How Far - when you started?

[montroseloon]

When I first started back at cycling I was using a route of between 8-10 miles which involved a hill from hell which I just couldn't get up on my MTB for toffee, I always had to get off and push. Gave it a few months of plugging away with cycling and general fitness (work away from home so no bike) and I can get up it no bother. It does feel like you are fighting a losing battle at first but it will all come good, the miles get more and the effort takes less

 

[slowmotion]

When I first started back at cycling I was using a route of between 8-10 miles which involved a hill from hell which I just couldn't get up on my MTB for toffee, I always had to get off and push. Gave it a few months of plugging away with cycling and general fitness (work away from home so no bike) and I can get up it no bother. It does feel like you are fighting a losing battle at first but it will all come good, the miles get more and the effort takes less

Absolutely! At the beginning I just felt that I would never enjoy it or get a bit better. I didn't regard it as "training" either, just a wish to enjoy it more.

 

[Effyb4]

I like a structured approach to increasing the amount of miles I do. When training for the London to Southend ride I did. I set out a target ride length for each week and tried to get out twice in that week. I started out at 2 miles and managed the 53 miles within 7 months, increasing the mileage by 2 miles each week. I recorded all the rides I did, so that I could see the progress I was making.

 

[Batgirl]

I like a structured approach to increasing the amount of miles I do. When training for the London to Southend ride I did. I set out a target ride length for each week and tried to get out twice in that week. I started out at 2 miles and managed the 53 miles within 7 months, increasing the mileage by 2 miles each week. I recorded all the rides I did, so that I could see the progress I was making.

Structure appeals to me too - but will see how it goes but perhaps your method or something similar will work once I'm comfortable doing a couple of miles will see how today goes and then see how things progress. Am going to remember enjoyment is key!

 

[bpsmith]

Enjoyment is paramount, but a bit of suffering is strangely enjoyable too.

You struggle up your first hills, but start to miss them once you actually get to the brow of the hill. It's all very strange, but you will son feel the same I am sure. lol.

 

[Big_Dave]

The best bit of advice I can give to anyone starting out is work on your cadence (Pedaling speed, revolutions per minute [RPM] of the crank) aka spinning, it means pedaling faster in an easier gear rather than pedaling slower in a harder gear, try to aim for 60rpm to start with on the flat roads (easiest to keep count if you do not have a bike computer with cadence) which is one full turn of the crank per second, this improves stamina considerably and once you get used to it will help climb hills better, Once you've mastered 60rpm increase the rpm to 90rpm (1.5 turns of the crank per second) It really does help increase fitness levels and and it improves quickly, It will make you huff and puff to start with but will be worth it!

 

[Batgirl]

Well, I threw all the advice into a pot, I worked out a route on Strava yesterday that I knew came to 3.8km - and today I rode it! I as pleasantly surprised no coughing or dying, I was a bit pink faced I'd guess and sweaty but not too bad at all. My quads by my knee's ached a bit but I think I'm riding with a seat a bit short - due to my wobbly starts am going to 'go with that' for now. I did work on better starts (more impulsion as I push off/push down on my right foot) and positive energy. And did a few on the ride due to crossing a road and turns which were in too narrow a setting.
Really pleased overall though, for not having ridden in 22 years, I think I'm actually fitter than I was when I was 20 as I remember horrible burning chest and struggling to breath back them. none of that today.

A friend has offered to ride with me next week if it's nice and hopefully we'll up the miles then, for now I'll just go with some training rides like todays and remember to get a water bottle as didn't have one today which would have really helped.

Enjoyment is paramount, but a bit of suffering is strangely enjoyable too.

You struggle up your first hills, but start to miss them once you actually get to the brow of the hill. It's all very strange, but you will son feel the same I am sure. lol.

I can 'sort of' appreciate what you mean, but having done a couple of tiny slopes today I can say I'm not ready for big hills yet.. but they'll come.. I used some tips from here for getting up the slopes well and not losing too much momentum. lol

I did really enjoy though!

The best bit of advice I can give to anyone starting out is work on your cadence (Pedaling speed, revolutions per minute [RPM] of the crank) aka spinning, it means pedaling faster in an easier gear rather than pedaling slower in a harder gear, try to aim for 60rpm to start with on the flat roads (easiest to keep count if you do not have a bike computer with cadence) which is one full turn of the crank per second, this improves stamina considerably and once you get used to it will help climb hills better, Once you've mastered 60rpm increase the rpm to 90rpm (1.5 turns of the crank per second) It really does help increase fitness levels and and it improves quickly, It will make you huff and puff to start with but will be worth it!

At the moment I am waiting to strip my gears down with OH. I've got 3rd and leaving it in that for now so rpm is pretty high on the flat / tarmac. I rode off road a bit today (gravel track in the forestry) and on tarmac, I think I was likely doing about the 60 on tarmac but will keep this in mind and not up the gears too soon, I get your point totally on it building stamina Thanks

 

[Pat "5mph"]

When I started commuting to work 3 years ago, a flat 10 mile round trip, it used to take me 50 minutes, not so much because I'm slow (still am) but because I was so scared of riding the roads that I used the most unlikely detours to stay on cycle paths
Now, I can do it in 25 minutes if the lights are in my favor.
I'm quite lucky never to have had endurance or sore bum problems. For a good year I did only utilitarian riding, max 20 miles round about town, then one day I decided to go visit a friend in another town, this resulted in 68 mile trip
I can now do (have done) 100 miles no problem, but don't ask me to go fast (my average is 9/10 mph) or climb too many hills
My age is 51, only rode occasionally, maybe once a year, before starting commuting.

 

[Salad Dodger]

Hi Batgirl.

The important thing when starting out is to ride little but often. Even 1 or 2 miles every day, or maybe twice a day if you can fit this in, is better than trying to do one 15 mile ride once a week....

You will very soon get used to riding, and your muscles will start to be "bike fit", and then you can look at maybe adding a little bit to each ride, and thus extend your weekly mileage. Then, after a few weeks, maybe look to add in a (for example) 10 mile ride once a week, on top of regular rides.

Best of luck!

 

[Batgirl]

Hi Batgirl.

The important thing when starting out is to ride little but often. Even 1 or 2 miles every day, or maybe twice a day if you can fit this in, is better than trying to do one 15 mile ride once a week....

You will very soon get used to riding, and your muscles will start to be "bike fit", and then you can look at maybe adding a little bit to each ride, and thus extend your weekly mileage. Then, after a few weeks, maybe look to add in a (for example) 10 mile ride once a week, on top of regular rides.

Best of luck!

Thanks that sounds do-able though the 10 mile sounds scary at the moment. I'm heading out with a friend next week so am thinking of that as my long ride. I'm sure with company and someone to natter too time will go and distance too. We're heading onto the cycle track / coastal path that is really long.

I'll keep that in mind for daily riding though thanks. all makes sense and really glad I asked - this thread has been a great help.