From couch to 600km (370 miles)
- Thread starter chrismisterx
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
I'm sure you do. It's the lurkers we must worry for.
graham bowers
Guru
- Location
- NW Leicestershire
The route was entirely planned using cycle.travel and the resulting .gpx files were uploaded to my Garmin 810 that I used for both turn by turn navigation and recording of ride data. The data files were uploaded to RidewithGPS and that is what is linked below. I still have the .gpx files too and would be happy to share.
View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/16234604
View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/16234603
View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/16234416
View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/16234739
View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/15946435
For the file ending 16234416 the stretch from 120 Km to 126 Km should be avoided as I ended up having to unload the bike to lift it and the luggage over gates, lots of them. The experience was made more memorable at one gate by a bull and his harim blocking the way. I took the cowards option and waited half an hour for them to mosey off.
Last edited:
HobbesOnTour
Guru
- Location
- España
Delighted to read your update - not that you're under the weather!- just that you're still here! I had visions of you heading off again on dodgy brakes and coming a cropper!
"Stupid" is a word I hate. Heading out was just another sign of your (incurable?) enthusiasm!
While it might well be no harm for some to continue to ride in the winter weather with various ailments, I'm not sure it's a good idea for everyone. As well as the tolerance of the more experienced rider, they will also have (probably through trial and error) the optimum gear for the environment.
Mind your tonsils, ride when you can, and most importantly, when you can enjoy it. Endurance and braving the elements can come later.
HobbesOnTour
Guru
- Location
- España
I started riding again for relaxation, moved on to touring, then began commuting to work every day. I no longer have a car.
I got a gps for navigation and use it daily just to record my rides. There is a satisfaction to seeing the kms mount up!
However, when I first started using it and connected to Strava I'd get messages about my performance on "segments" whatever they were. Being a competitive person, I started to pay attention to those. One day, I realised that my commute was a lot less fun.
I changed the display to stop showing me my speed/average etc and the joy returned!
I love my commute. It's not a race. It's relaxation time..... and I tend to go just as fast as before, and arrive in a better mood!
Also, at this time of the year, my speed slows down and the hour commute feels a bit harder. It's colder, the surface is trickier and I'm balancing between being warm but not sweating. I "feel" the riding far more in my muscles than when it's warmer. But I still enjoy it!
Last night the sky was wonderfully clear in parts giving a fantastic view of the stars, while clouds in other parts gave a wonderful hue, and the freezing mist was mysterious and adventurous to cycle through. It was so calm, so quiet and so naturally beautiful I slowed right down to absorb the whole experience (the night before it had been pishing rain!). Couldn't have done that if I was racing the clock!
I suggest go for taking it easy
Slick
Guru
The like was mostly for that.I started riding again for relaxation, moved on to touring, then began commuting to work every day. I no longer have a car.
I got a gps for navigation and use it daily just to record my rides. There is a satisfaction to seeing the kms mount up!
However, when I first started using it and connected to Strava I'd get messages about my performance on "segments" whatever they were. Being a competitive person, I started to pay attention to those. One day, I realised that my commute was a lot less fun.
I changed the display to stop showing me my speed/average etc and the joy returned!
I love my commute. It's not a race. It's relaxation time..... and I tend to go just as fast as before, and arrive in a better mood!
Also, at this time of the year, my speed slows down and the hour commute feels a bit harder. It's colder, the surface is trickier and I'm balancing between being warm but not sweating. I "feel" the riding far more in my muscles than when it's warmer. But I still enjoy it!
Last night the sky was wonderfully clear in parts giving a fantastic view of the stars, while clouds in other parts gave a wonderful hue, and the freezing mist was mysterious and adventurous to cycle through. It was so calm, so quiet and so naturally beautiful I slowed right down to absorb the whole experience (the night before it had been pishing rain!). Couldn't have done that if I was racing the clock!
