My Firsts:

[Cannondale Lady]

Another first for me this morning:

Today is the first time I have cycled in just after the Cock got up! As in, early morning, cock crowing time. Was on the bike at 6:30 and at my desk, showered and refreshed (ok, knackered and ready for a sleep) by 7:45. My fastest time to date, 54 mins. I saw some wildlife too. A squirrel with its nuts and a little bunny rabbit hopping along past me (I was going up hill!!). There was a dead fish floating in the Wear too, but thats not unusual!

My hubby has said that next time I catch up with someone on the track (he's taking the p*ss, like when have I ever caught someone up!) if I 'tuck in behind him' I will save 30%. Is this some sort of discount voucher for Halfords? No wonder Anth, my sometimes cycling to work buddy, often tucks in behind me close. Thought it was to admire my rear not for my 'slipstream'

More tales from my commute home later.

Cycling quote of the day:

'Studies have shown that riding a bicycle everyday makes you more awesome than the general population'

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Firstly, from you, using wording like "just after the Cock got up! As" is disconcerting to those that partially scan a post before starting to properly read the content. :-)

Secondly, he's telling you to wheelsuck, give him a slap and tell him not to be so rude. Not to you, drafting is a valid technique although I doubt wind resistance is causing you enough problems at the moment to get you 30% gains from it (sounds like wind assistance is doing you more favours :-) ) but doing it to someone you don't know (as it sounds your hubby might) is considered very rude 'tuck in behind' is 6" from their wheel to get maximum benefit although up to half a bike length might give a marginal gain. But a lot of people don't like being ridden behind that close (especially they don't all like 6" nudging up behind them) and will do what they can to get you to stop, including shouting 'oi, fark off!' over their shoulder. People that don't mind will expect you to do your share pulling on the front too. Fine to have a go with the hubby mind.

<this post has been brought to you in the spirit of Frankie Howerd.>

 

[Cannondale Lady]

Loving that others are getting this thread!

Commute home:

• 5 personal bests
• Fastest time home
• ALMOST made it up my nemesis, Cox Green Bank. Reckon I will do it by month end. It's the only one I have cycled up so far that has beaten me.
• Even as a kid I couldn't get up it
• I overtook 3 people...another first

Someone shouted 'hey, fat a*se' at me today. I said 'at least im on my bike doing something about it, you are stuck with that face*.…........that's how I had 5 personal bests. There's no way I was gonna let them catch me!

Was a fab ride home until White Van Man started pipping at me cos he was behind me and I couldn't get out of a busy junction......Tos*er!

 

[Crandoggler]

Well done. You'll get there in the end!

 

[Cannondale Lady]

I need to beat that bloody hill......I get mini panic attacks as I approach it. It's beating me and I dontlike

 

[Ihatehills]

Just pedal easily in your lowest gear all the way from the bottom and you will get up, all be it quite slowly i haven't figured out riding up hills quickly yet :-)

 

[Crandoggler]

Come out of the saddle.

Change up a gear, come out of your saddle for 20 strokes then drop a gear and sit down again. works for me?

 

[Cannondale Lady]

Never been out my saddle yet and Im worried about the pressure on my knees - I have hurrendous knee problems (athritis) and not sure I can. As far as cycling slow in the lowest gear, this is what I do. It's not my legs that give out but its the heart.....the speed it starts beating at and the dizziness I get. I pounds and I puff and pants, heaving for breath. As the legs get stronger though they will get me up and I guess the heart will get stronger too. Already Im faster and getting further up that darned hill. I am on blood pressure tablets and doc says Im not to do anything too strenuous.

Darent even hint at the Doctor what Im up to!

 

[Effyb4]

Keep going @CannondaleLady you will get there in the end. I have heart failure and find hills a real problem. The medication I am on doesn't help, but I have managed to get up some hills this year that I have not managed before. I am still slow compared to everyone else, but I don't worry about that too much. I just try and get a little bit further up each time. If I need to stop I just rest for a few minutes and get my heart rate and breathing under control, then carry on cycling.

