Starting out - too much?

[Chr15]

Impressive!! Bought lots of new clothes?

I had to - new suits for work and jeans were a must when my belt ran out of notches! Thankfully, my weight/waist size appears to have stabilised now.

 

[DooDah]

Amazing, this is a perfect advert for why people should get on their bikes. No transport costs (well, apart from the inevitable addiction to bikes, accessories and clothing), enjoyment in travelling to work, fitness, health and weight loss. It is a no brainer really.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I thought it would be fun to re-visit this thread 11 months later. I've continued cycling every day, and on the odd day I've had to leave the bike at home (like yesterday, because of snow) I've really missed the morning ride/exercise.

Other than getting away from the expensive and inefficient public transport system, there have been other benefits - in January my waist was 38" and it's now 30" (!) and I've also found that I am able to handle the stresses of the working day much better.

Thanks to everyone on here who gave me such fantastic advice and encouragement when I started out!!

These sorts of posts are the best posts on here. Well done you are an inspiration to all us.

 

[User16625]

Firstly, I was just about to suggest that the seat is too low but you've changed that now. I'm pretty sure you will feel much better tonight on the way home, pedalling will feel much more effortless.

I think you have bitten off a bit more than you can chew at the moment but that's fine, I like your enthusiasm and confidence. Just take the journey nice and slow until you build up your heart and lungs and your muscles.

Nothing wrong with stopping now and then for a breather, its always a good idea to have a handful or two of some nuts and a few mouthfuls of whatever drink you carry with you (you do have a drink bottle right?). Cereal bars are also a nice snack to have when you stop.

And use the appropriate gears, if your tackling a bit of an incline then drop down to a nice and easy gear and take your time.

Also, I don't know what you ride but if your bike is a mountain bike with knobbly tires then change them to a much slimmer profile and slicker surface, this will really make a difference as it lowers rolling resistance.

I would have said to start with do your journey every other day so you give your body time to recover, at least for the first two weeks or so.

And remember, the body is like an engine, no fuel, no power. Make sure you are eating lots of carbs i.e. pasta/potatoes and make sure you are eating sufficient protein to rebuild your muscles.

I hope this helps.



EDIT: Beaten to it ^ Fastest finger first

How do you know what foods contain carbs and protein etc? Its not really very practical to read the ingredients list on everything you buy. A kebab or cheeseburger does me fine but ive never done much over 50 miles in one rideout. I do love pasta tho.

 

[RWright]

I just started reading this thread for the first time when it was revived, didn't notice the time stamps until just now. This was a great thread and nice work by the OP. When i first started reading I thought that is taking on a lot on a MTB...or any bike if you haven't ridden much. Nice to see it worked out well.

 

[Andrew_P]

Well done (glad I didn't wade in with my advice before reading the thread!)

You have done really well, similar position to you 18 months ago, the pain you describe in your opening post is what keeps me doing the commute, the fear of it ever being that painful again!