19 stone heavy needing encouragment

[Simba1off]

Well folks
Went for a ride yesterday Sunday and most say it was the best yet!
Must have been all the postive encouragment that you all gave me!!!!!!!!!!
Took my time made sure I had plenty of fluid before senting off did five miles furthest I've done in one ride. I must admit that I throughly enjoyed the ride must have been the postitive mind set before going, normally cringe at the thought.
Today feeling slightly sore in the legs but it doesn't compare to the sorness in my crotch!!!
Decided to go for ride today but felt tired alot sooner than yesterday but still not too bad.
Question, should I continue to ride each day? My reason being is that I'll harden up quicker and get used to lossening my muscels etc.
Or should I rest let my body recover then go riding again?
Any advice would be welcome.
Thanks
Mark

 

[MacB]

I'd ride every day, but make every 3rd day nice and gentle, oh and sort out position on bike to minimise crotch problems. A big guy, sweating a lot and getting saddle sores isn't pleasant, it won't take Einstein to figure out how I know this

 

[smokeysmoo]

Rest is crucial. You need to let your body recover or you risk causing damage. Don't let that put you off for a second though, it's the same with any form of excercise, your body just needs time to re-cuperate.
Perhaps aim to ride every other day until your not getting any pains and then increase things from there.

+1 for the whole bike fitting thing though, a badly set up bike can have dire consequences over time.

Good luck, keep going, and you'll be amazed at what you can acheive

 

[FetterSteve]

Well done Mark for marking the start.

I'm 49 and have lost 1/2 stone bringing me down to the same as you.
I started off in Feb doing a 3 mile circuit and was absolutely wiped and now look forward to 20 milers and feel fine afterwards. My longest rideto date is 56 miles and to be honest it was my butt that was more painful than my legs. Took me 3 weeks to recover mind!! (joking)

Keep at it and you will soon rack up the miles but don't fall in to the same trap as me and rush out and buy a totally inappropriate bike as you are enjoying yourself so much ( Giant Defy anyone?) Give it a bit of time to see what kind of riding you want to do and get something suitable.

All the best

 

[gb155]

Well done mate

Keep it up

 

[Simba1off]

Hi all,
Again thanks for the encouragement, I really do appreciate it
Mark

 

[Banjo]

I find that I need to have easy days in between hard days and probably better to have a couple of complete rest days each week as well to allow muscles to recover properly, if you overdoe it you will be constantly tired and wont enjoy it.

If you can fit panniers on your bike use it for trips to the shops etc etc, all the little journeys like that add up over a week .

One thing I discovered is that cycling really does make you hungry so I try to time my rides so I finish just before one of my regular meal times to avoid snacking after a ride,

Good Luck

 

[chillyuk]

I am trying to persuade my nearest and dearest to buy me one of these for my birthday:

Cycling shirt

 

[Simba1off]

Hi
Thanks again for the encouragment
Mark

 

[Sara_H]

Don't try to ride fast, ride so you are not too breathless if at all. Easy pace is the best to start with and won't you off. At the minute it is more about increasing distance and not speed. IMO

Ditto this advice, for years I've been trying to cycle fast and pushing myself hard.

This last few months I really slowed down my pace and suddenly I'm cycling up hills that I've had to get off and push before (and fairly comfortably too)

Just take it at your own pace and it will come together.

 

[citybabe]

Give yourself time. Set out at an easy pace and just do what you can do.

You'll soon start to realise that you've managed to do a little more each time.

Enjoying being out on your bike is the main thing

 

[Simba1off]

I went for a ride today, took it easy ended up doing 11 miles!
Not as tired as I thought I would be though. Can't do more than 20mph down hill and average speed was 8 mph. Must concentrate more as I nearly ran myself off the road eyeing up a nice looking girl, will I ever learn!!!!!
End up eating like a horse when I got back home.
Thanks for the support!
Mark

 

[MacB]

I went for a ride today, took it easy ended up doing 11 miles!
Not as tired as I thought I would be though. Can't do more than 20mph down hill and average speed was 8 mph. Must concentrate more as I nearly ran myself off the road eyeing up a nice looking girl, will I ever learn!!!!!
End up eating like a horse when I get back home.
Thanks for the support!
Mark

great stuff Mark, be warned that's a very similar start to me, though you managed further, it wasn't too long before I did my first 100 miler

 

[Hip Priest]

You're making great progress. I'm a newbie too, and my route is up to 12.5 miles now. Whoever said cycling makes you hungry is spot on. I ride about 60 miles per week now and I'm so hungry I find I want to eat constantly.

 

[e-rider]

I'm a bit younger than you but I weigh 18.5 stone at the moment (although I am 6'2") and often ride 100 miles in a session.

Assuming that you have the bike set correctly for your size and you have no underlying injury/problems it's simply a case of building up slowly and getting fitter as the months go by. When I was unfit, I didn't enjoy cycling that much but now I can't get enough. The fitter you get the more you will enjoy exercising.