360lb Cyclist

[SWSteve]

@Baggies Man if you follow @Ticktockmy's advice and go to the local library they may have a selection of cycling maps, my local council has ones where different roads are coloured differently (not in an OS style, but coloured on how traffic heavy they are) this may be of help if cycling on the road.

 

[Baggies Man]

A little update.

Completed my first 10 mile ride today. I know its not alot compared to the miles some of you guys put in, but hey, i've got alot of ass to drag around with me. Next target - 15 miles.

I'm definitely starting to notice the difference now with my stamina and fitness levels improving. At the 3.5 mile point on my ride there is a bench by the lake that i like to take a break at, its very scenic. On my first ride i had to stop for a breather twice before i made it to the lake and it took me a total of 36 mins to get there. Today i made it to the lake without any stops and did it in 24 mins, I'm pleased with that progress.

My first recorded ride i traveled at an average of 6.96 mph. Today i rode 10.1 miles at an average of 8.93 mph. Two mph faster over the same course and a longer distance. Again, pleased with that.

Isn't it great having cycling computers and apps like Strava & Endomondo for analyzing ride data and being able to monitor improvements.

Finally the good news is, i am now 24st 12lb, ive lost 16lb and am on my way to losing my 2nd stone, Yey!!

 

[ThinAir]

A little update.

Completed my first 10 mile ride today. I know its not alot compared to the miles some of you guys put in, but hey, i've got alot of ass to drag around with me. Next target - 15 miles.

I'm definitely starting to notice the difference now with my stamina and fitness levels improving. At the 3.5 mile point on my ride there is a bench by the lake that i like to take a break at, its very scenic. On my first ride i had to stop for a breather twice before i made it to the lake and it took me a total of 36 mins to get there. Today i made it to the lake without any stops and did it in 24 mins, I'm pleased with that progress.

My first recorded ride i traveled at an average of 6.96 mph. Today i rode 10.1 miles at an average of 8.93 mph. Two mph faster over the same course and a longer distance. Again, pleased with that.

Isn't it great having cycling computers and apps like Strava & Endomondo for analyzing ride data and being able to monitor improvements.

Finally the good news is, i am now 24st 12lb, ive lost 16lb and am on my way to losing my 2nd stone, Yey!!

Go on, man! Awesome progress

 

[Smotyn]

Keep going and it will get easier I promise x well done x

 

[BigonaBianchi]

just keep pedaling...never stop...and one day you will look back in amzement at what you did! well done!!

 

[Tyke]

Well done Baggies fantastic start keep it up your on your way to becoming a whippet.

 

[I like Skol]

A little update.

Completed my first 10 mile ride today. I know its not alot compared to the miles some of you guys put in, but hey, i've got alot of ass to drag around with me. Next target - 15 miles.

I'm definitely starting to notice the difference now with my stamina and fitness levels improving. At the 3.5 mile point on my ride there is a bench by the lake that i like to take a break at, its very scenic. On my first ride i had to stop for a breather twice before i made it to the lake and it took me a total of 36 mins to get there. Today i made it to the lake without any stops and did it in 24 mins, I'm pleased with that progress.

My first recorded ride i traveled at an average of 6.96 mph. Today i rode 10.1 miles at an average of 8.93 mph. Two mph faster over the same course and a longer distance. Again, pleased with that.

Isn't it great having cycling computers and apps like Strava & Endomondo for analyzing ride data and being able to monitor improvements.

Finally the good news is, i am now 24st 12lb, ive lost 16lb and am on my way to losing my 2nd stone, Yey!!

Firkin fantastic progress there sir!
I will pitch in with some 'advice' if I may. Ditch the computer. I reckon the cycling is much more fun if we don't worry about average speeds, ride time and distances covered. Down that road lies disappointment and disheartenment.
In my opinion the best rides are the ones where you set off to go somewhere you haven't been in years, or go to see if something is still there, or I reckon I can ride over the hill to nextdoorstown, or when I was a kid we used to play in the stream at xxx I wonder if it is still the same.
Also there is something really liberating about using the bike when you would normally use the car. Use the bike to nip to the papershop/curry take-away/B&Q (I've brought home tins of paint, hose reels and curtain poles at times)/cash machine/whatever. Just use the bike. Ride to work. Take the kids to schools (for this you need kids and they need bikes!)

EDIT: If you want to track your mileage covered you can always use a site like MAPOMETER to tot up the distance after the event. This avoids the pressure of keeping going until X miles or doing an average of Ymph etc....

 

[buggi]

The Carrera is a good bike. Google 39stonecyclist for Gaz's blog. He's battled both weight and eating disorders. Cracking fella that I've met a few times.

i was gonna say about Gaz. he was much heavier than you and he did it. amazing guy. his blog will give you loads of inspiration.

