Milestones

[Chrisc]

Well this has been a good first year back on a bike.

I've progressed from being able to ride 2 miles and almost throwing up to riding 100 miles in 6 hours.
Weight dropped from 13-5 to 11-7.
Waist shrunk from 37 to 31".
Resting heart rate down from 85 to 48.
I've climbed Holme Moss, no stops.
Done the Strines both ways in one trip. It's 25% at the end on the way back.
My average speed is up to 18mph on my local loop with 1350' of hills in the way.
Ridden 3000 miles since Jan, 300 of those miles on holiday! Now it's a bad month if I don't get 350 miles in.
Done two sessions at the Manchester Velodrome with fellow cyclechatters which I can highly recommend! Riding fixed as hard as you can is an experience not to be missed.
Most important of all I've smiled a lot more, every time I think of going out on my bike I get this thing happening...

All in all I reckon it's a bloody miracle given that a year ago I was a self-confessed 46 year old couch spud who thought exercise was lifting a can of beer and broke sweat at the thought of there being none left in the fridge, and it's been great going shopping for new clothes to replace all the kit I shrunk out of!

 

[Brandane]

Well this has been a good first year back on a bike.

I've progressed from being able to ride 2 miles and almost throwing up to riding 100 miles in 6 hours.

Well that's what I call fast progress. It took me 10 months to get my first century done; you got to that level in 6 hours!

But seriously, that is good going. My mileage for the last year is similar, but haven't seen the same results with regards to weight loss or average speed. Not that I've been trying too hard of course . Waist down from 34 to 32", weight from 14 stone to just under 13.

 

[rodgy-dodge]

Well this has been a good first year back on a bike.


Most important of all I've smiled a lot more, every time I think of going out on my bike I get this thing happening...

I can so relate to this after a ten year break and an off on relationship with my bike I've found this new love my Kona Mountain Deluxe. Hubby bought it for me three months ago and I just can't get enough. After struggling up one of our local climbs out of town in my granny gears I can now do it in my big cogs smiling and not getting out of breath its like I've grown another set of lungs. It makes me feel all at the thought of going out.

 

[Chrisc]

Well that's what I call fast progress. It took me 10 months to get my first century done; you got to that level in 6 hours!

But seriously, that is good going. My mileage for the last year is similar, but haven't seen the same results with regards to weight loss or average speed. Not that I've been trying too hard of course . Waist down from 34 to 32", weight from 14 stone to just under 13.

Still good going tho! I try to go out for gentle rides but it always develops into a race against my last time out now so I'm always going as hard as I can.

It makes me feel all at the thought of going out.

Yep! It also makes me feel at the thought of not being able to go out!

 

[mrsbaggins]

Sounds like its been a really good year for you!! thats so great. you must feel so mch better.

I dont know about the government paying large people not to eat they should pay us when we continue to excercise!!You have got to be a whole lot fitter now than last year

 

[Chrisc]

Sounds like its been a really good year for you!! thats so great. you must feel so mch better.

I dont know about the government paying large people not to eat they should pay us when we continue to excercise!!You have got to be a whole lot fitter now than last year

Thanks, yep I feel much better. Didn't realise people were being paid not to eat tho!! Good grief...

 

[007]

Great stuff, Chris C, what a year you have had! 100 miles in 6 hours is impressive. Heartrate, weightloss - everything really - all one hell of an change for the better!!

I can relate to the hobby addiction you have, I went out last night in the pissing rain, and was grinning like a maniac on a long, completely traffic free, downhill stretch where the tarmac is the stuff of dreams, and I could really get the feeling of speed. The amazing sound my tyres were making in the rain, the way the logos on my front tyre rims were blurring as the wheels revolved at a rate. The click the gears make as you push up and up to increase the resistance on a downhill stretch. It is addictive, as when you are in the zone, sometimes it all just comes together. Perhaps its those endorphins!

 

[Chrisc]

Great stuff, Chris C, what a year you have had! 100 miles in 6 hours is impressive. Heartrate, weightloss - everything really - all one hell of an change for the better!!

I can relate to the hobby addiction you have, I went out last night in the pissing rain, and was grinning like a maniac on a long, completely traffic free, downhill stretch where the tarmac is the stuff of dreams, and I could really get the feeling of speed. The amazing sound my tyres were making in the rain, the way the logos on my front tyre rims were blurring as the wheels revolved at a rate. The click the gears make as you push up and up to increase the resistance on a downhill stretch. It is addictive, as when you are in the zone, sometimes it all just comes together. Perhaps its those endorphins!

It's definitely the endorphins!

 

[007]

It's definitely the endorphins!

Big time

 

[RedBike]

Wow, thats good going.

I stopped cycling for 4 months due to injury and put on a wopping 14kg in weight! - Being 'active' really does make a difference!

 

[Chrisc]

Wow, thats good going.

I stopped cycling for 4 months due to injury and put on a wopping 14kg in weight! - Being 'active' really does make a difference!

Hope you can get back out there soon. Nice thing is you know it'll come off again once you get going.

 

[Steve H]

Hi Chris - great post, really inspiring. I'm not too far away from you across in Brighouse. I reckon I've been up Holme Moss more times than you this year, but sorry to say it has always been in the car! If you are getting up there none stop in your first year of cycling then you are doing pretty darn well!

I'm also in my first year of cycling. My stats aren't anywhere near as good as yours for the year, but determined to keep going with it.

Steve

 

[gadders]

You give me hope...
I've recently taken up cycling after many years absence... I've only been out a hanful of times but I already feel the difference... My waist hasn't shrunk yet though but there's plenty of time for that....

 

[ColinJ]

Great stuff Chris!

I know how you feel because I made the same kind of progress a few years back. Unfortunately, I let 80% of that progress slip away again. Be vigilant, and don't let it happen to you!

 

[Chrisc]

Hi Chris - great post, really inspiring. I'm not too far away from you across in Brighouse. I reckon I've been up Holme Moss more times than you this year, but sorry to say it has always been in the car! If you are getting up there none stop in your first year of cycling then you are doing pretty darn well!

I'm also in my first year of cycling. My stats aren't anywhere near as good as yours for the year, but determined to keep going with it.

Steve

Hi Steve, Keep at it and it'll come!

You give me hope...
I've recently taken up cycling after many years absence... I've only been out a hanful of times but I already feel the difference... My waist hasn't shrunk yet though but there's plenty of time for that....

It does take a while till your body adapts and learns to burn fat for fuel I reckon, once it's worked that out you're away!

Great stuff Chris!

I know how you feel because I made the same kind of progress a few years back. Unfortunately, I let 80% of that progress slip away again. Be vigilant, and don't let it happen to you!

Hi Colin,
Cheers. No intention of letting this slide. I sat drinking beer and dreaming about being lighter/fitter for too many years to waste the effort I finally made this year! Anyway, it's too much fun and my wife has bought herself a bike so once she gets up to speed I'll have someone to race!