 

[Wafer]

Keep it up, it was only a month ago you were just aiming to get a little further up that hill, now you're aiming to get over it, shows the progress you've already made!

 

[fimm]

Someone shouted 'hey, fat a*se' at me today. ..

That's really, really poor... I thought you might like this blog post... https://thelonelycyclist.wordpress.com/2015/08/16/skinny-cyclist-not-likely/

 

[Milkfloat]

My fear of hills was conquered by finding the toughest one I could and then making sure I got up it - it was bloody slow, but I made it. Since I proved to myself that it is possible, now although daunting I know I will get up anything. My previous problem was attacking too hard at the bottom trying to make the most of any momentum. Now I pick the right gear and spin, occasionally getting out the saddle. It is much more enjoyable and I am not staring at and sweating on the stem - plus no more puking and blackouts.

 

[Cannondale Lady]

That's really, really poor... I thought you might like this blog post... https://thelonelycyclist.wordpress.com/2015/08/16/skinny-cyclist-not-likely/

Hmmmmmm poor lady. I'm not alone then, with comments like that, but I didn't let it get to me cos if I did they would win. I feel fab, proud, fitter, thinner, more supple. I know I have a fat ass but it isn't as fat as it was 5 weeks ago. And in 5 weeks time it will be even thinner. They will always be ugly, inside and out and will always be loosers. I will never look sexy in Lycra, not many do. I'm happy to be a floab (fat lass on a bike) for now thank you very much. Better to be a floab that a flnoab ( fat lass not on a bike)!!! 'Like' this if you agree!

 

[MikeW-71]

Never been out my saddle yet and Im worried about the pressure on my knees - I have hurrendous knee problems (athritis) and not sure I can. As far as cycling slow in the lowest gear, this is what I do. It's not my legs that give out but its the heart.....the speed it starts beating at and the dizziness I get. I pounds and I puff and pants, heaving for breath. As the legs get stronger though they will get me up and I guess the heart will get stronger too. Already Im faster and getting further up that darned hill. I am on blood pressure tablets and doc says Im not to do anything too strenuous.

Darent even hint at the Doctor what Im up to!

I'd tell the doc that you're getting much more exercise now, it's supposed to be good for blood pressure. Yes, legs will get stronger and the heart will get stronger too.

As for climbing, I found it helped to think of an appropriate bit of music. (this was exactly what was playing in my head at the time). I found it a tough climb then and I nearly stopped twice.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRmTxDVzHk4

 

[RichardB]

Never been out my saddle yet and Im worried about the pressure on my knees - I have hurrendous knee problems (athritis) and not sure I can. As far as cycling slow in the lowest gear, this is what I do. It's not my legs that give out but its the heart.....the speed it starts beating at and the dizziness I get. I pounds and I puff and pants, heaving for breath. As the legs get stronger though they will get me up and I guess the heart will get stronger too. Already Im faster and getting further up that darned hill. I am on blood pressure tablets and doc says Im not to do anything too strenuous.

Darent even hint at the Doctor what Im up to!

I was on BP tablets but gave them up as they made me feel awful. My BP was raised and quite variable, up to around 160/100 at one stage. It didn't get any worse after I came off the pills. What has made a difference is cycling! Since I started commuting, I have become noticeably fitter, and my BP is now almost normal, around 120/80. So persist with the hills, taking it easy and stopping if you get too much out of breath, but don't give up. There are hills on my commute that had me lying awake thinking about them when I started seem to have flattened as I have become fitter. I never actually failed on any of them, but I was hot, sweaty and breathing like Darth Vader when I got to the top, and my legs were on fire. I still puff and pant up them, but less so - and in half the time with two gears to spare! I now view them as a pleasant challenge rather than as something to be dreaded. Letting your doctor know what you're doing wouldn't do any harm, though. No-one here is qualified to say that you should or shouldn't be riding up hills, but your doctor is. I would imagine that he/she would be delighted, though.