I suggest go for taking it easy
I also agree mostly with your post, I also like to challenge myself at times especially if it's the only chance of cycling I can get. I'm not comparing my times to others merely my own and for me is where I get the most enjoyment whilst commuting. Well that and the feel good factor that sets you up for the rest of the day.
nickAKA
Über Member
- Location
- Manchester
Firstly, well done setting such an 'ambitious' target. I wish my other half was up for something like this! She could do it but just doesn't like traffic. At all.
Regarding the training... put the miles in. There's no substitute for getting out there and doing it. You don't have to go full distance, once you're comfortable (ie. not physically dying) doing 50 mile rides you'll be fine, I'm sure. The weight loss will come as a consequence of putting the work in.
I can only comment based on my experiences, so here it comes - I did most of my training when I started riding seriously (August 2017) in a pretty much fasted state. Most training rides were ~20miles but I did the hills and the weight dropped off rapidly, I didn't adjust my diet at all. Once I graduated onto longer ~40 mile rides I started fuelling up a bit better; I still lost weight but probably at half the rate I had been losing it. I was focused on a couple of centuries I had planned earlier this year and I wanted to be ready for anything, I was determined not to be 'that guy' that bonked or had a 'disaster trousers' incident because I was undercooked...
As it transpired, the first 'event' of 120 miles went better than I could have hoped for. I could have gone on if I'd had to, but only because I'd prepared thouroughly.
You've got a bit less time than I had to prepare, plus you've got to do a lot of it over winter... the weather is going to be a problem at some point so I'll throw this into the mix: I did A LOT of training indoors on Zwift once the weather turned. It's not for everyone, I understand that, but where it really paid dividends for me was preparing for long, hard, steady efforts. I think it could work quite well for you in that respect, if you're struggling to get out on the bike.
Best of luck, looking forward to reading more about your journey.
Regarding the training... put the miles in. There's no substitute for getting out there and doing it. You don't have to go full distance, once you're comfortable (ie. not physically dying) doing 50 mile rides you'll be fine, I'm sure. The weight loss will come as a consequence of putting the work in.
I can only comment based on my experiences, so here it comes - I did most of my training when I started riding seriously (August 2017) in a pretty much fasted state. Most training rides were ~20miles but I did the hills and the weight dropped off rapidly, I didn't adjust my diet at all. Once I graduated onto longer ~40 mile rides I started fuelling up a bit better; I still lost weight but probably at half the rate I had been losing it. I was focused on a couple of centuries I had planned earlier this year and I wanted to be ready for anything, I was determined not to be 'that guy' that bonked or had a 'disaster trousers' incident because I was undercooked...
As it transpired, the first 'event' of 120 miles went better than I could have hoped for. I could have gone on if I'd had to, but only because I'd prepared thouroughly.
You've got a bit less time than I had to prepare, plus you've got to do a lot of it over winter... the weather is going to be a problem at some point so I'll throw this into the mix: I did A LOT of training indoors on Zwift once the weather turned. It's not for everyone, I understand that, but where it really paid dividends for me was preparing for long, hard, steady efforts. I think it could work quite well for you in that respect, if you're struggling to get out on the bike.
Best of luck, looking forward to reading more about your journey.
OP
OP
chrismisterx
Senior Member
- Location
- North Shields
Been awhile since my last update,
Been a mixed bag the last 2 months with a few ups and downs bike and non bike related.
First off new bike is fantastic, blows the old one away and the distances I was doing on the old bike are a 100 times easier on the new one, I just haven't had the chance to get out as much as I would have liked.
Decided to get upgrades for the bike, so back into the shop it went for a week or so, new dynamo lights, was a wheel rebuild, but got the bike back and they work great, have a tyre problem, which I hope to get sorted this weekend, but the big bike problem that i had, was I had my first cycle accident.
Since the new bike was in the shop for wheel rebuild, went on the old one and had a nasty spill, was coming to a corner at the end of the main road about 5 mins from home and hit some black ice and went skidding across the road, lucky for me the two cars on the road at the time managed to dodge me but I hit the curb quite hard ( later that day 2 cars lost control at the same spot. )
Ended up with suspected broken finger , bruised side, bump on face and a bit of road rash, worst of all my pride took a nasty knock too!
