stuck religiously to normal meals, absolutely zero snacks, and was really hungry a lot of the time for 4 months, but it worked.
The cycling has been brilliant. I've not missed a single commute (20 miles round trip) and since March have been extending into the hills several times a week either morning or night. I've also managed a few really big rides, including a couple of very hilly centuries. Strava tells me I've been much quicker up my regular hills than ever before, and I've totaled 6000km, probably double my typical, maybe more.
I'd never have done this without an objective at the end, and now I feel I'm ready for the Stelvio!
Not sure I'm ready for the weather, though...
https://webcam.myortler.it/stilfserjoch
I'm sure others have more impressive stories of getting fit for a challenge - would love to hear them.