First Ride today....Gawd im unfit !!

[Jonathan M]

well done Dave.
it really does get better. Don't avoid the hilly bits, they might hurt but they'll speed up the process of getting stronger and fitter quicker.

Yeah, this is the "what doesn't kill you only makes you fitter" principle isn't it?? Works well once some base fitness is there.

 

[Browser]

Don't avoid the hilly bits,

Wot if you live in the Fens?

Keep it up sir, then you can be like areformed smoker, castigating and berating those around you for not getting any exercise!

 

[swee'pea99]

You say you've cycled before, so stop me if you've heard this, but three tips for newbies:

1) Get your saddle height right. Your leg should *just* break at the knee with your heel on the pedal at the bottom of its turn.
2) Pump your tyres up as hard as you can. When you think they're really hard, keep pumping. Feel the tyres of a serious racer next time you're out. That's what hard feels like. Soft tyres sap your energy and invite punctures.
3) Gear lower, pedal faster.

 

[Bayerd]

I started cycling again after a 20 year lay off on the 11th August. My first ride was very similar to yours. One 200yd hill and my legs and lungs were really burning.

It's true what the guys say, it doesn't take long to see improvement. I completed my first 10 miler (first 5 downhill with the wind, last 5 uphill against it) this morning and have lost nearly a stone in weight.

One question for the more experienced, during the last mile I could feel my right calf start to tighten like I was going to get cramp and it's still twitching now an hour later. How do I prevent this so that I can gradually go further?

 

[Globalti]

You might actually be overdoing it on cold muscles - make sure you have really warmed up before opening the throttle. A few minutes standing on tip-toe to stretch those calves might helps as cyclists have very inflexible calves.

I live at the foot of a hill and have torn muscles by setting off fast up the hill cold. It takes a few days for the muscle to repair itself; you might feel some soreness and stiffness, so take it easy and remember that the rest in between the rides is as important as the actual riding.

 

[peanut]

One question for the more experienced, during the last mile I could feel my right calf start to tighten like I was going to get cramp and it's still twitching now an hour later. How do I prevent this so that I can gradually go further?

You can't really prevent this or cramp . Its a natural result of the intense effort you are forcing your muscles and ligaments to do after 20 year layoff. it will probably lessen after a few months when your muscles have got stronger.

Make sure you are not cycling every day or your body will not get the opportunity for recovery and to build the new muscle and ligaments.

Its good to do some simple leg stretches after the ride takes 30 seconds or so and should prevent cramps in the calves.

edit: cross-posted with RR

 

[jasonmccullum]

well done... i remember it well...it was only 2 weeks ago

i started with a 4 mile ride including large hills both up and now and the first time i finished i was very red, dry throat and knackered.

i now ride 9-10 miles a day 5 days a week and can feel the difference. thinking about the L2B next year.......

 

[Bayerd]

Thanks for the info. I'll start to do some stretches before getting on the bike as I like to ride first thing after I've got up. I'll also try to resist the urge to do too much too soon.

Incidentally, does anyone know if there is any difference from a getting fit point of view between say doing 5 miles everyday as opposed to 10 miles every two days?

I apologise if I'm starting to post frequent answers, feel free to just point me in the right direction.....

 

[Cubist]

Thanks for the info. I'll start to do some stretches before getting on the bike as I like to ride first thing after I've got up. I'll also try to resist the urge to do too much too soon.

Incidentally, does anyone know if there is any difference from a getting fit point of view between say doing 5 miles everyday as opposed to 10 miles every two days?

I apologise if I'm starting to post frequent answers, feel free to just point me in the right direction.....

Build up gently. I'm no expert, but there are some gentle rides around Colne Valley, despite its reputation!You are in great territory to be able to vary your ride. You could do the towpath to Slawit and back one day, then Milnsbridge the next time, and so on. Try some climbing (Wessenden Valley is long but progressive in terms of climbing required), and a simple answer is turn round when you think you've had enough! Clocking distance without hurting yourself should be the aim, so yes, maybe 10 miles with a day off then 11 and so on. Once you can do that,start to up the ante and push yourself a bit.

 

[Bayerd]

Build up gently. I'm no expert, but there are some gentle rides around Colne Valley, despite its reputation!You are in great territory to be able to vary your ride. You could do the towpath to Slawit and back one day, then Milnsbridge the next time, and so on. Try some climbing (Wessenden Valley is long but progressive in terms of climbing required), and a simple answer is turn round when you think you've had enough! Clocking distance without hurting yourself should be the aim, so yes, maybe 10 miles with a day off then 11 and so on. Once you can do that,start to up the ante and push yourself a bit.

That's my mentality when trying to get up Standedge. I normally get as far as the Hey Green turn off and can do that alright. This last week or so , the wind has picked up enough to stop me going further. I'd like to get as far as the Carriage House and down Mount Road, but I'm not quite there yet....

 

[Cubist]

I may have missed this, but what are you riding? Reason I ask is that you can find some testing routes with shorter and far less intimidating hills that the A62 out west.

 

[Randochap]

Excellent! Take it easy, give your body time to adapt (that means guiltless "horizontal training").

Set yourself a goal, such as a "century" or randonnee, next year. You'll be surprised how fast you can progress, if you train smart.

 

[GrasB]

Congrats guys & try to keep it going steadily as the weather closes in for the winter.

Another thing, if you're starting out riding, it may well be worth going to a gym & just doing a 3 or 4 half hour stints on an exercise bike at low leg loads. This will build up some muscle but mainly it'll get your leg muscles properly coordinated for the peddle motion when cycling. Muscle cordination is why people say that over arm pull-ups put more stress on your arms than underarm, they're not it's just you to motions which build muscle coordination for underarm variants.

 

[postman]

I am in your club at the moment.Went on holiday in Aug.Ate like a pig for the week.

Then the wife and youngest went away for another week with church.And i could not get out due to looking after the other daughter.And i have also had a few beers recently.I cannot motivate myself to get out.I feel like a blob.And i have put on a good few pounds.
I hate it.

 

[MarkF]

Postman, I too have been on a beer marathon, 2 weeks with a bad knee merged into another 3 weeks partying with my cousin over from Oz, that merged in 2 weeks on holiday When I got back, I thought about the bike for 6 days, some days I got as far the garage to look at it, it's hard to pick up easily when 50 is fast approaching, only yesterday did I ride it, today I ache but feel ace, can't wait to get out this afternoon!

Back to Dave, you sounded just like me 4 years ago, it took me a good month of refusing to quit to get to grips with cycling. I never noticed a gradual improvement, although there must have been one, one day I just zoomed up a hill I'd always struggled with, just like that, it was thrilling, there's been no stopping me since.

My first trip was to the post office, a mile away, I did not know how I'd ever get home Next week sees me doing Hull - Fakenham and I have Calais to Barcelona planned for the spring, stick with it