It seems someone had spilt a load of water on the road after washing the bins and it was that which caused that corner to end up covered in ice when the rest of the road seemed fine.
Pleased it happened on the old bike, lesson learnt. The other down side is been pretty much stuck in the house for 2 weeks while I healed fully, cupa's and biscuits haven't helped the weight loss, put a ton on, i call it my future fuel lol
Anyway plans are still in place, we knew this time of year was going to be tough to get a ton of miles in, work hasn't helped, wife has been snowed under, but she is also finding the new bike much easier.
We have the bikes ready to go, bags, lights etc, just need a small tool set and some spares and that's done, next we will be shopping for cycle clothes.
I am healing nicely, still sore and finger isn't anywhere near 100% yet but weather permitting and if the tyre problem is fixed tomorrow, hope to get a 50 mile ride done this sunday with the wife, now we have much better lights no rush if it gets dark, my old lights weren't up to it sadly.
Sorry for the lack of updates, but with the crash, work commitments and weather, just had nothing to really report.
I will get a couple of pics of the bikes next day or two oh and the locks we bought for bikes btw are very heavy, seem to weigh more than the bikes!
Once the weather breaks, will post much more often and show our training plan etc, to see how we get on.
Been a mixed bag the last 2 months with a few ups and downs bike and non bike related.
First off new bike is fantastic, blows the old one away and the distances I was doing on the old bike are a 100 times easier on the new one, I just haven't had the chance to get out as much as I would have liked.
Decided to get upgrades for the bike, so back into the shop it went for a week or so, new dynamo lights, was a wheel rebuild, but got the bike back and they work great, have a tyre problem, which I hope to get sorted this weekend, but the big bike problem that i had, was I had my first cycle accident.
Since the new bike was in the shop for wheel rebuild, went on the old one and had a nasty spill, was coming to a corner at the end of the main road about 5 mins from home and hit some black ice and went skidding across the road, lucky for me the two cars on the road at the time managed to dodge me but I hit the curb quite hard ( later that day 2 cars lost control at the same spot. )
Ended up with suspected broken finger , bruised side, bump on face and a bit of road rash, worst of all my pride took a nasty knock too!
It seems someone had spilt a load of water on the road after washing the bins and it was that which caused that corner to end up covered in ice when the rest of the road seemed fine.
Pleased it happened on the old bike, lesson learnt. The other down side is been pretty much stuck in the house for 2 weeks while I healed fully, cupa's and biscuits haven't helped the weight loss, put a ton on, i call it my future fuel lol
Anyway plans are still in place, we knew this time of year was going to be tough to get a ton of miles in, work hasn't helped, wife has been snowed under, but she is also finding the new bike much easier.
We have the bikes ready to go, bags, lights etc, just need a small tool set and some spares and that's done, next we will be shopping for cycle clothes.
I am healing nicely, still sore and finger isn't anywhere near 100% yet but weather permitting and if the tyre problem is fixed tomorrow, hope to get a 50 mile ride done this sunday with the wife, now we have much better lights no rush if it gets dark, my old lights weren't up to it sadly.
Sorry for the lack of updates, but with the crash, work commitments and weather, just had nothing to really report.
I will get a couple of pics of the bikes next day or two oh and the locks we bought for bikes btw are very heavy, seem to weigh more than the bikes!
Once the weather breaks, will post much more often and show our training plan etc, to see how we get on.
OP
OP
chrismisterx
Senior Member
- Location
- North Shields
Ouch, boy I am sore today! Hands, neck, legs and hmmm the place the sun don't shine lol
So now that's out the way, time for an update.
Me and the better half went for a ride Saturday ( no not that kind you mucky devils
) North shields to Corbridge. This trip was to be the furthest my wife had been.