 

[Baggies Man]

Firkin fantastic progress there sir!
I will pitch in with some 'advice' if I may. Ditch the computer. I reckon the cycling is much more fun if we don't worry about average speeds, ride time and distances covered. Down that road lies disappointment and disheartenment.
In my opinion the best rides are the ones where you set off to go somewhere you haven't been in years, or go to see if something is still there, or I reckon I can ride over the hill to nextdoorstown, or when I was a kid we used to play in the stream at xxx I wonder if it is still the same.
Also there is something really liberating about using the bike when you would normally use the car. Use the bike to nip to the papershop/curry take-away/B&Q (I've brought home tins of paint, hose reels and curtain poles at times)/cash machine/whatever. Just use the bike. Ride to work. Take the kids to schools (for this you need kids and they need bikes!)

EDIT: If you want to track your mileage covered you can always use a site like MAPOMETER to tot up the distance after the event. This avoids the pressure of keeping going until X miles or doing an average of Ymph etc....

Thanks for the advice mate, i hear what you're saying but it spurs me on comparing ride stats, i like to see if i have improved, and i like to push a bit harder to break my previous record. Same at the gym, i set myself a 5k exercise bike ride and try to beat my previous time, i've gone from 13m.45s down to 12m 15s. I'll soon start going for 7.5k rides.. On the X trainer i lasted for 4m 30s first time, before virtually collapsing in a heap with heart rate at 160. now i can go for 8 mins keeping my heart rate at around 140-145.
Maybe i just like competing against myself, or maybe i'm a bit geeky when it comes to stats lol, but it works for me. Horses for courses i suppose.

I do like the thought of casual riding too though, following a country lane i've not been down before,, just for the scenery and pleasure of it. Its something i've started doing with the missus, she walks the dogs while i potter about on the bike. Obviously i dont time these outings on the computer, we just go out for the enjoyment. So best of both worlds i guess.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Lets mention the H word....Hills.

when i started this i had several local hills would haunt me. i knew there was no way i would get up them without serious risk of cardiac arrest. So i wimped out and rode around them, found different routes etc. But i told myself one day id be back to beat the bar stewards. i have since beaten all of those hills. I still walk up the odd monster, but less so these days. I walked up a few on the le jog ride recently, but rode over ditchling beacon no probs a few days ago.

my long winded point is that all hills are beatable with the right mental attitude...never surrender!

 

[Cupra]

Well done, I started at 24st 9 and I am currently under 17 stone from cycling and eating better.

The more you lose the easier it gets and the more I enjoy it.

Keep it up it feels amazing.

 

[Baggies Man]

Hi all.
I've not posted in a long while so thought id drop in with an update.

The good news is - i'm still cycling and absolutely loving it, and the weight is still coming off. I had a blip in November by overdoing things on my bike and at the gym and ended up with tennis elbow / tendonitis which put me out of action till January, but am fully recovered now and feeling fitter than ever.

I went on a 30 mile ride last Sunday around the Derby Dales with a friend and will be doing a 40 mile ride this Sunday (which will be my furthest ride so far). My goal is to get a 50 miler under my belt and i don't think the half century is far off, maybe July.

As for my weight - i'm now 21 stone 13lb (295lb) and feel great. Finally i'm no longer a 300lb+ guy. When i get down to 18 stone i have decided to treat myself to a road bike so will most likely be asking for advice here on what to get around the £600-£800 mark.

Anyway thats all for now, happy cycling all.

Mark.

 

[Markymark]

Great news. Don;t see the cycling as a way to lose weight, just see it as fun and then weight loss as a bi-product.

I bought my roadbike 10 months ago (after a few years of hybrid commuting) and its awesome. You get to do some great distances.

PS If you did 30 withuot nearly collapsing, keep the pace, fluid and the nutrition and you'll do 50 without any problems.

 

[ColinJ]

Keep it up, Mark, you are doing really well!

I wasn't as big as you, but I was heavy enough that my knees were packing up and I was struggling to get out of armchairs. All the aches and pains have gone now that I have got down to a sensible weight. Things like that are a reminder how much of a strain we put on our bodies by being obese, and why it is important to keep the weight under control.

I agree with 0-markymark-0 - you will crack the 50-miler this summer! Pick a warm day for the ride, not a very hot one, and preferably one with a gentle breeze to keep you cool. (Overheating on long summer rides always used to be a problem for me when I was fat. That's another problem which magically went away when I slimmed down.)

 

[152l2]

Well done Mark.. Great news on the weight loss. I really enjoyed reading your thread. It is the sort of thing that inspired me to lose 4 stone. You will have no trouble doing the 50 miler if you keep it up. I did my first 60 a few weeks back and now aiming for my first 100 miles.