Day didn't start too well, She had been complaining that she couldn't get used to the gears, we looked at videos to try and help her in the past, but today they sounded terrible, so we swapped bikes, straight away I knew something was wrong, slipping clunking and not changing gears well at all, luckily our bike shop we use was only a mile or two out the way of our route and thought we would pop in and get it checked, new bike get the guys to sort it.
He thought it was the cable at first, but took it for a spin, turns out a link on the chain was damaged, so he fixed it free of charge and off we head back on route, a small 40 min delay. Wife said the bike was fantastic and totally different and a joy to ride.
We had a bit of a head wind so progress was slow but steady and after a couple of stops to rest and eat cake made it to Corbridge, coming back my wife started to really feel it the strong wind I think had sapped her strength and the last 10 miles where a real slog, but I am so proud of her, she had just done her first 50 miles, well 58.7 miles according to my app.
This morning we woke and she didn't feel too bad, tried but she felt ok, I decided it was time to try two long rides in a row and off I went alone back to Corbridge minus the trip to the bike shop. Trip started well enough, again another head wind but around 20 miles in I really felt it, pushed on a further 5 miles and decided to head back, about a mile short of Corbridge ( it was just before the busy road and a nice downhill bit into the town, I didn't fancy the return up the hill and I didn't want to stop today, was trying to do this with no breaks.
Coming back had a nice 5 miles easy ride, a lot of downhill bits and the wind was mainly behind me, but I started to get really sore neck and hands, this had also happened the day before, but it was really bad today.
When I hit Newcastle Quay side I had to walk due to the market and my legs felt like jelly, the next mile seemed like a forever never ending hell, couldn't get comfortable, saddle sore and was wishing I had done a small trip instead of this
A further mile on ran out of water and wished I had packed food ( lesson learnt ) Then just when I thought I was running on empty and was going to have to stop and walk to the nearest town, got a second wind, I am not going to say I enjoyed the last 10 mile but very happy that I did it, learnt a lot about different things today.
I had on both days my bags and some weight on the bike, I think around 4kg extra weight on top of the bags.
So things I learnt, need to make sure I have fuel ( lots of fuel hehe ) and extra water on my longer trips when I don't want to stop.
Things to figure out, why I had such bad pain both days in my neck, I haven't done many miles with drop handle bars, could it be that?, will it get better?, was getting to the point I could hardly lift my head and my hands are really sore. Red raw to be honest maybe I need gloves?
My legs I expected to be sore and they are, knees a little sore but not been out enough the last 2 months so maybe my fitness dropped quite a bit more than I expected.
Overall I will embrace the suck, I am sure I will get better , but 58.7 one day followed by 51.4 ( took a short cut according to the signs on the way home and seemed to have went further lol )
So my first 100 mile weekend!
Right off to go have a glass of wine and a good old soak in the bath ( wine is purely for medic reasons
)
So now that's out the way, time for an update.
Me and the better half went for a ride Saturday ( no not that kind you mucky devils
) North shields to Corbridge. This trip was to be the furthest my wife had been.Day didn't start too well, She had been complaining that she couldn't get used to the gears, we looked at videos to try and help her in the past, but today they sounded terrible, so we swapped bikes, straight away I knew something was wrong, slipping clunking and not changing gears well at all, luckily our bike shop we use was only a mile or two out the way of our route and thought we would pop in and get it checked, new bike get the guys to sort it.
He thought it was the cable at first, but took it for a spin, turns out a link on the chain was damaged, so he fixed it free of charge and off we head back on route, a small 40 min delay. Wife said the bike was fantastic and totally different and a joy to ride.
We had a bit of a head wind so progress was slow but steady and after a couple of stops to rest and eat cake made it to Corbridge, coming back my wife started to really feel it the strong wind I think had sapped her strength and the last 10 miles where a real slog, but I am so proud of her, she had just done her first 50 miles, well 58.7 miles according to my app.
This morning we woke and she didn't feel too bad, tried but she felt ok, I decided it was time to try two long rides in a row and off I went alone back to Corbridge minus the trip to the bike shop. Trip started well enough, again another head wind but around 20 miles in I really felt it, pushed on a further 5 miles and decided to head back, about a mile short of Corbridge ( it was just before the busy road and a nice downhill bit into the town, I didn't fancy the return up the hill and I didn't want to stop today, was trying to do this with no breaks.
Coming back had a nice 5 miles easy ride, a lot of downhill bits and the wind was mainly behind me, but I started to get really sore neck and hands, this had also happened the day before, but it was really bad today.
When I hit Newcastle Quay side I had to walk due to the market and my legs felt like jelly, the next mile seemed like a forever never ending hell, couldn't get comfortable, saddle sore and was wishing I had done a small trip instead of this
A further mile on ran out of water and wished I had packed food ( lesson learnt ) Then just when I thought I was running on empty and was going to have to stop and walk to the nearest town, got a second wind, I am not going to say I enjoyed the last 10 mile but very happy that I did it, learnt a lot about different things today.
I had on both days my bags and some weight on the bike, I think around 4kg extra weight on top of the bags.
So things I learnt, need to make sure I have fuel ( lots of fuel hehe ) and extra water on my longer trips when I don't want to stop.
Things to figure out, why I had such bad pain both days in my neck, I haven't done many miles with drop handle bars, could it be that?, will it get better?, was getting to the point I could hardly lift my head and my hands are really sore. Red raw to be honest maybe I need gloves?
My legs I expected to be sore and they are
, knees a little sore but not been out enough the last 2 months so maybe my fitness dropped quite a bit more than I expected.Overall I will embrace the suck, I am sure I will get better , but 58.7 one day followed by 51.4 ( took a short cut according to the signs on the way home and seemed to have went further lol )
So my first 100 mile weekend!
Right off to go have a glass of wine and a good old soak in the bath ( wine is purely for medic reasons
)
Last edited:
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Well done!
Odd as it sounds, too much weight on the hands is often a sign that the saddle position is wrong and the hands are being used to hold you up, instead of your weight being shared between bum and legs and the hands only being used for steering. Too much weight on the hands can also strain wrists, elbows, shoulders and neck. http://wheel-easy.org.uk/bike-set-up/ is a good guide if you have time or no money to pay someone to set it up.
Last edited:
snickerdoodle
Member
- Location
- Shropshire
Hi, chrismisterx, it's been a pleasure reading your thread and all the updates on your challenge. I think it's very impressive what you've achieved in a space of just few (winter!) months. It seems that your heart is all in it and I am looking forward to finding out how you get on. You won't get much valuable cycling advice from me as I am a novice myself, but on a general note please remember to take good care of yourself and take it easy.
12boy
Guru
- Location
- Casper WY USA
After a while your muscles, heart and lungs become used to the work. Then your impediment,may become poor ergonomics. I have learned the hard way that riding tucked over for long periods can generate a lot of pressure on your hands, so a multi position handle bar can help, ie flat to drops or if bending to the drops is too much a moustache bar or North Roads. Bending over so you need to raise your head to see the road as when fighting a headwind can generate a lot of stiffness in your neck and shoulders and a more erect position may be more work but easier in the long run.
nickAKA
Über Member
- Location
- Manchester
I usually start to feel it in my neck after about 80 miles but I don't do 80 miles very often so try not to worry about it
I cured hand numbness/soreness by putting a 20mm shorter stem on and raising the bars by about 25mm which has the added benefit of being comfortable in the drops for longer; I also try to move my hands around the bars regularly and wear mitts with decent padding in them.
Great progress, keep going!
I cured hand numbness/soreness by putting a 20mm shorter stem on and raising the bars by about 25mm which has the added benefit of being comfortable in the drops for longer; I also try to move my hands around the bars regularly and wear mitts with decent padding in them.
Great progress, keep going!
OldShep
Veteran
- Location
- South West Scotland
It will very soon be May. How are the preparations progressing?
